Milestone-Proposal talk:Toyota Prius, the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle

Advocates’ Checklist

1. Is proposal for an achievement rather than for a person?
2. Was proposed achievement a significant advance rather than an incremental improvement to an existing technology?
3. Were there prior or contemporary achievements of a similar nature?
4. Has the achievement truly led to a functioning, useful, or marketable technology?
5. Is proposal adequately supported by significant references (minimum of five) such as patents, contemporary newspaper articles, journal articles, or citations to pages in scholarly books? At least one of the references from a peer-reviewed scholarly book or journal article. The full text of the material, not just the references, shall be present. If the supporting texts are copyright-encumbered and cannot be posted on the ETHW for intellectual property reasons, the proposers shall email a copy to the History Center so that it can be forwarded to the advocate. If the advocate does not consider the supporting references sufficient, the advocate may ask the proposer(s) for additional ones.
6. Are the scholarly references sufficiently recent?
7. Is proposed citation readable and understandable by the general public?
8. Does the proposed plaque site fulfill the requirements?
9. Is the proposal quality comparable to that of IEEE publications?
10. Scientific and technical units correct? (e.g. km, mm, hertz, etc.) Are acronyms correct and properly upperercased or lowercased?
11. Date formats correct as specified in Section 6 of Milestones Program Guidelines? https://ieeemilestones.ethw.org/Helpful_Hints_on_Citations,_Plaque_Locations

Reviewers’ Checklist

1. Is suggested wording of the Plaque Citation accurate?
2. Is evidence presented in the proposal of sufficient substance and accuracy to support the Plaque Citation?
3. Does proposed milestone represent a significant technical achievement?
4. Were there similar or competing achievements? If so, have the proposers adequately described these and their relationship to the achievement being proposed?

Submission and Approval Log

Submitted date: 31 October 2022
History Committee approval date: 24 March 2024
Board of Directors approval date: May 2024

Original Citation Title and Text -- Administrator4 (talk) 12:27, 31 October 2022 (UTC)

Toyota Prius, the World's First Mass-Produced Hybrid Vehicle, 1997

In 1997, Toyota Motor Corporation developed the world’s first mass-produced hybrid drive system, which uses both an internal combustion engine and electric motors, in the Toyota Prius. The system achieved revolutionary fuel efficiency by recovering and reusing energy previously lost during driving in the form of electricity. The Prius was a frontrunner in sustainable mobility, spurring the development of technology essential to electric drive systems, and making a significant contribution to reducing vehicle CO2 emissions in the 21st century.

Comment to Advocate and Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 00:06, 14 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Advocate and Proposers. I think the word "Toyota Prius" should be removed from the title. This is because Toyota is a company name and Prius is a product name, both of which are not suitable as Milestone titles. Best regards, Dr. Tomohiro Hase, IEEE Fellow.

Re: Comment to Advocate and Proposers -- Midori Mori (talk) 10:50, 16 January 2024 (UTC) Dear Dr. Hase. Thank you very mach for your comment. We truly appreciate it.

Dear Advocate. Would it be acceptable for us to make modifications to the title and the content of the plaque?

Best Regards, Proposer Midori Mori

Re: Comment to Advocate and Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 14:02, 19 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear All.I will continue without changing the title. If there is any opposition in the committee, I’d like to respond it flexibly. Thank you very much for your valuable advice. Advocate.

Comment to Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 00:08, 14 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposers. The format of Milestone's proposal form seems to have changed last year. You should add an abstract newly. Best regards, Dr. Tomohiro Hase, IEEE Fellow.

Re: Comment to Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 23:35, 15 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposer. I suggest to you how to write an abstract. Since it is 200-250 words, it is about 15 lines as a total of 15 words/line. It is important that abstract is contents and its balance. I'd like to suppose following example: the outline (1 line. This proposal describes…), the problem (2-3 lines), the purpose (1 line), the novelty (4-5 lines), the validity and the effort(2-3 lines), the conclusion with appeal point (3-5 lines). Best regards, Dr. Tomohiro Hase, IEEE Fellow.

Re: Comment to Proposers -- Midori Mori (talk) 02:37, 19 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Dr. Hase Thank you for your comment. We will create an abstract and revise the proposal. Best Regards, One of Milestone Proposers of 2022-19, Midori Mori

Re: Re: Comment to Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 00:39, 20 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposers. For the reader's readability and comprehension, could you please make each sentence a little shorter. Advocate.

