MPG Techniques That Don't Cause Rage

What is you mileage coming back? I noticed mine is very different going to work and back because of the elevation difference.

I also have a strategy. In the old days when I first bought my 2007 Gen 2 I was using Pulse and Glide and everything else. For about a year. Since then my technic became much simpler - I just drive it like a regular car. Gen 2 was giving me 45 in the city and 50 on the freeway. Gen 4 - 55-57 in the city, and 52-53 on the freeway. Cannot complain!

As for the tire pressure, I used to pump them up higher. But having 17" touring model + CA roads, I tried once, and went back to recommended pressure because the ride was too rough.

 

On the other hand I cannot say that I completely don't pay attention. Those learned skills from old times are still with me. If I see red light, I try to break very evenly till I stop. If I am in the city, press and release (now even Toyota is recommending it in it's manual!) - old good 'Pulse and Glide'. And so on. Funny that a lot of these good technics would work on every car, not only hybrids. But people who were never involved in counting MPGs just don't pay attention.

 

My first Prius. 7 months in my new Gen4. I've come to the conclusion, that driving a Prius hybrid is really not much different from the way I drove my non-hybrid cars in the past. I'm finding that I don't need to "over analyze it" or make it complicated.

I don't want to even think about it. Basically, I just drive the Prius normally-smoothly-conservatively, (keeping up with traffic), and the hybrid system will do it's thing and the MPG's will be good. I don't "hyper-mile" or do any special driving techniques, and to my surprise the long-term MPG average is 60-62. That's good enough for me. I have NO complaints.

 

What are you driving? - "Other Hybrid".

With a PRIUS, I don't think you can dim interior bulbs either.

 

I assumed that you didn't have a PRIUS seeing your Profile shows "OTHER HYBRID" (image below).

With the dimmer, I'd like that on occasions as sometimes it seems a bit bright - there isn't one on the dash (being RH drive, I guess it would be on the right side here), but I just did a search of the Manual and it tells me that it can be adjusted through the Settings Menu - I'll check it out in the morning (it's dark now so wouldn't work properly). Hopefully that will work, thanks!! Our DRLs come on if the headlight switch is either OFF or AUTO.

 

[QUOTE="Mission Auto, post: 2427333, member: 146743" If you turn your DRLs on you can dim your screens and interior stuff. I have a gen 4 prius. The toggle for the dimmer is left of the steering wheel on the dash.
Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.[/QUOTE]

You can dim the screens at any time. Even when the DRL's are off. (And just turn the large center-stack screen off, if you wish.) But I doubt that has any positive effect on MPG.

I'm keeping my DRL's on, for safety. And I'm going to enjoy the cool air of my AC. And I'm leaving the screens on. And listening to the radio. And if all that deprives me of 1 or 2 mpg? So be it.

 

I tried the mobile app on my android, but gave up due to a slow connection and use my Laptop. Maybe if I get a new Android some day.

 

Yeah most all of the interior lighting, with a few exceptions are all LED. So not going to me much anything that is tangible to gain.

One thing I do find that works... In the morning when it is in the 60's and 70's turn the AC temp to about what it is outside, to your preference. In the afternoon turn the temp higher, I usually set it to at least 74 (been cooling off here)...

I haven't tried windows down but I think the drag would be about the same as running the AC, unless you're in the city at slower speeds...plus I hate all the noise...

 

I've tried it with windows down - for about 3 minutes - then had to fix my hair!!! I keep them closed.

But I do try to remember to turn the A/C off when I park at night, otherwise it will start up straight away when I press START in the morning. And if it's cool, it will start the ICE to warm the car up. I like being cool, don't use the heater much in our temperate climate.

 

Hmm! I have fast fibre broadband @home and found the PC app to be very slow, but the web page is slick. Kudos to the webmaster!

 

If you're actually driving at dusk or dawn with just DRLs, remember that in this mode your tail lights will not be illuminated. This could make you harder to see from the rear.

I would not sacrifice visibility and safety (and perhaps legality) for the mostly immaterial extra watts saved by not running the proper lights for the conditions.

 

Thanks for the reminder. Being seen from the rear is a concern of mine, too. I drive a lot at dawn.
I can just leave the full headlights on for a while longer; but lately I've been switching into the Parking Lights mode. That dims the headlights a bit (changes them to DRL's?) and it also leaves the "Z" tail lights on. Best of both worlds.

 

I often go with Parking (Side) Lights (& rear lights come on) when on the Motorway during the day, figuring that it's best to be seen from the rear - the Parking Lights in Australia aren't particularly bright.

 

I need one of these mounted on the rear of my Prius. Maybe the tailgaters will back off.