Hybrid Camry mixes power with economy

Toyota's hybrid Camry has already sparked interest from fleet and private buyers. Photo / Supplied

A brief drive of the car Toyota says will take everyday motoring in New Zealand to a new level of efficiency reveals what what we expected all along: the hybrid Toyota Camry sedan is much more appealing than the petrol-only model.

The Camry is no longer another face in the four-cylinder crowd. The bolder front and rear makover alone gives the new car a presence the badge never had. The top-end i-Tech hybrid especially makes the tarted-up Sportiva option in the petrol-only line-up look dated.

Toyota set out to give the hybrid more visual appeal to complement the new drivetrain, something it says it will do across a range of hybrids.

"The development of this new model is a crucial step towards gaining wide acceptance of Toyota hybrid vehicles in the market," says Steve Prangnell, general manager of sales for Toyota NZ."

"The final design meets Toyota objectives by fusing the image of the conventional Camry with the innovation of a hybrid vehicle."

The hybrid Camry is around 90kg heavier than the standard model. It mates a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor/generator and a battery pack that stores electrical energy. The Hybrid Synergy Drive system delivers a maximum of 140kW.

Prangnell says it will take Camry's efficiency to a new level, offering a best in fuel economy of around 6 litres/100km (48mpg) and C02 exhaust emissions of 142 grams per kilometre. By contrast, the petrol-only Camry is good for 8.9 litres/100km and 210gr/km.

"The hybrid Camry allows us to respond to the needs of New Zealand motorists by introducing fuel-saving and environmentally conscious technology as a mainstream option," he says.

"Based on a pump price of $1.70 a litre for regular unleaded fuel, hybrid Camry will save around 900 litres, or $1530 a year, in everyday driving compared with its six cylinder rivals.

"Those savings will be multiplied for fleet owners, with many of their drivers covering far greater distances."

The hybrid drivetrain is comprised of the petrol engine, two sets of planetary gears and two electric motor/generators, with a counter gear to drive the differential.

The petrol engine is based on the VVT-i Camry engine, modified to use a different operating cycle known as the Atkinson cycle. It optimises fuel economy but delivers less torque, in this case 110kW/187Nm. The electrics deliver the torque boost.

The first electric motor acts primarily as a generator, storing surplus petrol engine power in the hybrid battery. It also acts as a starter motor for the petrol engine.

The second motor acts mainly as an electric drive motor, but also acts as a generator during regenerative braking.

The first planetary gear set acts as a power-split device, dividing petrol engine power between the generator and the counter gear.

The second planetary gear set is a reduction gear for the 105kW electric drive motor. Toyota says the reduction gear set allows hybrid Camry to use a more efficient and compact electric motor while optimising acceleration.

The compound planetary gear also acts as an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (ECVT) that seamlessly changes the transmission ratio for optimum performance, driveability and fuel economy.

Hybrid Camry has a gated gear shift lever which is designed to look and operate like a conventional automatic transmission, with Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive. It adds B, a mode which provides extra braking by using the regenerative braking system.

The electric drive motor is used for take-off and for low to mid-range speeds. In normal cruising, both the engine and the electric drive motor drive the wheels, with any surplus engine power routed to the generator to recharge the hybrid battery. Under hard acceleration, the battery supplies additional oomph.

On the road, the hybrid Camry is a better drive than the petrol example. Toyota has pretty much reinvented the badge. The hybrid is quieter, more stable, and handles and rides better. The electric steering gives the helm some heft that is missing in the petrol Camry.

Toyota Australia's chassis engineers did such a good job setting up the suspension for Downunder conditions that the settings will be used in other markets.

There are two versions of the hybrid Camry available: the entry-level model at $48,990 and the better equipped i-Tech at $54,990.

The price won't be a problem for Toyota, judging by the interest it says it has received from both fleet and private buyers. What will halt sales is supply: the factory in Melbourne has told Toyota NZ it can only supply 470 hybrid Camrys this year.