Comment to Advocate -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 00:09, 14 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Advocate. I can introduce you some expert reviewers, if you need. Best regards, Dr. Tomohiro Hase, IEEE Fellow.

Re: Comment to Advocate -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 05:14, 16 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Advocate. I’m sorry that I didn't know that way of Milestone's proposal had changed a bit last year. I’ll tell proposers to list four candidates of expert reviewers up. Best regards, Dr. Tomohiro Hase, IEEE Fellow.

Comment to Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 00:10, 14 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposers. Paragraphs (1)-(6) of the first half of the proposal should be add appropriately titled for the reader's readability. Best regards, Dr. Tomohiro Hase, IEEE Fellow.

Re: Comment to Proposers -- Midori Mori (talk) 02:44, 19 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Dr. Hase. Thank you for your comment. We will reconsider the proposal based on your feedback. Best Regards, one of Milestone proposers, Midori Mori

Comment to Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 00:13, 14 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposers. Is it correct to understand that the appeal of this proposal is a new mechanism for PHVs and a way to mass-produce them? If so, I think you should focus on those two things, and need not write about individual elements such as batteries in detail.

My draft example is as follows.

Begin of draft example:

The Prius was the world's first split-type hybrid vehicle to be mass-produced.

The Birth of Hybrid Vehicles: Since the output of the engine is determined by (torque) × (rotation speed), low-speed driving is disadvantageous and it is suitable for high-speed driving. On the other hand, the motor is characterized by producing high output even at low speeds. However, there is a drawback that requires a large capacity battery. Therefore, a hybrid vehicle with two drive systems, driven by an engine for high-speed driving and a motor for low-speed driving, was born.

Types of hybrid schemes: There are three types of hybrid vehicles: series, parallel, and split. (a) In the series system, the engine is in charge of power generation and the motor is in charge of driving. The feature is that the structure is simple, but there is a disadvantage that the entire drive system becomes larger. (b) The parallel system is a method in which a plurality of on-board power sources are used to drive the wheels. It can achieve the same high output as the engine. However, the structure becomes complicated in order to take advantage of both features. In addition, there is a disadvantage that the motor cannot be driven and generated at the same time. (c) The split method is a method that takes advantage of the features of both the series method and the parallel method described above. In other words, it is a method in which power generation by the engine and drive by the motor are performed at the same time, as in the series method, and the output of the engine and the motor is performed at the same time, as in the parallel method. It has the characteristic of having few parts and being mechanically simple. On the other hand, the control was very complicated and there were patent issues.

Mass production of split-type hybrid vehicles: In the Prius, the following method overcame the complexity of control and obtained a new patent for a unique method. (omitted after)

End of draft example:

Best regards, Dr. Tomohiro Hase, IEEE Fellow.

Re: Comment to Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 23:12, 14 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposers. P.S. Q. What is significance of the work? It is necessary for you to describe the story of proposals. Background: Environmental issues. Problem in 1990s: Engines have an environmental impact. EVs are infrastructure, batteries, etc. Purpose: To create a drivetrain with a low environmental impact. Discussion: Improved from an engine car to HVs. Conclusion: It is important to realize HVs in order to achieve the objectives. Based on the above discussions, we think it was important to realize and ship mass-produce HVs to the market. Best regards, Dr. Tomohiro Hase, IEEE Fellow.

Re: Comment to Proposers -- Midori Mori (talk) 11:07, 16 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Dr. Hase. Thank you very much for your comment. We sincerely appreciate it. Dear Advocator, In accordance with Dr. Hase's comment, may we proceed with the necessary revisions? Thank you for your understanding.

Best Regards, Proposer Midori Mori

Re: Re: Comment to Proposers -- Tetsuya Kohigashi (talk) 01:01, 21 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Advocate. Considering the previous comment, we have made revisions to the main story of section on Significance of work. we will also revise the part regarding "obstacles need to be overcome", "apart from similar achievements". One of propose, Tetsuya Kohigashi.

Comment to Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 00:14, 14 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposers. The description of your own company's website is not appropriate as a source of evidence. It is desirable that you show another documentary evidence. Best regards, Dr. Tomohiro Hase, IEEE Fellow.

