Your tips & experiences w/ achieving high MPG

If you're getting 60+ mpg round-trip after less than a week, you're doing very well.

I don't pay attention to the ECO scores. They don't seem to be very helpful except for people who don't know that they shouldn't accelerate to stops and then slam on the brakes.

When you're gliding, how far down are you pushing the gas pedal, as indicated by the eco meter? On 35 mph streets, I generally pulse to 39-42, then "glide" with about 1/3 of the electric portion of the eco meter until I'm at 33mph, then repeat (based on traffic, upcoming stops, hills, etc.), while anticipating stops far ahead and minding my SOC. In good weather, this gets me anywhere from 65-75 mpg on my 14-mile round-trip to work. I just today beat my record, getting 77.9 mpg on the way home (according to the car, so actually around 75 mpg).

Is the video you watched this one?

 

I found that during the first few months of my C ownership, I did not have much luck at all with the glide technique... in fact, I had given up trying and was shifting into neutral for short distances at speeds under 50 MPH. However, now I can glide for a mile or two at a time and probably spend nearly as much time in glide as I do running ICE or EV some days.

 

I've had my C2 for about two months now. It seems to get good mileage regardless of driving style, of course, I've never driven it like a race car. Pulse and glide improves mileage quite a bit. Having said that, driving a little slower and paying attention to traffic signals and upcoming stop signs will improve MPG figures dramatically. As a 50 year city semi-truck driver veteran I am always amazed at the number of people who race to a stop sign or red light. If you observe traffic lights you can often figure out what's going to happen and avoid stops. Also pay attention to Walk/Don't Walk signs, if it turns to Don't Walk you're more likely to get a red light and might opt to slow down in anticipation of a stop. Of course you pay attention to traffic to the rear in order to avoid making some driver go postal. Paying attention to what's happening ahead will mean you are a safer driver and your C will reward you with better MPG than it's supposed to. I've said it in prior posts, I love this car, so much better and more fun than my prior car an Audi A4!!!

 

Accelerating and decelerating as slowly as possible will result in higher mpg. At first, I thought "pulse" meant to get up to speed fast, but this will just ruin your mpg because the ICE is working harder. When gliding, press the gas pedal slightly so it isn't regeneratively coasting. If the road is flat, you will still slow down. In this case give it more gas pedal (keeping it in EV) to stay at speed. At any point you like (especially when there is flat or decline road), let off the gas pedal quickly and it will switch to EV for you. Also, there is a sweet spot when it will be better to use the ICE when going up an incline, but it can take a while to figure out.

 

If you're in EV/stealth mode don't run at 100% output from the battery, 50-75% gives almost the same oomph and uses that much less power.

P&G works in EV/stealth mode too.

I drive in a lot of residential neighborhoods with low speed limits (or school parking lot, 10 mph limit and >1/2 mile in and the same out) where I can't really push it hard enough for the ICE to kick in much. The battery still takes from your MPG to use, so treating it a lot like the ICE when you are on it helps keep those overall MPG numbers up.

 

I think that hills with traffic are the hardest to negotiate, because each time it's a little different depending on whether people drive faster or slower, or someone pulls out in front.

If anyone has advice for maintaining high fuel economy with rainy highway driving (no choice this weekend, stupid weather forecast totally flipped from sun, to ongoing rain... and wind... >_< ) I already go 55mph anyway