2018 HyCam amateur review and ongoing blog

List of techniques:

Driving slow
Driving "with the load"
Driving "with out brakes"
Timing lights (this one is awesome because it saves fuel and time)
Route planning
Lane choice
Paying attention to your SOC
Paying attention in general
Feathering to enable EV
Shifting to "N" to coast when appropriate
Slow acceleration, at times slow enough to stay in EV
Minimal use of climate control
Managing EV intelligently by charging at the right times and avoiding charging other times
Not shutting the car off for a quick trip inside a store to avoid warm up cost (risky)

Edit:
Combine trips (thanks Mike)


I don't draft because it is not safe, Edit: no surfing either
I try not to be in people's way
If there is no easy way around me I'll speed up or turn off to be traffic friendly

 

I've not yet over pressured my tires but that may be coming.

 

"Lifetime" average is up to 57 MPG displayed!

I don't know if this is a true lifetime figure, it is just a display that I've never reset. Seems about correct. I get up to 70 MPG driving slow in the Summer but higher speeds and cooler weather take a toll so the MPG dives down to perhaps 50 MPG in the Winter.

Got a new tank coming soon. Didn't try nearly as hard as the last one. Still might squeak over 70 MPG.

 

Well crap, I accidently reset my "Lifetime" mileage while trying to reset the "Trip". Silly me.

Went over 800 miles this tank, check it out:

806.2 miles trip (record for this car)
71.3 MPG displayed tank
57.2 MPG lifetime displayed (last one since I goofed and reset it)
18,244 OD

$27.02
11.854 gallons

68 MPG calculated

 

Thanks!

A coworker has the silver (non hybrid) with mag wheels and it looks way better than my white LE hybrid with steel rims.

The front, color and wheels make a huge difference. Her car also looks a little better in the rear but not so much.

Have you thought about the Accord Hybrid?

 

The latest tank of mostly highway driving at 75 mph heading east. The display showed around 52 at 75 with the AC on. The tank average was higher from other slower driving (construction, slower in and around big cities, etc.).

Today heading north the display was down around 47 mpg, the wind being a factor.

$27.55
10.4 gal

567.5 miles trip
18,811 od
55.3 mpg displayed
55.3 lifetime (1 tank)

54.6 MPG calculated

 

I normally hypermile during my commute and can get up to 70 MPG. Expressway driving at 75 mph with the AC on yields around 47 to 53 mpg depending on the wind.

The really cool thing was regular highway (not expressway) driving. We got 64 mpg displayed on highway 47 in Illinois going 35 to 60 mph with lots of stops and full time AC use. This is amazing because we were not trying to save gas at all, just driving.

 

We are just now back from vacation and once again I didn't keep good track of things. Coming home we drove slightly faster (77 MPH or so) and had the wind in our face. Displayed mileage during the expressway portion of the trip was 47.5 MPG. A 5% adjustment puts us at 45 MPG estimated calculated.

Both ends of the trip are on regular highways (not expressways) with slower speeds and more start stop. Evidenlty the slower speeds make more of a difference than the starting and stopping because mileage is always better during the slower sections.

 

While on vacation power went out and it was pitch black in the basement. Turned the Camry on and pointed the headlights into the windows. The engine stays off until the battery runs low and then the engine starts and runs just long enough to charge the battery and then shuts off again. Worked great!

The other day I left the car on (including AC) intending to pull it into the garage after unloading groceries but I forgot and left it that way all night. Found it the next day with the trunk open and the tank down about 1/8. Whoops!

 

New tank with 100% AC usage with about 50% normal to aggressive driving, 50% slower driving on the way home from work.

632.6 miles trip
62.4 MPG displayed tank
54.6 MPG "lifetime" ( was accidentally reset a few tanks ago)
21,081 OD

$24.94
10.85 gallons

58.3 MPG calculated

 

That I can drive in complete comfort while driving aggressively and still get 58 MPG is amazing to me as well.

My old mileage champ the Civic Hybrid was much more sensitive to AC use and aggressive driving. The Camry actually does better than the old Civic would have when driven in a similar fashion.

The AC on the Camry Hybrid works perfectly BTW. It cools the car down in no time after sitting in the hot sun. It is a very impressive system. That it works even when the engine is off keeping the occupants comfy all the time is just icing on the cake. With the Civic the engine had to be on to run the AC. One had to choose between Auto Stop and AC.

I really liked my Civic but OMG the Camry is soooo much more comfortable.