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Some people do drive slow in Prius (for wrong reasons)

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Former Member 68813, Dec 22, 2010.

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  1. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    how can you tell when you are putting out 20-25 horsepower? are you using scangauge?
     
    #21 bisco, Dec 23, 2010
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    #22 Mendel Leisk, Dec 25, 2010
  3. coach81

    coach81 Active Member

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    Interesting thread...
     
    #23 coach81, Dec 26, 2010
  4. espressoTrae

    espressoTrae New Member

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    This is exactly how I gauge my acceleration, too -- as much as I can while keeping the 'ECO' light on. I just stay in the right lane [almost all streets around me are 2+ lanes on each side] so drivers in a major hurry can go around, but almost none seem to. Especially when I have larger vehicles behind me [vans, large trucks, large SUVs] many times I find myself pulling away from them accelerating just under the 'ECO'/'PWR' boundary.
     
    #24 espressoTrae, Dec 26, 2010
  5. priustexasbob

    priustexasbob Member

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    my take off from a stop sign/red light acceleration will depend on traffic and posted speed limit. if it is <35mph then I will accelerate with the bar just at the edge of the ECO symbol, higher and I'll stay with traffic.
     
    #25 priustexasbob, Dec 26, 2010
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Well it's been said for years here that brisk acceleration is better for efficiency as you're using the engine as efficiently as possible (by spinning it at an rpm that generates good torque and uses little fuel) and then gliding to take advantage of momentum.

    Too slow and you might end up accelerating with more battery power which drains the battery and thus the engine has to come on to recharge it or it has to spin at a higher rpm to charge it while you accelerate

    Too fast, well then you're just burning more fuel and producing more power than you really need. In addition, you might draw additional power from the battery which isn't necessary.


    Contrary to the general public, the best fuel economy is actually by using as little battery juice as possible (how many reviews have you read where the driver said he got xx mpg because he was in EV mode as long and as often as possible??).
     
    #26 Tideland Prius, Dec 26, 2010
  7. vinnie97

    vinnie97 Whatever Works

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    I tend to gradually accelerate m'self. After owning 2 Acuras (Integra, Legend) with transmissions that failed before their time, I tend to err on the side of caution...tough habit to break. :p
     
    #27 vinnie97, Dec 28, 2010
  8. GardenWeasel

    GardenWeasel Member

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    As I accelerate from a stop light today..and thinking about this thread, I wonder if my self pronounced 'slow' acceleration could be someone else's 'fast' acceleration...
     
    #28 GardenWeasel, Dec 28, 2010
  9. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    I usually get my best mpg in city/suburban traffic when I simply drive and don't use any tips...weird. When I drive "slowly" I don't get any better mpg as when I drive "fast". The major difference I see is between driving "hectic" vs driving "calmly", regardless of speed or better, acceleration (but not braking) speed. Braking abruptly does affect visibly my mpg.
    But I still have to find the "optimal" way to start at a stoplight. With the HSI bar all at once all the way before PWR, or getting it progressively there, or start slowly with battery power and then kick to full bar (no PWR) once reached xx km/h electrically (say, 15km/h) and then have the ICE kick-in to reach desired speed? or should one accelerate in PWR zone? or accelerate half way between middle and PWR lower limit (i.e. full bar). What is the best way (fuel efficient) to start from a full stop?

    On highway speeds, it is pretty straight forward - the faster you drive, the lower the mpg. Period. The battery does not help at all at constant highway speeds and P&G does not work, correct me if I am wrong, beyond a specific speed (I don't remember which one, I believe 75km/h or something similar). The faster you drive the more the rolling, wind and friction resistance - hence the lower the mpg. Going 130km/h vs 120km/h will visibly affect mpg and will not really change your time to destination that much.
     
    #29 pakitt, Dec 28, 2010
  10. adric22

    adric22 Ev and Hybrid Enthusiast

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    I tend to accelerate very slowly so that I can stay in EV mode with my enginer kit. HOWEVER, I never drive slowly in a way that would inconvenience other drivers. If I'm the only one on the road, I'll drive pretty slow. If I'm taking off from a red-light I try to stay with the rest of the cars.

    My wife, on the other hand, also drives a Prius but she thinks she is in a race-car. She floors it all the time and drives very fast, often over 80 mph. Even before I got the enginer kit in mine, I would typically achieve 10 mpg better than her.
     
    #30 adric22, Dec 29, 2010
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