"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 00:58:47 +0100, "Doctor Drivel"
wrote:


"Andy Hall" wrote in message
news
The ECVT
......
it is often referred to by
its new name: Power Split Device.

That says it all. They have put a fancy acronym to the power splitter.
The
power splitter does not, input - raise or lower ratios - output; it
take
two parallel power sources and combines them into one sending the
combined
power to the wheels.

The only thing that is Continually Variable is the ratio of the two power
inputs, The management system decides what level of electric to petrol
motor power to combine to output to the wheels. That is "very", "very",
different to a stepless CVT that are quite common in other conventional
cars.

It strikes me that all of this is marketing hype, and the terms Power
Split Device and ECVT etc are that.....

Toyota have put an "E" in front of CVT, to differentiate it from
conventional CVTs. It is nothing like a conventional CV, is construction,
as there is none, or in function. Putting a "P", for power, in front would
have been more apt and meaningful... PCVT. The term "power splitter" is
semi-apt as that is what it does, but its prime function is to "combine"
power from two differnt souces, rather than split it. See my other post on
this.