Pulse & Glide

[esears1]

Hi.. I just got my 2007 Prius 2 weeks ago and I have been reading alot about how to improve mpg. My very first tank in the car i was able to get 45.1mpg which I understand is like the minimum or norm to get with the car. Currently, thanks to this site, I am on my second tank of gas still and I almost have 400miles on the tank averaging 51mpg. woohoo. The only two things I did was take the wheel covers off and increase the tire pressure to 42/40.

My question involves the pulse & glide. My entire trip to work is 47miles one way and it's mostly highway miles. on those highway miles, i am dealing with hills. My question is what do people cruise at to get these ~60mpg+ readings, 55mph? 70mph? Currently i set my cruise control at 70mph, the tire pressure made a big difference.

Also, the pulse and glide concept, I am not sure i understand it that well. I know how to get the car up to say 50 then let off the gas and let the car glide down to 40 again, then i'll step on the gas bring it up to 50 and then let off and let it glide.. is this how it's done? how do you do this technique on the highway?

[hobbit]

Read up on warp stealth, and then compare that to the recent thread
over on CleanMPG about a different highway mode some people have
been playing with.
.
_H*

[IndyDoug]

I have a 50 mile one-way commute to work. The trick to high MPG is to take secondary roads if possible. I am fortunate to take a secondary highway in which I can pulse and glide from 50 MPH to 40 MPH. Try to stay off the Interstates as much as possible.

[bwilson4web]

You could also use an MPG vs MPH chart at select an optimum speed, say 65 mph, for cruising:


Another approach is to use 'route planning' to do the following:

1. 1-2 mile, low speed, warm-up
2. midway cruise at optimum speed
3. 1-2 mile, low speed, maximum electric mode cool-off

I've found that our Prius lets us take a slower speed, short cut, with no loss in elapsed time but a significant savings in fuel. This also gets you off the higher speeds and gets there at the same elapsed time with the fuel savings in the tank.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

[catgic]

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[9G-man]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(esears1 @ Sep 4 2007, 10:02 PM) [snapback]507069[/snapback]</div>

Hi.. I just got my 2007 Prius 2 weeks ago and I have been reading alot about how to improve mpg. My very first tank in the car i was able to get 45.1mpg which I understand is like the minimum or norm to get with the car. Currently, thanks to this site, I am on my second tank of gas still and I almost have 400miles on the tank averaging 51mpg. woohoo. The only two things I did was take the wheel covers off and increase the tire pressure to 42/40.

My question involves the pulse & glide. My entire trip to work is 47miles one way and it's mostly highway miles. on those highway miles, i am dealing with hills. My question is what do people cruise at to get these ~60mpg+ readings, 55mph? 70mph? Currently i set my cruise control at 70mph, the tire pressure made a big difference.

Also, the pulse and glide concept, I am not sure i understand it that well. I know how to get the car up to say 50 then let off the gas and let the car glide down to 40 again, then i'll step on the gas bring it up to 50 and then let off and let it glide.. is this how it's done? how do you do this technique on the highway?
[/b]

When you say highway do you really mean Interstate?
I live just a smiggen south of you and I too have about a 48 mile trip -one way- 96 roundtrip. 95% Interstate. I routinely get 60-62 MPG for the whole tank. Now that you've got you tires pumped up, the trick for that kind of travel is keep the speed down, and use the cruise control[i]. 60 MPH gives the best results and it's amazing how good the cruise control is at maintaining warp stealth and even glideing along my route on the downslopes.
I then pulse and glide on that other 5% to further re-enforce or increase those numbers.
Many members have given the same advice about cruise, and I disregarded it at first. I'm really good with my right foot manipulating the HSD. But on the Interstate, the cruise control is much better.

