True Marksmanship: Another step forward in the world of efficiency

May 20, 2014

Hello everyone! Fred Marks here continuing my monthly blog series, True Marksmanship. If ever you needed more proof that the Toyota brand is a leader in the world of efficiency innovations and technology, the latest update from the iconic automaker should do the trick. Can you imagine the 2014 Toyota Prius being 10 percent more efficient? Or the Toyota Camry Hybrid. This is what Toyota hopes will result from their newly developed semiconductor chip, made from the the hardest materials in nature (after the diamond, of course).

The silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor was developed for use in automotive power control units, and theoretically has superior characteristics to other types, including one-tenth the electrical power loss and ten times the drive frequency. In addition, Toyota predicts the new chips will reduce the size of current automotive power control units by approximately 80 percent.

These are momentous developments, especially when you consider the fact that Toyota has already achieved a 5 percent improvement in fuel efficiency using these chips. It plans to have the chips in test models by the end of the year, and aims to bring it into commercial production by 2020.

As a Toyota dealer in Waukegan, we understand how important such developments are to our customers. They represent how committed the Toyota brand is to delivering an efficient line of vehicles that is affordable, easy on the environment, and outfitted with the latest innovations from the industry. If the Prius family is any indicator, this commitment is strong. And with the introduction of these new carbide semiconductor chips, the Toyota line only promises to get better.