To baby or floor the gas pedal

There are a few post on PC that explain how to hyper-mile. I've always been easy on my cars until they pass the 5k mark then at that point I feel the engine/drive train is broke in. I tend to accelerate quickly in PWR mode to achieve the desired speed i.e freeway. Once I'm at that speed its ECO mode and cruise control on. Then lets see what I can achieve. On my drive today I was getting around 58mgp's on the HSI. I can only assume I was actually around 55/56 mpg's calculated. With an avg speed of 65 mph and temp at 41 indicated on HVAC unit.

 

Define 'baby'
Your car has a power gauge with ECO and POWER ranges, right ? I try to stay in the top half of the ECO range, or at most 1/3 of the way into the POWER range if I must.

No benefit

 

Here you go.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...max-mpg-driving-techniques-youtube-video.html

 

Hey Rob/Lynn - I won't comment on your question -- more experienced folks can answer that.

I got my Prius same time as you.
Curious to know how your MPGs are doing? I'm averaging in the 46-48 range on most of my driving. (City / short stretches of highway) Tem 20-45 deg F.
Haven't changed the stock tire pressure (or even checked it yet)
How about you?

 

While in Park, floor the gas pedal for a couple of seconds and see what happens. You'll be amazed. Seriously, try this.

 

OK....
So I got 'my' G3 as a company car about 14 months ago, and so I was more or less thrown into the world of hybrids and hypermiling.
For the first week or so, I set about finding out what I could about this car (hence, my membership herein) and I decided to see what kind of real world results I could achieve for 'my' car, which is a G3-II...now more commonly referred to as a G3-Two.

Hypermiling mode: Tire pressures set about 5-10 psi above OEM specs. Pulse at just below PWR range of the HSI, and glide about 10-percent above the battery discharge point (I try to keep the battery out of the equation---opinions vary on this technique) and I keep the speed delta at PSL +/- 10, depending on route with the PNG. I'll use a route to avoid interstate speeds if there's not too much of a distance penalty for doing so. I use ECO mode and avoid excessive HVAC usage. My throttle use is crisp between the P and G, but you never have to "floor it".
In this mode, I can consistently get about 59MPG---as measured at the pump.

Teenager Mode: Tires set at OEM above 5psi (for feedback.) Normal mode, since PWR mode doesn't give you more power. WOT (Wide Open Throttle) starts from stop. I use the throttle like an ON/OFF switch. Speeds at PSL +9-10, or more if traffic patterns and/or testicular fortitude permit. Routes set for fastest travel time. HVAC set for comfort. In other words....."drive it like a rental car with free gas."
In this mode...MPGs vary somewhat wildly, but my norm seems to be around 43.

"Normal" mode: ....or what I've settled into. Drive it like a normal car. No PNG'ing. Drive with the flow of traffic, but not usually >5+PSL. Moderate throttle use. Use ECO mode (I haven't seen any difference, but it's a 'sticky' mode and it doesn't cost me anything in driveability. Moderate HVAC use. Use occasional WOT starts for traffic and/or recreational considerations.
I've driven this mode for the last 6-8 months. My routes between offices vary from day to day, but the blend of surface streets, traffic patterns, and time/temp are somewhat stable over time.
I consistently get just a little over 50MPG at the pump (51-52 indicated)---or just a shade above what the EPA gets, which is believable considering my driving habits.


SO......what does all of this mean?
For me, it means that if you're a dedicated hypermilier, you can get about 5-10 MPG above my normal. Closer to 5 if you don't want to be a hazard to navigation, or if you don't go into goofy things like grill blocking or drafting. Closer to 10 if you dedicate your life and routes to eking out the last bit of efficiency. It's not very easy, but some people really get into it.
Just be careful if you live in an urban area. There's quite enough Prius Hate out there as it is...

Those are just my highly unscientific results, but some of the data should be repeatable by other hypermilers.
I have the ability to use E-0 through E-10. I haven't been able to measure any difference between the two.

TIFWIW.


Reader's Digest version: What I would do is get used to the car for the first couple of tanks and read...everything. Kick your tires up about 5-psi if this is comfortable for you, and drive normally to conservatively. Don't get into a stare down contest with the MDF---it will win every time, and you're trying to get used to a new car. Collision avoidance and navigation really should trump MDF data collection.
Pretty soon, you'll be able to PNG by 'feel', and you'll only need an occasional glance at the HSI. Calculate your fuel efficiency at the pump. The MDF will lie to you by about 3-percent.

Good Luck!!!!
Even if you drive it like a 'normal' car......48-50 really ain't bad!!!

 

I'm always in Power Mode. The car is sluggish without it.

 

Neither. The key is to accelerate briskly then glide.

 

Agreed. My idea of brisk acceleration is to "tickle" the right hand side of the Power bar. The quicker you get up to speed the quicker you can begin to glide. Any mpg lost during brisk acceleration can be made up with the quicker glide plus some.

 

+1

 

+2

You think you are not doing it correctly because your mpg will drop faster during acceleration...but you make it up on the glide portion. Hard to believe at first, but you have to commit to do it for a tank or two and you will see.

 

^^ You say that because you have tested acceleration speeds, or you know that your results trump everybody else ?

Previous thoughtful testing by others (not me) conflict with your opinion. I don't drive like you, but I routinely hit 70-75 mpg in fair weather in our G2 Prius.

 

My problem is the definition of brisk acceleration. If I have it half way over in the Power Mode the acceleration feels anemic to me. I always bury the indicator if I accelerate at what I think is normal.

I finally quit trying to hypermile, it was too distracting for me and I came across some Prius hate the other day in the carpool lane. Instead of following the car in front of me at 2 seconds, I was staying up with traffic but staying back about 4 seconds. The guy behind me was starting to tail gate me, but he wasn't too bad until the lane just to the right of me opened up and he nailed it. Then a car came over into his lane and he just about hit me because he would not let off.

I no longer keep track of the average mileage and I drive the car like a rental car with free gas! It's a lot more fun and I don't piss off stupid people. Even in this mode I'm still getting over 48 mpg. It's an amazing car!