I have read a lot on this and have one simple question. I guess to "Glide" (accell then remove your foot from the pedal then slightly re-apply very low throttle) is better than "Coast" (foot completely off pedal). So, when I glide what should I be trying to achieve reading my Prius C's gauges? A lot of the videos and stuff are using a different Prius model so it is a bit confusing. Am I trying to make it where the status arc shows no blue (Charge) and no green (Eco zone). Is that right? If so, that is pretty tough to maintain and my car doesn't really maintain speed while applying that little amount of throttle. Thanks in advance for the feedback. FYI---- I know you guys know what Glide/Coast means.. I was just stating what I interpret them to mean so I could be corrected if I understand them wrong. This forum rocks. I am really enjoying reading and learning about my car and ways to get better MPG. It is a lot of fun and each trip is an adventure.
Your interpretation of the charge zone and EV/Eco zone is correct. However, gliding is not meant to maintain speed. It is meant to be used when going downhill or coming to a stop. Most people keep their foot on the throttle until the very last moment then apply the brakes. This is VERY wasteful. Instead, start your glide well in advance of a stop (assuming very little traffic) then glide for as long as you can. In a perfect world you would glide right up to the point where you have lost all momentum and stop right at the stop sign. No one has that sort of patience though.
OK, thanks. I guess I was struggling with the logic that applying very, very little throttle is better than applying no throttle (coasting). I guess that is because with no throttle the battery is charging which uses a little bit more gas whereas gliding is using basically nothing. The throttle is only being applied to keep the battery from being charged? I am just trying to understand all of this stuff.... thanks again.
With your foot off of the throttle, Toyota is using a small amount of regen to simulate engine drag so the Prius feels as much like a typical ICE only car that most people are used to. You are correct that there is a small amount of battery charge with the small amount of regen. When you apply a small amount of throttle you are trying to cancel out the regen, or drag, so the car is "free wheeling" with no engine drag simulation. This way you can get the maximum amount of gliding with no energy usage and should be able to glide much further than if you are coasting(with engine drag simulation).
This is a very interesting link on various techniques that I found last night and am still digesting. Mike with a Prius: Prius-ing for Dummies - beginner Prius mileage tips
Yes, that is a good read. Folks trying to get the best mileage from their car should read it. I have only had my C for 4 weeks and am still learning. I did a lot of "hypermiling" in my Vibe gt with manual 6 speed. The C takes more work, on my part, to figure everything out. But, I am getting there, largely because of this forum. Dan
In addition to Mike's page which Bruce posted, Hobbit's page goes into detail on the GenIII which is a little more applicable to the Prius c although the c's battery is closer in size to the GenII. HSI
