"Coast" Button

[Bill Merchant]

[font=Comic Sans MS:8cca009df3]Over on the thread about the Prius Marathon in Pittsburgh, the topic has been swiped to talk about pulse driving and coasting. I didn't want to hijack that tread anymore, and Dr. Fusco had a great idea for a sort of inverse Cruise Control:[/font:8cca009df3]

I actually think the "glide button" would be very nice, and it would not be anything like going into neutral.

It would be a combination of:
1)EV button-like to turn off the ICE
2)disingage regen
3)Automaticaly be disengaged when either a)accelerator pressed, or b)brake depressed and then would resume normal function without the need to press the button a second time.

That way you could accelerate out of a problem situation if need or have regenerative braking without doing anything special (like hitting the knob again). Also, if the batter SOC got low ICE could kick in to recharge where that would not be possible in Neutral.

I've done the Neutral thing and it's a PITA to remember to put it back in drive as you approach a stop while watching for traffic and keeping your eyes on the road, etc. A simple button on the wheel that allowed glide when hit with the foot off the accelerator then had the features I describe would be very useful to me.

[font=Comic Sans MS:8cca009df3]I really like this idea, along with an EV button for initial short hops. Anybody else want a COAST button?[/font:8cca009df3]

[Godiva]

But that would take all of the fun out of it.

As has been stated, the car will glide already. It's a matter of skill and practice. Putting in a button would take all of the fun out of it.

You too can pulse and glide

[tomdeimos]

I'd take a coast button. But I'd be really happy to just be able to swap the D and B positions!

[hobbit]

F'krissake, just learn to go between neutral
and drive without really thinking about it. The
shifter is so close to the wheel that you
can steer and lightly rest a finger or two on
the shift knob ready to pop right back into
D when you want to start regen-drag again.
.
_H*

[Sid]

But that would take all of the fun out of it.

As has been stated, the car will glide already. It's a matter of skill and practice. Putting in a button would take all of the fun out of it.

You too can pulse and glide

From the article in your link:
On August 7, 2005 five men took an unmodified Prius nearly 1400 miles on a single 12.87 gallon tank of gas. That’s 109 mpg! They did it by using a technique called “Pulse and Glide”.
Where did 12.87 gallon come from?

[tomdeimos]

Well if we have to stick with what we got, we should at least change the "N" labels to say
"G" so then we'd be legal everywhere.

[maggieddd]

is it harmful to swich to N while driving and back to D about 3-4 times a day?

[ericbecky]

Sid,
I confirmed that they overfilled the tank including the charcoal emissions cannister.

[IsrAmeriPrius]

... including the charcoal emissions cannister.

I Don't believe that the Prius has a charcoal cannister to trap vapors. The bladder does away with the need for it.

[alsgameroom]

This article You too can pulse and glide says "When Gliding above 40 mph, the Prius’ engine spins, even when it is off, which creates extra drag that reduces the distance the Prius can Glide. "

I have been able to get NO Arrows indicating I am Gliding on my MFD going over 42 MPH.

So....I am thinking that the MFD could do a better job if there was indication when I hit a speed at which the ICE spins, so I could achieve 0 drag.

I assume the new upcoming Costal Mod "Brake/Engine Run Indicator" ([url=http://www.coastaletech.com/new_page_1.htm]) won't be able to tell us when the ICE is spinning as opposed to running either.

Does anyone agree this would be useful information?

Al