The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado (250 Series) has gained a mild hybrid system for the first time in Europe. Officially known as the Land Cruiser Hybrid 48V, bookings for the electrified off-road SUV are now open in the region, with customer deliveries expected to commence from the end of this year.
The Land Cruiser Hybrid 48V inherits the same powertrain used in the Toyota Hilux Hybrid 48V, which features a 1GD-FTV 2.8 litre inline-four turbodiesel engine mated to an eight-speed Direct Shift automatic transmission.
The mild hybrid system is made up of an electric motor-generator rated at 16 PS (16 hp or 12 kW) and 65 Nm of torque, which can supplement the engine under acceleration. By smoothing out acceleration when pulling away and during deceleration phases, drivers can look forward to a more composed and comfortable ride, including on rougher, off-road surfaces.
The motor-generator operates with a two-arm belt tensioner designed specifically for use in diesel engine vehicles to meet the demands of rough-road driving. As well as providing the required the level of belt tension, it also provides restart assistance and improved acceleration response. Noise and vibration performance is on par with gasoline engine vehicles.
The motor-generator, which is integrated into the engine, also enables quicker and quieter engine start-stop performance, with drivers able to choose from Normal or Long modes, the latter increasing the engine’s idling stop time when the air-conditioning is operating.
Toyota also points out that when the vehicle is on an uphill gradient, there may be a slight delay between engine restart and the generation of drive torque. As such, the stop and start system’s auxiliary function is to maintain the brake pressure until sufficient drive torque is generated, to achieve a smooth start-off. Additionally, when the vehicle is on a level surface, the system offsets any excess drive torque produced on restart.
Another purpose of the motor-generator is to provide a regeneration function every time the driver comes off the throttle using engine braking. The recovered energy is sent to a 48-volt lithium-ion weighing 7.6 kg and featuring 13 cells and an energy capacity of 4.3 Ah.
The hybrid battery and accompanying low-profile DC-DC converter are protected against water ingress, and as much cooling air as possible is drawn into the battery from the front of the vehicle, with a lower temperature than the cabin air. There’s also a filter to prevent a build-up of dust in the battery’s cooling paths, while a fan helps prevent battery performance deteriorating in high temperatures. Toyota claims no change to the 250 Series’ capabilities, including its 700 mm water wading depth.
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hello umwt malaysia. tidur ke?? keep those rebadged peroduas…what malaysians want are proper toyotas like this.