Gen 3 Glide possible?

Don't use the energy flow display screen of the Gen3, it is much too sensitive to be practical. Instead, use HSI screen and hold the power flow bar to zero (no thrust, no regeneration). This is much easier, and gets close enough to a pure glide or warp-stealth.

 

To get that "Zero Bar" picture on the energy flow screen, you need to be gliding at 8 mph. Seriously. This is the ONLY time I can get a zero arrow picture.

Otherwise, do what Fuzzy1 said.

 

With the scan gauge I can see if the car is charging with regen or providing electric propulsion. If you keep the HSI a hair above the regen zone there is no regen and no electric propulsion. (Amps nearly 0)

 

This bedeviled me as well. It's a different engine. The transition points are different. What worked in the Gen2 didn't work in the Gen3 at the same points. Think of it as "they moved the goal posts". What I was unable to do in 2010 can now be done without even thinking about it. It just takes practice. You've had 3 years in the 2009 to hone your skills. You will need time to adjust them to the new car.

Here's where Newbies have the advantage. They just learn. Veterans have to unlearn first.

 

Even with Scangauge to assist it is hard to maintain a no-arrows glide. On my configuration, I get no arrows between battery amps (bta) values of 1.0 - 1.5.

I've also found that the pedal position has to rise slightly and continuously as you slow down to maintain 'no-arrows', otherwise it's easy to slip into a battery assisted glide.

Also, there's almost no chance of doing this in anything other than Eco mode.

I would agree that in a Gen 3 it's going to be much easier to use the HSI as a guide, which means we might have to re-define what we mean by 'glide' compared to say a Gen 2!

 

I may have to get my Scanguage updated to a newer version because after a full day of driving around I could not get the mpg to go to 9999mpg like I could so easily in my GenII. The best I could get it to do we 3000+mpg and 1300mpg-1900mpg popped up frequently.

 

^^ Pull up GPH. Does it seem to hit a floor of 0.02 gallons/hour?

 

Yup. It held there quite a bit.

 

If you don't already have a Scangauge II then you may want to get one. I got frustrated with the in-dash energy display. With the Scangauge I can easily see when I have entered a glide by simply observing RPM and mpg. When RPM hits either 0, 960 or 992 then you are in a full glide and mpg should read 9999. It is trickier to hit than the GenII but in Eco mode I am able to enter a glide much more frequently now.

I can do it at any speed. On my normal downhill (6% grade) I can enter and sustain a glide at over 75mph until the SOC drops low.

 

I went on a long hilly road trip yesterday with my 2011 and all the long downhill stretches I watched the HSI indicator. Release the accelerator pedal, gently depress it (I'm using constant eco mode) until the charge section of the gauge is not light up, but to figure out when you are "gliding" you can do three things.

1.) Feel - When the electric motor is powering the wheels as you go downhill, the speed of the car will remain constant, or decrease as you can feel drag. If you modulate the pedal a few times between releasing it, and entering the first portion of the electric state, you will feel what I mean. You want to "feel like you are in neutral." (as you read no electric assist on the HSI)

2.) Listen - when the regenerative braking is in effect, you see it on the monitor but you can hear the tone of the high pitched whine change. (It's somewhat east to hear even with road noise.) While going down hill, windows up, radio off - use the accelerator pedal a few times gently release, and depress so you can hear the difference between regen, and electric assist.

3.) Watch - If you think you are "gliding" but the vehicle is losing speed down a decline, or remaining the same speed on a very steep decline you should release the accelerator pedal and gently depress it again until you see nothing on the HSI indicator. (there is a VERY TINY segment that is hardly visible on the charge bar, this takes some practice to locate quickly.)

The changes made to the way this vehicle operates do make it difficult to get into a neutral like coast without actually being in neutral. It is possible though you'll know when you've mastered it when you find yourself going from being passed by every car on the road, to having to pass them down every hill.

Always remember to obey the speed laws, and watch for those blue and red lights.

 

Its definately possible. I was doing it several times yesterday on a trip. The display is extremely sensitive, so you do rely on feel, noise, and monitoring the speed as well as the arrows. Neutral glides are major mpg positives, although traffic has to be just right to take advantage of it.

Luckily, I haven't had to "un-learn" how to drive a Prius, which sounds like an advantage. I have to say that, although basic hypermiling techniques increase mpg, the biggest way to get good mpg is to be aware of traffic and plan far ahead. Following some idiot too closely & having to slow quickly when they decide to turn without a signal will eliminate many miles of careful gliding and hypermiling.

 

Here is some good information on the HSI thanks to Hobbit.
HSI

 

Even when gliding in Neutral, you will not have an ICE off glide. The only way to get it is in Drive with the accelerator pedal properly pushed , it is good for any speed but at times you will be prevented for as yet unknown reasons ( Cat conv cycling? ) . The ScanGage LOOP function shows it the most easily....