Re: Comment to Proposers -- Midori Mori (talk) 02:48, 19 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Dr. Hase, Thank you for your comment. We will reconsider the proposal. Best Regards, one of Milestone proposers, Midori Mori

Comment to Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 00:15, 14 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposers. Q. What obstacles (technical, political, geographic) needed to be overcome? Since it is an important chapter, I think you should understand the purpose of the question and devise appropriate logic and sentenced expression. Best regards, Dr. Tomohiro Hase, IEEE Fellow.

Re: Comment to Proposers -- Midori Mori (talk) 02:50, 19 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Dr. Hase, Thank you for your comment. We will reconsider the proposal based on your feedback. Best Regards, one of Milestone proposers, Midori Mori

Comment to Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 00:17, 14 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposers. Could you please improve the way you write the references so that readers can easily search for it. In the same way, could you please make it easy to point the quoted sentence. Could you please avoid using your company's website as a reference as much as possible. Best regards, Dr. Tomohiro Hase, IEEE Fellow.

Re: Comment to Proposers -- Midori Mori (talk) 02:51, 19 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Dr. Hase, Thank you for your feedback. We will reconsider the proposal. Best Regards, one of Milestone proposers, Midori Mori

Message from new Advocate -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 23:53, 18 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposers. Due to the end of the previous History Committee's term, the Advocate in charge has changed. Advocate for the Milestone 2022-19.

Re: Message from new Advocate -- Tetsuya Kohigashi (talk) 00:35, 19 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Advocate. Thank you for informing me of your appointment as an advocate. We look forward to continuing the productive discussion regarding our proposal, Tetsuya Kohigashi, One of Milestone proposers, 2022-19

Message from Advocate to Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 15:55, 24 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposers. Could you please improve your proposal a little more, keeping in mind the following points. Such as, please write the questions in the proposal form to answer correctly. That is, Q1. What is the histrical significance of work? Q2. What obstacles to be overcome? Q3 What features set this work apart from similar schievement? Best regards, Advocate

Message from Advocate to Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 15:57, 24 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposers. Could you please improve your proposal a little more, keeping in mind the following points. Such as, please read the Check-list for Expert Reviewers carefully, and think about how they can easily read the proposal and write a report. Best regards, Advocate

Message from Advocate to Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 16:03, 24 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposers. Could you please improve your proposal a little more, keeping in mind the following points. Such as, please read the Check-list for an Advocate carefully, and think about how they can easily read the proposal and write a report. Best regards, Advocate

Message from Advocate to Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 16:22, 24 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposers. I have pointed proposers out a number of improvements in your proposal. After the proposal reaches a high level that can be reviewed, I go into the review process. Best regards, Advocate

Re: Message from Advocate to Proposers -- Tetsuya Kohigashi (talk) 10:45, 27 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Advocate.

thank you for your continued advice. We have made the following changes: simplified the expression in the Abstract, added reference numbers to the Answer for Q1, and reviewed Q2 and Q3. References [1] and [5] are missing, but we will insert them as soon as they are ready.

We would appreciate it if you could confirm. We will reconfirm your points of concern. One of the proposers, Tetsuya Kohigashi.

Re: Re: Message from Advocate to Proposers -- Tetsuya Kohigashi (talk) 12:02, 30 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Advocate.

We have attached the references [1] and [5]. Additionally, we have revised the wording of Q3(1). Best regards. One of the proposers, Tetsuya Kohigashi.

Message from Advocate to Proposers -- Tomohiro Hase (talk) 02:03, 31 January 2024 (UTC)

Dear Proposer. You use the term "Hybrid Vehicle" in the title, but you use another term of the “Drive System” in Citation. Which do you use the term of "Drive System" in the citation, do you mean a “car” or a “drive-/power-train”? Best regards, Advocate.

Re: Message from Advocate to Proposers -- Tetsuya Kohigashi (talk) 11:22, 2 February 2024 (UTC)

Dear Advocate.

Thank you for your advice. We have revised the citation as follows. We have used "Vehicle" as the focal point and marked some parts as "Powertrain." We have kept the language simple, avoiding expressions like "21st century" and "sustainable mobility."

-Revised Citation-

In 1997, Toyota Motor Corporation developed the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Prius, which uses both an internal combustion engine and electric motors. This vehicle achieved revolutionary fuel efficiency by recovering and reusing energy previously lost during driving in the form of electricity. Following the Prius, many hybrid vehicles were introduced, advancing the technology essential to electric powertrain and contributing the reduction of CO2 emissions.

