Uphill technique -- am I just imagining it?

Yes, this is a common technique to shut down the motor and glide along using battery power. At higher speeds your speed will bleed off, but at lower speeds you can maintain it until you hit a hill, or the battery needs recharging.

I usually keep the consumption screen up to monitor whether the motor is running or not. Just look at the instantaneous MPG bar, it reacts within a second or two.

You're learning, that's great!

 

If you've got a moderately hilly,non-high-speed (as in divided four-lane highway) road, where average speed might be 40-50, you've got an ideal "lab" for developing a few techniques. I'd avoid cruise on such a route unless you have a stretch or more of at least 3-5 miles of relatively level, constant speed.

Other might disagree; there are cruise aficionados who maintain cruise always gives them their best MPG. But your anticipation of terrain, especially hilltops, gives you an automatic advantage over cruise.

Have fun!

 

do not know--does your Prius giggle? :lol:

 

I've noticed that the cruise control will allow the motor regeneration breaking when going downhill. I think that is a waste and its better to just glide downhill and let your speed increase a few mph. I haven't watched the MFD specifically to see if the downhill recharges the batteries, it's just how it feels.

If you keep the gas pedal just barely pressed down in the downhill, the engine shuts off, the car accelerates a little, and there's no automatic regeneration of the battery (again my current theory).

I also think its better (efficiency-wise) to accelerate hard on the uphill and glide the downhill versus the other extreme of a constant (medium) load on the engine.

 

The electricity ultimately comes from gas and as you transform one type of energy into another there are losses at each step. The regenerative breaking is better than friction breaking converting inertia to heat but it still all comes from gas so using the motor less is better. Learn to step on the gas so there is no transfer to or from the battery when you can.

 

I also recently received my Prius and am "struggling" with learning the driving technique (it's not much of a struggle in a car this great). So far I feel like I'm missing something, seeing as how my MPG is in the low 40s. I have quite a few hills between home and work, so I'll give the "pulse" technique a try today.

 

How far do you live from work? How long is your commute, that is?

The shorter the daily commute, the worse it is for your mileage.

 

Yeah, I'm thinking that might be it. My commute is about 5 miles, all on surface streets with a good number of stop lights/signs

If it wasn't for my bad knees (and oncoming winter), I'd probably be biking it more.

I guess I need to start taking the long way to work if I want to get my mpg up

 

If you have SKS, take a hose and try spraying water on the side by the driver's door. If you have your fob with you it should lock and unlock like the car's ticklish.

 

That's about the same as my commute. You will get better at it. I was able to pull my averages from about 40 when I first got my car, and now I average about 50 with the same commute... and I go places over the weekend, which helps my mileage immensely.