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What’s so special about the Toyota Vitz hybrid car battery? Isn’t it like the batteries that hybrid cars use? Well, if you take a look at the Vitz you would notice that it’s quite small compared to other hybrid cars. Its size is a factor when Toyota started to develop its hybrid system, because obviously the existing system the company uses in its other hybrid models (such as the Prius and Estima) won’t fit at all within the small frame of the subcompact Vitz. So what did Toyota do? Before we get into that, a short backgrounder on the company’s hybrid ventures. In February 2003, the company introduced the Intelligent Package of its Toyota Vitz Super CVT model (CVT4) with a new feature: the TIIS, or Toyota Intelligent Idling Stop System. The TIIS is the company’s new fuel-conservation system which has an idling stop function, which follows Toyota’s hybrid and mild hybrid systems. For the TIIS to be installed in the Vitz, Toyota has to reduce the battery’s dimensions and weight. How to do that in a hybrid? Use lithium ion! Before lithium ion, nickel metal hydride was used to power hybrid-electric cars. The use of lithium ion for vehicles isn’t new so it’s not particularly revolutionary on the part of Toyota. Lithium ion was first used by Nissan for its Tino Hybrid and Yamaha Motor for its Passol electric scooter. However, both were limited production models only. Toyota holds the record for being the first automaker to incorporate lithium ion batteries in a mass-production vehicle. The Toyota Vitz hybrid car battery is a four-cell lithium pack which powers the lights, air conditioner, heater, and radio while the car is stopped, so the engine can power off, decreasing fuel consumption. How does the lithium ion battery in the Vitz work? Imagine you’re driving the Vitz CVT4 and you see a red light up ahead. You slow down, and eventually the car rolls to a stop. When it does and the shift lever is in the D range, the engine stops automatically (this is called an “idling stop”) and starts again after the brake is released. It is now running on the power supplied by the lithium ion battery. The car’s radio, air conditioning system, and other systems will continue running even while the engine is shut off. The Toyota Vitz hybrid car battery greatly contributes to improved fuel efficiency, especially in situations when you have to stop and start constantly, for example in city driving where there are lots of traffic lights and traffic jams. The battery in the new Yaris (as the Vitz is known in other markets) hybrid is not lithium ion, however. Toyota was able to develop a smaller and lighter nickel metal hydride battery with a more efficient power management system. The battery of the new model is so compact it could be installed under the rear passenger seats without using up cargo space—which the small car needs. As Toyota continues to develop hybrid cars, the company also improves on the batteries they use, to make them better performance. The Toyota Vitz hybrid car battery is an example of hybrid development done right.
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