Toyota Product Knowledge Practice Test

Hybrid Synergy Drive uses a planetary gear set as a power-split device to blend and manage power from the gasoline engine and the electric motor. This gear arrangement connects the engine, a motor/generator, and the wheels, so torque can flow from the engine and from the electric motor in a controlled, continuous way. Because the system can split and combine power, it can run the engine at its most efficient speed while the electric motor supplements propulsion, or it can drive the wheels largely with electricity at low speeds when battery energy is available. The result is smooth transitions between electric-only operation, hybrid propulsion, and engine-driven driving, all coordinated by the control system. A simple belt-drive and an unchanging, fixed power split aren’t how this system works, and the engine alone doesn’t carry the entire load at all times.