Supporting comment on milestone proposal -- Ichiro Matsubara (talk) 08:02, 7 February 2024 (UTC)

I believe that the Toyota Prius, the world's first mass-produced hybrid car, is fully deserving of the IEEE Milestone recognition. At a time when internal combustion engines dominated the automotive industry, Toyota took a forward-looking approach to address future environmental issues by combining an internal combustion engine with an electric motor, resulting in a significantly improved fuel efficiency and successfully mass-producing a car with such a drivetrain system. This achievement holds great significance. Furthermore, starting with the Prius, hybrid cars have become one of the mainstream options in the automotive industry. This has led to an increased demand for electrical components such as motors, inverters, and batteries, as well as the creation of demand for high-performance materials like magnets and semiconductors, thereby contributing to technological advancements.

Dr. Ichiro Matsubara, Director – General, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Chubu

Re: Supporting comment on milestone proposal -- Tetsuya Kohigashi (talk) 00:54, 8 February 2024 (UTC)

Dear Dr. Matsubara,

We appreciate your kind words of support. We sincerely hope for the continued growth and success of your research institution. Tetsuya kohigashi, one of the proposers.

Supporting Comment for IEEE Milestone Registration of Toyota Prius -- Kenji Yamaji (talk) 00:21, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

I believe that the Toyota Prius, proposed for the IEEE Milestone, is deserving well of recognition for the following reasons, and I highly recommend it.

When Toyota introduced the mass-produced hybrid vehicle Prius to the market in 1997, its fuel efficiency was approximately double that of other vehicles with the same engine displacement. This milestone event resulted in a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions per unit of distance traveled, which was revolutionary at the time. The Prius also served as a catalyst for other automakers to develop environmentally friendly vehicles. It is undeniable that the Prius was an epoch-making car that introduced environmental performance as a purchasing criterion in the market, setting a precedent for others to follow.

Prof. Dr. Kenji Yamaji, President, Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth

Re: Supporting Comment for IEEE Milestone Registration of Toyota Prius -- Midori Mori (talk) 07:53, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

Dear Dr.Kenji Yamaji, We truly appreciate your warm words of support. We will continue to promote　research and development that contributes to carbon newtrality, as well as activities that utilize it in mobility and society. Best Regards, One of the proposers, Midori Mori

Supporting Comment for IEEE Milestone Registration of Toyota Prius -- Hideyo Kunieda (talk) 10:38, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

As the Program Officer of Sustainable area in the JST(Japan Science and Technology Agency) Mirai program, I would like to support the proposal of the subject entitled “the World's First Mass-Produced Hybrid Vehicle” as an IEEE milestone. In 1990’s, automobile is mostly powered by the internal combustion engine with much CO2 exhaust. The release of mass-produced hybrid vehicle opened a new era of mobility with much less environmental impact. It is partly because of the best combination of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, and partly because of the regenerative break. For the sustainable society, this gave a great step forward by accelerating the developments of electric motors, high performance batteries and inverters and so on. At our synchrotron radiation facility, more than half of research subjects are related to these issues with industry-academia collaborations. This trend well matches with the direction of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed in 2015. In the future, hybrid vehicle should be one important choice of power system of automobile, especially under the environment without enough infrastructure and power grids.

Hideyo Kunieda Director of Aichi Synchrotron Radiation Center Program Officer of Sustainable area in the JST* Mirai program (*Japan Science and Technology Agency)

Re: Supporting Comment for IEEE Milestone Registration of Toyota Prius -- Midori Mori (talk) 02:43, 10 February 2024 (UTC)

Dear Mr. Hideyo Kunieda, I appreciate your warm supportive comment. I would also like to express my gratitude to you for pointing out the importance of the analytical techniques. Best Regards, One of the Proposers, Midori Mori

Recommendation for IEEE Milestone Recognition for the Toyota Prius from Chris Mason, CEO FISITA -- ChrisMason (talk) 15:43, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

09/02/24

Dear IEEE colleague

Subject:　Recommendation for IEEE Milestone Recognition for the Toyota Prius

I am the Chief Executive Officer of FISITA, a position I have held since 2014. FISITA is the international membership organisation for the automotive and technology of mobility industry and has supported its technical community since 1948. We are proud to report that the Toyota Motor Corporation has been a valued, leading member since 1995.

I write to you today to recommend recognizing the Toyota Prius, which was launched in 1997, as an IEEE Milestone for its significant impact on the history of automobiles as an electric vehicle.

