>> It argues that the hybrid pack (minus the battery, perhaps?) is more compact and simpler than a manual gearbox, even.

Having worked in the field I've been of that opinion for 15 years or more. Two motors and a planetary gear are simpler than a regular transmission. More efficient also, and more reliable. The inverter and small battery may add some cost, but the MPG improvement is more than worth it.

Hybrids are an awesome improvement over plain old ICE, but they tend to get an unnecessary price premium due to their advantages.

Well for quite a while, this has been a Toyota specific design, per their patents, but they ceded all royalties to those a few years ago [0], and to me, this seems like such a fundementally elegant design.

[0] https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/corporate/27512455.html

On a completely tangential note, has anyone ever tried a hybrid that was like a diesel-electric train? The engine just charges the battery. IIRC it can be much simpler, no need for gearing at all, the engine just runs at a constant speed and the battery handles delivering variable amounts of power.

This is why there have been Prius taxis that were in service for 1 million km.

Yes, but specifically about the Toyota's hybrid system. Other systems are more complex, they have a traditional engine and transmission and an electrical system on top.

There are other, more focused (also arguably better at explaining) videos on explaining how it works. Here is one: https://youtu.be/dxmxIsoV_Xo

It took a while and several explanations for it to completely click for me. The e-cvt mechanism does seem to be quite clever and simpler (at least mechanically).

Interestingly, iForceMax drivetrains in Toyotas seen in Tundras and derivatives are the “other” kind with conventional transmissions.

This does not appear to be a packaging issue, as the late 2000s LS 600h had a V8 with rear-wheel drive (and then AWD) with an “eCVT” in a “conventional” longitudinal package.

There's so much variety in hybrids that's hard to discuss as a single category.

I think the most important question is whether the system requires a regular automatic/manual transmission or forgoes one entirely. The Toyota planetary gear system forgoes one, as does the modern Honda and Nissan approaches. Not having a transmission in the traditional sense saves so much complexity that the overall system is net simpler imo even with the additional complexity from having a motor and engine.

Then there are systems that have a full automatic drivetrain and some extra clutches to couple to a motor-generator. And there's even systems with an electronically controlled manual transmission instead. Those systems are going to be incredibly complex and fragile.

There's a lot of memes about how dumb it is to have all of the ICE moving parts, but they're just memes. We know how to make engines and they are cheap to mass produce. The complexity argument is aesthetic.

It might be simpler than a regular gearbox, but so what? That tech is already commoditised, and generally very reliable. The engine - not the transmission - is the biggest pain point with ICE vehicles. It’s what needs constant maintenance and fluid changes.