Re:Hybrid Intelligent Cars? (Score 1)

The truth lies halfway between. While today's hybrids don't have the sophistication of their larger cousins the locomotives, the Toyota does have a mode it flips in and out of where the engine is driving the wheels and the generator at the same time at lower speeds. Although there's not documentation on it available to the end-user, it seems from a careful listen that what's going on in there is that it's running the engine a bit faster for better fuel efficiency, running in a gear to offset that, and sucking the excess power off with the generator.

To bad its a closed system. I'd love to be able to tinker with the engine/motor/generator/coast logic.