In ICE cars best to DWL, drive with load. Keep the pedal steady on an overpass or small hill. Just let your speed drop then get it back the other side of the hill.
The manual does say that if you back off the throttle, the hybrid system will automatically switch to EV. I found this out by accident, then came across the description in the manual. My technique is to accelerate from a stop moderately, reach target speed, then quickly back off the throttle. Then I gradually press the throttle to maintain speed. The lights in my city are timed fairly well, so i try to stay average within 5 mph of the posted speed to make lights.
Yogi, you got it. That is how to do it. No slamming on the gas and then braking. Keep it smooth and always let off the gas and slowly press it again to keep speed.
It really annoys me having people punch the accelerator then slam on the brakes. Only if they learned to drive smooth... The smoother you drive these cars, the better.
I find that a little part of me finds joy in watching others waste gas by passing me ridiculously fast off a light, only to be at the exact same stop light that I roll up on ten seconds later. It's my favorite unspoken "HA! IN YOUR FACE!" moment that makes me smile every time they look at me and roar their aftermarket exhaust systems. Better yet, I find solace in the slow acceleration when I know that I'm a smooth operator and they're not.
A few years back my boss noticed that his 4runner got better mileage when I drove it often. The easy acceleration, backing off and gliding and easy deceleration worked. He works in numbers so a 10 - 14 % increase in fuel efficiency was very meaningful!
