Acceleration question: Is it better to accelerate quickly and then maintain the speed or to slowly accelerate up to the speed and then maintain? Braking question: Is regenerative braking fixed or variable? Will I get better regeneration if I brake harder over a short distance or slower over a longer distance? Or is it the same either way?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Uh-Oh\";p=\"102947)</div> Different Prius drivers will give you different answers to #1, and many of them will swear by their conclusions. My experience points to a bit of both - when practical, start accelerating slowly with just the electric motor, then accelerate more briskly when the ICE kicks in. My impression is that this uses the electric motor in its most efficient range, and avoids using the ICE in its least efficient range. But this could be nothing more than my own superstition. (BTW, I don't actually DO this very often, since my natural impatience usually takes over mph! ) As for #2: Regenerative braking is variable, but the batteries are limited in the amount of electricity they can accept per unit of time. Therefore, you will get more regen if you brake more gradually over a longer distance.
