Does anyone feel bad?

Sometimes in traffic, and when i'm at a stop on the right lane i start to feel bad for the traffic behind me. I think it's because I'm thinking they are mad at for taking off so slow. I just sort of say to myself, screw you pal go around. But i do feel bad for a split second or two. I really dont get tempted to step on the gas because I'm all about getting good gas mileage. What are some of your take offs like? do you gun it to get to speed then ease off? Do you get into power mode at takeoff then slow down? I'd like to know what some of you do in this instance...

Um, why are you accelerating slowly?

You will get better MPG if you accelerate briskly but not so much it pulls electricity from the HV Battery.

All cars get bad MPG while accelerating, you want to get it over with and start cruising, that is where you have good MPGs.

i wasnt aware of that. thanks! I didnt realize that is what i had to do. Yeah i have been taking off trying not to go too much above the eco line on the eco meter. I'll get to my speed right away and then back off. thanks!

Yes, I know that experience... I've also noticed that out here on the west coast in all three states people may drive way over the speed limits, but there's also lots of drivers who are often a bit slow off the line. That's the kinda crowd I can blend in with. But more often than not the traffic conditions dictate my driving style because Im not interested in being a nuisance to my fellow driver, at least when I'm in a good mood (which is often).

As for ideal driving style, Lately I've been trying what someone on here suggests, which is (when possible) electric motor up to 13-16mph, especially on downward slopes, then firm pulse of gas for shortest period of time to get up to glide speed, (5mph faster than desired speed) then glide until 5mph below desired speed than pulse again. I've tried lots of other styles, but this driving style seems to be the one that is most congruent with the car's design. For now at least...

I pull down okish mpg's 75-80 mpg to and from work and ALWAYS pull off the line slow. I keep it in EV mode till 20mph then push half way up from eco line. right between eco and power mode. Have never gone into power mode purposely and only a few times ever at that. Do I feel bad? NO WAY. they follow me to speedway and swipe their credit card at my pump so forget them, besides as you know they are not going to get there any faster anyways. Don't give in to presser from other go for the mpg's.

I am the same way. I just haven't figured out how to EV in 45mph zones with two lanes of antsy traffic behind me. Ill try your mini pulse method

You're my hero. Chi-burbs aren't that rude but if I did that I would handfuls of fingers

I start checking my rear view mirror more if I'm roooolling up to a red light, using "no brakes" technique. I think it can get trying for those following, especially if they're rolling resistance is higher.

I can see that there are some differences in opinion about the take offs. But i can see the points to each. I live in south florida so it is very flat here. I am trying to get my mpg's to at the very least 50 mpg..on my trip meter b i have 36 mpg which i reset as soon as i left the dealership (the mileage is the same as the actual miles) i have since day saturday the 8th been getting constant MPG int he 50's bringing up my B Trip meter average up. I hope that goes up eventually where i want it. I am going to experiment with the take offs, just to see what it's like to get to 45 quicker and then let off 5 mph and then propel back up +5 then back again. I think i cruise pretty good blending in with the slower traffic and braking pretty descent. I have been getting perfect stops, that is by starting pretty slow and building up.


how long i wonder until i get my average to 50+ mpg..

drive it like you stole it for a month and set your base line for improvement. If you drive like a grandma from day one you won't appreciate any of the techniques you learn and most likely will be adopting some techniques that don't improve your mpg.

I think Jimbo hints at the key to good MPG driving practices in another thread, which was about new features that could be added to a future generation Prius:

Electric motors have great low end torque, so the reasoning is that dedicating the first few seconds of pulling away from a complete stop on the electric motor without putting too heavy of a load on the electric motor/battery is an efficient way to use of the electric/battery part of the car.

I've also seen written on PriusChat that the gas engine is most efficient at 70% of its maximum power outpu which is a pretty hard acceleration, but that means you don't have to accelerate for long at all. Problem is back when I was accelerating as hard as 70% of engine power it seemed to be putting a much greater load on the electric motor / battery than when I was only using motor/battery at speeds below 13-16mph. Also there simply aren't enough safe opportunities when around other cars to accelerate at 70% of engine power.

Disclaimer: I'm still a bit of a newbie and haven't yet installed enough gauges to truly understand the most efficient way to drive the car, but will have more to say on this in the future.

well please keep posting your results. maybe we can help each other out! BTW, i was just browsing the technical forums, and man, how depressing. I hope i dont encounter some of that crap...jeesh.

Best technique - always stop behind a semi if there is one there - then you have an excuse to accelerate slowly, I know I do.

I drive as fuel efficiently as possible.....without provoking other traffic around me. That means that during my morning commute (which is only a couple miles, but on heavily trafficked streets) I just....drive. I coast or glide more than I used to into a stoplight, but I'm basically staying with traffic. I'm always in the 50s anyway and I just don't feel the need to aim for higher mpg in that situation at the risk of pissing off someone. Especially when those other someones are usually driving much bigger cars than me. There are a lot of semis on my commute route as well.

There are other times when I will "play" on a drive to try out some hypermiling techniques (not that I can get higher than the 60s so obviously a newbie) but I've found that if I spend my time in heavy traffic watching all the gauges and trying to maximize every drop of gas then.....I'm not paying as much attention to the road and traffic as I should.

I'm still managing 60-80 MPG in my short trip (under 10 miles per stop) city driving. I start out slowly (but not obnoxiously so) using EV only, as soon as the ICE kicks in I apply more power (again, not too hard) until I reach 3-5 MPH above speed limit, release gas briefly, reapply gentle pressure to gas to get into EV mode, cruise. I have been able to creep up to 50 MPH (from 35) on EV only when traffic will allow. On a really good day, I can get that mileage into the mid-90s.

Holy canoli's! 90? Smh

I have to, to make up for the terribly non-fuel-efficient way my husband drives! LOL I swear, he can drive the car five miles and then I spend a week trying to get the MPG average back to a comfortable spot.

Actually, it's the nature of the roads and traffic around here. I don't think there's 2 miles of flat road anywhere in this town, it's all gentle ups and downs which I've learned to travel in the most efficient way with the hybrid engine.

Yeah im flat as hell here. Biggest hill is the marco island bridge lol

When others are behind you, it is not cool to go as slow as possible. Avoid road rage and just drive normally unless you are on your own, then have fun squeezing those extra miles out with the EV on! Love that EV (especially when you are at a drive-through food/bank, etc.