The Prius was the world's first mass-produced hybrid car, and Toyota's adoption of hybrid technology paved the way for advancements in various technical aspects of vehicles, including engines, motors, batteries, and other electronic components.

It is not an exaggeration to say that the birth of the Prius also served as a starting point for the overall electrification of vehicles, which is essential for technologies like driver assistance and safety.

Moreover, the Prius introduced environmental performance into the automobile industry, which was primarily focused on driving performance at that time. It became a pioneer in efforts to reduce environmental impact and brought a sense of value to cars in terms of their environmental performance.

Yours sincerely

Chris Mason Chief Executive Officer FISITA

Re: Recommendation for IEEE Milestone Recognition for the Toyota Prius from Chris Mason, CEO FISITA -- Midori Mori (talk) 02:45, 10 February 2024 (UTC)

Dear Mr. Cris Mason, I appreciate your kind and supportive comment. We are very encouraged by your warm words. Best Regards, One of the proposers, Midori Mori

Supporting comment on milestone proposal -- Y Kojima (talk) 11:32, 10 February 2024 (UTC)

I believe that the Toyota Prius is fully worthy of IEEE Milestone certification. I think it was an innovation in drivetrains that allowed us to introduce an electric powertrain to a mass-produced car for the first time.　Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that they adopted the excellent idea of connecting the motor and engine with a planetary gear without using a clutch, and were able to commercialize this idea with precise control.　 Nowadays, the importance of electrification is being touted, but there is no doubt that the hybrid systems released over 20 years ago were the beginning of a new era. Hybrid systems tend to be the focus, but what made hybrids possible was the ability to create high-voltage inverters.　This required innovations in power semiconductors, and also in electronics.　Hybrid cars have made it possible to introduce high-voltage systems into cars, which has also led to the development of electric vehicles such as PHEVs, BEVs, and FCEVs.　Today's cars are equipped with many functions such as various controls, driving support devices, and multimedia, and it is necessary to manage them. The electrification of cars has also led to increased compatibility with such devices that will come later.

Dr. Yoshiko Kojima IEEE ITSS Nagoya Chapter Chair

Re: Supporting comment on milestone proposal -- Tetsuya Kohigashi (talk) 07:31, 12 February 2024 (UTC)

Dear Dr. Kojima

I sincerely appreciate your kind words and evaluation of the Toyota Prius. As you mentioned, the mechanism utilizing a planetary gear is not onlu efficient, simple, but also a characteristic of Toyota's hybrid vehicles, and it has also been applied to our current models. We truly appreciate your help and guidance. Best regards. One of the proposers, Tetsuya Kohigashi.

Proposal for IEEE Milestone Certification of Toyota Prius -- Yuichi Azuma (talk) 05:19, 13 February 2024 (UTC)

Toyota's mass production introduction of the Prius hybrid vehicle in 1997 is highly recommended as worthy of IEEE Milestone recognition. In the 1990s, some automakers recognized the need for significant improvements in fuel efficiency due to concerns about dwindling oil reserves. Toyota's commercialization of hybrid cars, followed by Honda's entry into the market with mass-produced cars, created a trend toward environmentally friendly development. The environmentally friendly technologies created by each company's development have been indispensable technologies for today's automobiles. This has led European and American car manufacturers to increasingly focus on hybrid vehicles. Even today, in regions where the infrastructure for producing electricity with low CO2 emissions is not in place, hybrid vehicles are an effective means of reducing CO2 emissions from automobiles. I believe this event marks a pivotal point in the history of automobile development, turning hybrid cars into the automotive industry's mainstream powertrain.

Affiliation: Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan

Name: Yuichi Azuma Executive Director

Re: Proposal for IEEE Milestone Certification of Toyota Prius -- Midori Mori (talk) 10:29, 19 February 2024 (UTC)

Dear Mr.Yuichi Azuma; We truly appreciate your supportive comment. We hope to mutually inspire and enhance each other as we strive towerds achieving carbon neutrality. Best Regards, One of the Proposers, Midori Mori

Hori Expert review uploaded on behalf of the advocate -- Administrator4 (talk) 16:16, 13 February 2024 (UTC) -- Administrator4 (talk) 16:16, 13 February 2024 (UTC)

Hori Review

Expert reviewer Iwasaki's comments uploaded on behalf of the advocate by -- Administrator4 (talk) 16:19, 13 February 2024 (UTC)

Iwasaki Review

Expert reviewer Sato's comments uploaded on behalf of the advocate by -- Administrator4 (talk) 16:21, 13 February 2024 (UTC)

