Prius Marathon Run

[Ray Moore]

I see you're from CA. Perhaps it was one of those flachbacks you were promised. Just a thought.

[Godiva]

You too can learn to pulse and glide.

I think you can only glide under approximately 40 mph. Faster than that and the engine spins to compensate for excess energy. If I understand correctly.

Yet another write up on the record breaking run.

"It is amazing what people can do if they put their minds to it and how a change in driving technique can make such a huge impact on gas mileage."

[IsrAmeriPrius]

I am a municipal police officer (25 yrs). I occasionally see reference to driving in neutral (is that an oxymoron) being illegal but I have never seen a link to such a law nor have I seen a particular code referenced. Ohio, as a state, has no such law. I suppose a municipality may have one. I suspect this "law" resides in the same codebook that prohibits driving while bare-foot.

So, all those who say there is a law against it, tell me where. (State and city in US please)

California Vehicle Code Section 21710:

"The driver of a motor vehicle when traveling on down grade
upon any highway shall not coast with the gears of such vehicle in
neutral."

[Godiva]

But we can drive barefoot, right?

BTW....how can they see what gear I'm in?

[efusco]

It is possible to ICE-off glide up to 41mph, but anywhere above that the ICE will at least spin even if no fuel is being consummed. Also, beyond 41mph it is exceptionally difficult to get a 'no-arrows' glide and sustain it.

I generally use the upper limit of 39mph for my acceleration before glide as well...that gives a slight cushion in case I gain a little momentum on a down-hill or something so I don't exceed that 41mph limit and force the ICE to spin.

[tomdeimos]

OK what if someone wanted to try that Marathon route to see how they could do in their Prius, but without the special mods to tires and oil?

Can anyone figure the target mpg to shoot for if you had a regular car with 42/40 good tires and regular 5W/30 oil in it?

[efusco]

OK what if someone wanted to try that Marathon route to see how they could do in their Prius, but without the special mods to tires and oil?

Can anyone figure the target mpg to shoot for if you had a regular car with 42/40 good tires and regular 5W/30 oil in it?

I asked Dan about that, he said they did it with CC on most of the time and got around 85mpg. I asked about having a "normal driver" do it, he said they could find one!

[Danny]

Wow, unfortunately I missed most of this from the weekend due to company being in town, but it's been great to catch up on it this morning!

Do you know if we can get any hi-resolution photos of the group or the car for the 2006 PriusChat Calendar?

[efusco]

Wow, unfortunately I missed most of this from the weekend due to company being in town, but it's been great to catch up on it this morning!

Do you know if we can get any hi-resolution photos of the group or the car for the 2006 PriusChat Calendar?

There are some photos posted elsewhere, unfortunately the quality is someone lacking. I'll ask the guys if they have one they think would be good.

[hdrygas]

Dan is the guy who did the 800+ mile run at 35mph. This is his effort to improve on that result.

His fuel saving techiques are pretty easy to list, much more difficult to explain, and even harder to replicate with his level of alacrity.

I already mentioned the tire pressure and oil. They'll also be leaving the A/C off.

But the majority of the technique involves a pulse/glide technique varying speed up to about 41mph and then gliding (no arrows at all on Energy screen) down to about 33mph. The devil in the details here is when to accelerate, for how long and how hard. As I understand it they're accelerating in the 'dead-band' (no arrows to/from the battery). AFAIK Cruise control won't be used. Although anyone can learn the technique I think it takes a focused and experienced hybrid driver to really master it as it takes a certain touch and sense of what's going on and what will occur with certain actions.

efusco, Can you explain the "dead-band" thing a bit better. I have gotten pumped after this and have been expermenting with it. I can get the ICE and MG1 to run sending power to either the battery or MG2. I can not get the ICE to run alone at city speeds (50-25mph) Is the dead band you are talking about when the ICE is driving MG1 and powering MG2 but not involving the battery at all, either in or out? I want to push the car above the low to mid 50 mpg.