How to Pulse and Glide?

It's not so much the speed but your foot relative to the accelerator pedal position. You really need to feather the pedal so there is no arrows flowing from anywhere. Elevation changes, road surface conditions, weather and a whole host of things compound the situation.

Driving at between 35 and 45 mph is probably the easiest way to force the car into a glide when learning. Once you master the accelerator, you can do it at almost any speed.

 

Glide is not so much about the energy flow as running with the engine off. It is possible to get zero charge/discharge to the battery when gliding, but it takes a steady foot and some experience. Using some of the battery (discharging) helps extend the glide.

 

Rather than watching the arrow display, I find it easier to moniter the HSI. Glide is no indicator in the brake or in the power.

SCH-I545 ?

 

Brake and the three sections that are "not brake" I don't feel like going out to my car to see what they are labeled.

SCH-I545 ?

 

It's more a conceptual thing. Don't be afraid to use gas to get up to speed but also don't forget to release and depress the throttle once the target speed is reached to trigger EV. I would class anything below 50% on the HSI as a glide. Obviously the less throttle you can get away with, the longer the glide can last.

 

You will see this best on a long gentle downhill run, where gravity and wind resistance about cancel each other out. Your speed will be steady, up to about 42, and the ICE will be off. If your foot is off the pedal you will get a little regen (arrows to the battery ). Feather the gas pedal just a little to get no arrows.

GT-I9300 ?

 

it's next to impossible to glide in the current generation of pri. if you get the indicator just above regen so you are sure you're not slowing down, the electrical use is minimal and constitutes a true glide. this will not wear your battery down unless you can pull off a couple miles of it. ken from japan (master hypermiler) recommends this method.

 

No arrows is effectively neutral, this will cause the car to gradually slow and annoy / endanger other traffic. I wouldn't recommend driving like this.

 

I find it pretty easy, myself. Here is a short video. The road is a slight descending grade. The speed limit is only 35. If your car slows down too much then "pulse" if bit to pick up the speed. Try to stay in the bottom half of the ECO band "EV" during pulse to maximize the fuel economy, then "Glide" again. As you can see, it is easy to maintain lower speeds with just a slight downhill using the Glide technique. The Prius is simply designed for it.

 

Why is there no "EV" indication when your ICE is off?

 

2010 model does not have that

SCH-I545 ?

 

Release then quick re-apply to ensure the computer controlled throttle allows the engine to idle/shut off.

 

I've found there to be a certain "feel" just at the transition from "power" to "over-run" as you take your foot off the accelerator, and after a while, it's possible to get it "just right" each and every time! (…of course, YMMV )

 

notice how technigogo's bar is either off or slightly to the right? that's what you want. slightly to the left slows you down too much.