Sato Review

Advocate recommendation uploaded on behalf of advocate by -- Administrator4 (talk) 16:23, 13 February 2024 (UTC)

https://ieeemilestones.ethw.org/File:2022-19_Advocate_Recommendation_2022-19_Sign.pdf Advocate Recommendation]

Re: Advocate recommendation uploaded on behalf of advocate by -- Tetsuya Kohigashi (talk) 09:59, 14 February 2024 (UTC)

Dear Advocate, I greatly appreciate your detailed report and support. I am truly grateful for your assistance. I look forward to receiving valuable advice from everyone. Best regards, Tetsuya Kohigashi, one of the proposers.

Recommended Citation Changes -- Bberg (talk) 19:51, 13 February 2024 (UTC)

Thank you for this nice proposal! I have some minor but important suggestions for changes to the citation.

First sentence: (1) change "uses" to "used" as past tense is required, and (2) change "electric motors" to "an electric motor"
Second sentence: change "during" to "while" for better readability
Third sentence: change "to electric powertrain" to "for electric powertrains" for proper readability
Note that as these changes would increase the word count from 67 to 68, there is no issue re: the length of the citation.

Thank you. Brian Berg (History Committee Vice Chair & Milestones Subcommittee Chair)

Re: Recommended Citation Changes -- Tetsuya Kohigashi (talk) 08:52, 14 February 2024 (UTC)

Dear Mr. Brian Berg, we sincerely appreciate your kind advice on our proposal. We fully agree with the following three points: First sentence(1): "used", Second sentence: "while", Third sentence: "for electric powertrains".

Regarding the phrase "an electric motor" in the first sentence(2), we would like to clarify that our hybrid vehicle is equipped with two motors. One is used for the generator and the starter for internal combustion engine, while the other is used for propulsion and energy regeneration.

Therefore, we would like to modify "electric motors" to "two electric motors."

If you have any recommendations, please share them with us. We sincerely appreciate your continuous support. One of the proposers, Tetsuya Kohigashi.

Re: Re: Recommended Citation Changes -- Bberg (talk) 14:18, 16 February 2024 (UTC)

Thank you for your comments! I have some further suggestions to strengthen your citation.

Note that the word "to" is needed after "contributing" in the last sentence. I would also like to suggest shortening the second sentence since it can read equally well with fewer words by inserting "electrical" before "energy". Doing this would allow you to also cite how the Prius impacted later all-electric vehicles in the last sentence, a fact noted by Dr. Hiroshi Fujimoto in his comments. Please consider the following proposed version, which is identical in length (68 words) to the current version:

In 1997, Toyota Motor Corporation developed the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Prius, which used both an internal combustion engine and two electric motors. This vehicle achieved revolutionary fuel efficiency by recovering and reusing electrical energy previously lost while driving. Its success made hybrid vehicles popular internationally, advanced the technology essential for electric powertrains, contributed to the reduction of CO2 emissions, and impacted subsequent full-electric vehicles.

Supporting comment on milestone proposal -- Makoto Itami (talk) 05:05, 14 February 2024 (UTC)

I recommend the Toyota Prius for IEEE Milestone recognition. Combining an internal combustion engine with electric motors, they achieved a remarkably efficient powertrain that surpassed what could be achieved with just an internal combustion engine, and they successfully brought it to market in a very short time. I consider this an outstanding achievement and a result of excellent teamwork between mechanical and electrical engineers.  

Since the introduction of the Prius, competition in the automotive industry to create hybrid vehicles and environmentally friendly cars has intensified. The technological knowledge gained from this competition has been applied to current electric vehicles such as BEVs and FCEVs, contributing to the accelerated practical use of these new electric vehicles.

Department of Applied Electronics, Tokyo University of Science　Prof. Makoto Itami

IEEE ITSS Tokyo Chapter Chair

Re: Supporting comment on milestone proposal -- Tetsuya Kohigashi (talk) 13:38, 14 February 2024 (UTC)

Dear Professor Itami, we appreciate your words of support. we believe that your insights will serve as a commendation for the efforts of our predecessors. Best regards, Tetsuya Kohigashi, one of the proposers.

Recommendation for IEEE Milestone Recognition for Toyota Prius -- Hfuji (talk) 11:21, 15 February 2024 (UTC)

I believe that the Toyota Prius, introduced in 1997, is fully deserving of IEEE Milestone recognition for the following reasons.