[richlaz]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(esears1 @ Sep 4 2007, 10:02 PM) [snapback]507069[/snapback]</div>

Hi.. I just got my 2007 Prius 2 weeks ago and I have been reading alot about how to improve mpg. My very first tank in the car i was able to get 45.1mpg which I understand is like the minimum or norm to get with the car. Currently, thanks to this site, I am on my second tank of gas still and I almost have 400miles on the tank averaging 51mpg. woohoo. The only two things I did was take the wheel covers off and increase the tire pressure to 42/40.

My question involves the pulse & glide. My entire trip to work is 47miles one way and it's mostly highway miles. on those highway miles, i am dealing with hills. My question is what do people cruise at to get these ~60mpg+ readings, 55mph? 70mph? Currently i set my cruise control at 70mph, the tire pressure made a big difference.

Also, the pulse and glide concept, I am not sure i understand it that well. I know how to get the car up to say 50 then let off the gas and let the car glide down to 40 again, then i'll step on the gas bring it up to 50 and then let off and let it glide.. is this how it's done? how do you do this technique on the highway?
[/b]

I must be doing something wrong. I've had my 2007 for 4 weeks, and the best mpg I've gotten was 41.7. I drive 30 miles to work, 40% at 50 mph, 50% at 70 mph, the balance at 30. As I've read here, I try to keep the mpg above 15 when accelerating (though not always possible unless I want a huge SUV in my rear hatch). When I'm on the interstate, I use cruise control. Any other suggestions?

[bwilson4web]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(richlaz @ Sep 5 2007, 12:52 PM) [snapback]507398[/snapback]</div>

I must be doing something wrong. I've had my 2007 for 4 weeks, and the best mpg I've gotten was 41.7. I drive 30 miles to work, 40% at 50 mph, 50% at 70 mph, the balance at 30. As I've read here, I try to keep the mpg above 15 when accelerating (though not always possible unless I want a huge SUV in my rear hatch). When I'm on the interstate, I use cruise control. Any other suggestions?
[/b]

A quick checklist:

1. oil level, between F and E, 3/4th is perfect
2. tire pressure, up to sidewall maximum and the rear tires 2 psi under front
3. AC controls, avoid defrost, just use what is needed and avoid if possible
4. minimize speed on first 1-2 miles to let systems warm-up (25-30 mph)
5. minimize speed on last 1-2 miles to maximize electric vehicle (EV) operation (25-35 mph)
6. avoid heavy engine loads from fast acceleration or accelerating up a hill

Bob Wilson

[wiiprii]

Over the weekend I drove 90 miles north from my home to Bellingham, WA. I stopped at a gas station in Burlington on my way home. I reset the milage calculator on the MFD. When I got home, after driving 65-75mph all the way home with the cruise control set 90% of the trip, the MFD told me I got 57.4mpg.

In normal day to day city/highway driving I usually get in the high 40s.

So my confusion is high on why Toyota claims the milage is higher in the city?

[abq sfr]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(richlaz @ Sep 5 2007, 11:52 AM) [snapback]507398[/snapback]</div>

I must be doing something wrong. I've had my 2007 for 4 weeks, and the best mpg I've gotten was 41.7. I drive 30 miles to work, 40% at 50 mph, 50% at 70 mph, the balance at 30. As I've read here, I try to keep the mpg above 15 when accelerating (though not always possible unless I want a huge SUV in my rear hatch). When I'm on the interstate, I use cruise control. Any other suggestions?
[/b]

Just give it time... you will get more efficient and so will your car. I think I got around 52 on my first tank and it only got a little better for first 5000 miles. This fillup, commuting on the same route, at around 5400 miles on the car, I went 600 miles on 9 gallons... 66.6 mpg! Make sure your tires are at least 40/38. The 70 mph is probably what's really killing your mpg. 60 is probably as fast as you want to go. I'd consider finding a slower route, but maybe that's not possible or your spare time is more valuable than mpg. Also, get an engine block heater, my first 5 minutes is up above 55 mpg now with the ebh, and that's with a 74 degree garage.