What is the most efficient way to drive a Prius?

For highest mileage, one should always drive downhill.
Just kidding.

This questions has been asked before, so, rather than reinventing the wheel, I will refer you to these posts . . .

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=1...=0&p=161330
http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=1...=0&p=174174
http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=6044&st=0

Others may be able to help with locating other posts or non-PriusChat information.

Alberto, does your question mean you now have a Prius????

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AlbertoC67 @ Oct 21 2006, 03:33 AM) [snapback]336038[/snapback]</div>

Yes: do not drive fast. Do not accelerate hard or brake hard. Just let the car slow down gently when you see a red light, etc ahead.

Before you get in the car, ask yourself, "Is my journey really necessary?"

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Oct 21 2006, 06:07 AM) [snapback]336043[/snapback]</div>

Huh? Not driving is the "most efficient way to drive?"

"Necessary" is a relative term isn't it? Is recreational driving necessary? Yep for me. Gotta get the mountain bike to the trailhead. Gotta get the kayak to the river. Sometimes I just have to ride through a beautiful fall countryside. I just can't parse out my life to the extent that I'd ever ask a question like that....much less suggest somebody else do it.....but, hey, whatever works for you. No flame intended.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mootsman @ Oct 21 2006, 08:49 AM) [snapback]336064[/snapback]</div>

"Is your journey really necessary?" was an official government question in the UK during WW2. It appeared in newspaper advertisements, on hoardings, etc all over the place. It didn't apply just to cars but to all kinds of journeys.

Perhaps it should be revived nowadays when 'global warming' is becoming a major issue and people are being asked to reduce carbon emissions.

With world oil supplies running out, recreational travel by car and aeroplane should be restricted if not banned.
[attachmentid=5410]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AlbertoC67 @ Oct 21 2006, 04:33 AM) [snapback]336038[/snapback]</div>

There's lot of good tips posted already. I haven't mastered "pulse and glide", since I usually just try to drive with the flow of traffic, and avoid "zoominess and screachiness", i.e., try for smooth acceleration and stops.
The first 5 minutes is always 25MPG, the next 5 in the 30's, then it gets better, so if you can avoid short trips on a cold engine, you will average better mileage.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Oct 21 2006, 02:17 PM) [snapback]336159[/snapback]</div>

I'd say "if you can stay with the flow of traffic" instead of when "no one's around". There are a few places where I can PnG and stay in the flow of traffic easily. Other places it would be severely annoying if not dangerous. If the posted speed limit is below 40 mph/65 kmh and if people are tending to stay around that limit then PnG works great. Usually you'll find these situations where the tarffic is pretty heavy and the distance between lights/stop signs isn't great.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Oct 21 2006, 10:28 AM) [snapback]336102[/snapback]</div>

Hoardings. Is that the same as "Bill Boards"?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tripp @ Oct 21 2006, 04:25 PM) [snapback]336173[/snapback]</div>

Oxford English Dict: HOARDING Brit: 1. a large, usually wooden structure used to carry advertisements etc. 2. a board fence erected round a building site etc.

Biographical Dict. of 19th Century Eccentrics: BOARDS, William (aka Bill Boards) (1818-1886) British carpenter who developed many innovative uses of flat, thin strips of timber known as 'boards'. Examples included fitting theatre stages with these to protect the feet of actors so leading to the expression "tread the boards". He also accommodated many travellers in his large house, a practice which became known as 'boarding', hence 'board and lodging'.

 

Weren't hoardings also a Medieval construction that protected archers from enemy arrows? Sort of like half of a roof?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AlbertoC67 @ Oct 23 2006, 06:09 AM) [snapback]336680[/snapback]</div>

No. You will not be able to drive on EV if your petrol engine (ICE) is cold. You will not be able to drive more than about 200 metres on EV when your petrol engine is warm. You will not be able to drive quicker than about 45 kph on EV only

When you first switch on your car in the morning the petrol engine will start automatically because the computer thinks the car should be warmed up.

Remember that most of the time the car's computer will decide which of your two engines to run. If you are slowing down, or going down a hill, the electric engine only will run. But most of the time the petrol engine will run. If you have an EV switch in your car you can use the electric engine only for a very short time but the 200V battery will quickly lose power so the car will decide to turn on the petrol engine to recharge the big battery.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Oxo @ Oct 23 2006, 09:19 AM) [snapback]336725[/snapback]</div>

If you put it in EV before the ICE starts then you can postpone the warm up.

For me that means not warming up the ICE until I get on the main road where I drive above the EV range anyway. To be honest, I can't tell if this helps my fuel economy but I do like not having the engine running at the traffic lights that I have to stop at on my way to the main road.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cheap! @ Oct 23 2006, 11:21 AM) [snapback]336777[/snapback]</div>

On mornings with temperature below about 5C my ICE will always start, with or without EV switched on, but it soon stops on the road when I am at lights or going downhill.

Alberto - dove sei? Milano, Venezia, Roma, Napoli?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AlbertoC67 @ Oct 21 2006, 03:33 AM) [snapback]336038[/snapback]</div>

Slowly!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Oct 23 2006, 03:23 PM) [snapback]336917[/snapback]</div>

Actually, slow doesn't always result in better gas mileage. See this thread:

http://priuschat.com/When-going-slow-only-...low-t25672.html

 

Avoid bumper-to-bumper traffic for more than 10 minutes at a stretch. I got stuck in a crawl over the weekend, to the point where the gas engine was running constantly. I was shocked to see I was getting between 0 and 5 MPG.