The Prius is recognized as the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, pioneering the technology of electric propulsion in automobiles. Particularly commendable is the achievement of mass production with a series-parallel hybrid format. The series-parallel configuration requires precise control of the engine and motor simultaneously, and achieving this control required significant advances in the engine, motor, and other electronic components. These advancements have had a significant impact on the development of today's electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Hiroshi FUJIMOTO (Ph.D.), Professor, The University of Tokyo, IEEE Fellow, Chair of JSAE Technology Board

Re: Recommendation for IEEE Milestone Recognition for Toyota Prius -- Tetsuya Kohigashi (talk) 00:03, 16 February 2024 (UTC)

Dear Professor Fujimoto, Thank you very much for your kind words of recommendation. We truly appreciate your insightful comments, as they serve as a great support for us. Tetsuya Kohigashi, one of the proposers

Recommendation for IEEE Milestone Recognition for Toyota Prius -- 大谷 篤史 (talk) 01:19, 28 February 2024 (UTC)

We recommend the recognition of the Toyota Prius, which was introduced to the market in 1997, as an IEEE Milestone for the following reasons.

The Prius was the first mass-produced electric vehicle introduced by Toyota ahead of the world. It has changed the perspective on the environmental impact of automobiles and has become a catalyst for considering environmental performance as a criteria for car selection. It is considered as the starting point for the current shift towards electrification of automobiles. Furthermore, the hybrid technology pioneered by the Prius has led to significant advancements in electric-related components and the improvement of suppliers' technical capabilities, making it an extremely important milestone towards achieving carbon neutrality.

Atsushi Otani Japan Auto Parts Industries Association Director Technical Det.

Re: Recommendation for IEEE Milestone Recognition for Toyota Prius -- Tetsuya Kohigashi (talk) 09:19, 28 February 2024 (UTC)

Dear Mr. Atsushi Otani, we truly appreciate your thoughtful recommendation. We believe that our past achievements were made possible thanks to the collaboration and efforts of many cooperating companies, including the auto parts industries. Moving forward, let us continue to work in mutual respect and strive for the realization of carbon neutrality through research and development. Thank you once again for your support. One of the proiposers, Tetsuya Kohigashi

Recommendation Letter from JSAE -- Midori Mori (talk) 02:12, 16 March 2024 (UTC)

Dear Advocate. In response to this proposal, I have received a recommendation letter from Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. We greatly appreciate this comments. One of Milestone Proposers, Midori Mori

File:20240314 Recommendation for TOYOTA Prius (002). TMC0313.pdf

Support of Milestone Proposal -- Jbart64 (talk) 00:20, 22 March 2024 (UTC)

I reviewed the long correspondence on this milestone proposal and the proposal itself. I believe I am commenting on the following current language which appears in the proposal itself and seems to incorporate everyone's suggestions--- Toyota Prius, the World's First Mass-Produced Hybrid Vehicle, 1997 In 1997, Toyota Motor Corporation developed the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Prius, which used both an internal combustion engine and two electric motors. This vehicle achieved revolutionary fuel efficiency by recovering and reusing energy previously lost while driving. Its success helped popularize hybrid vehicles internationally, advanced the technology essential for electric powertrains, contributed to the reduction of CO2 emissions, and influenced subsequent electrified vehicles.

The milestone appears complete, has full documentation, and has the required expert opinions. I fully support this version. David Bart IEEE History Committee

Re: Support of Milestone Proposal -- Tetsuya Kohigashi (talk) 06:15, 23 March 2024 (UTC)

Dear Mr. David Bart, we sincerly appreciate your review and kind words of support about our proposal. One of the proposers, Tetsuya Kohigahshi.

support of milestone proposal -- Cohenmax (talk) 01:30, 23 March 2024 (UTC)

I support this proposal. Maxine Cohen History Committee Member

Re: support of milestone proposal -- Tetsuya Kohigashi (talk) 06:31, 23 March 2024 (UTC)

Dear Dr. Maxine Cohen, Thank you for your supportive comment about our proposal. We truly appreciate it. One of the proposers, Tetsuya Kohigashi.

Modification of the proposal, addition of the relevant councils -- Midori Mori (talk) 02:16, 25 March 2024 (UTC)

Dear participants in this discussion; I have followed the contact from the advocate and added the relevant councils within this proposal. Best Regards, One of the Proposers, Midori Mori