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"pulse and glide" tips?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by busyrosy, Apr 29, 2006.

  1. busyrosy

    busyrosy New Member

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    I'm totaly getting the hang of pulse and glide thing - I think I'm well over 50 mpg at this point .. but after a while, my ankle gets really sore! Ya'll got tips to make this experience more comfortable? Thanks!!!
     
    #1 busyrosy, Apr 29, 2006
  2. humptydumpty

    humptydumpty New Member

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    Pulse and Glide? Sound like you are refering to the gas pedal. I just drive it like I drove the vehicle I had before which was a 70's VW Bus, which is, carfully so as not to overrev or lug the engine. Course that was a stick, but the careful part is what I am getting at.

    I average 52 mpg. Perhaps I could be doing better than this...
     
    #2 humptydumpty, Apr 29, 2006
  3. EricGo

    EricGo New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(busyrosy @ Apr 29 2006, 03:59 AM) [snapback]247124[/snapback]</div>
    Try moving the seat back a bit.
     
    #3 EricGo, Apr 29, 2006
  4. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Pulsing and Gliding is the technique of getting up to speed and then coasting as long as possible. But not just coasting, finding that "sweetspot" where the Energy display shows no arrows at all. At that point, it's almost as though the car doesn't know whether to recharge via the wheels or accellerate via the battery. When that happens, you can physically feel the car "let loose" and coast.

    There are two basic types of drivers: those who always have their foot on the accelerator maintaining speed versus those who get up to speed and then let up on the accelerator. Most drivers reflect the former style. Therefore, P-n-G is not necessarily "normal" to most people.

    Rosy,
    It's possible that you are putting too much emphasis on your foot. It sounds to me that you are actually pushing and pulling your foot at the same time, making your muscles work against each other. It's not bumkiss, I used to do this and had really tired ankles, calves, and even thighs. Driving the Prius is not about tension but rather relaxation. When you are letting up on the accelerator, don't think so much about maintaining the perfect position but rather focus on simply relaxing your pressure. Once you know what to look for and feel for, you will understand. And your legs will thank you.
     
    #4 TonyPSchaefer, Apr 29, 2006
  5. busyrosy

    busyrosy New Member

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    Hmmm... seems like I need to practice this more..

    Thanks!!!!
     
    #5 busyrosy, Apr 29, 2006
  6. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(busyrosy @ Apr 29 2006, 02:59 AM) [snapback]247124[/snapback]</div>
    Without doing that, I am too.

    Pulse & Glide is something that I have never endorsed and choose to discourage. JUST DRIVE IT! After enough miles, you naturally become in tune with the hybrid system anyway and end up responding properly to hills, stops, and traffic due to a heightened awareness.

    In other words, as time proceeds you'll approach the glide point automatically by simply watching the consumption bar climb.

    Put yet another way, I rarely use the Energy Monitor. The Consumption Screen is what taught me to achieve the higher efficiency... without any pulsing that could disrupt other vehicles sharing the same road. The consumption way takes longer to become habit, but it is much closer to the way people normally drive.
     
    #6 john1701a, Apr 29, 2006
  7. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Apr 29 2006, 08:34 AM) [snapback]247175[/snapback]</div>
    Very good. Well put!!
     
    #7 hdrygas, Apr 29, 2006
  8. gippah

    gippah New Member

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    If you're getting over 50mpg in a Classic, you're doing pretty good.

    But I wouldn't worry about it so much. Even if you drive the Classic like a normal car, you're likely to get 47-48mpg. If your ankle is getting sore, use it a little less and get 49mpg. :)
     
    #8 gippah, Apr 29, 2006
  9. j24816

    j24816 New Member

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    Can anyone explain why pulse and glide is more efficient than maintaining constant speed?

    It would seem that there are ineffiencies associated with both acceleration and glide (friction)....
     
    #9 j24816, Apr 29, 2006
  10. EricGo

    EricGo New Member

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    The short answer: because engine use < 1500 rpm is inefficient.

    P&G is not the goal, it is the result of periodic smart engine use.
     
    #10 EricGo, Apr 29, 2006
  11. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(EricGo @ Apr 29 2006, 03:58 PM) [snapback]247308[/snapback]</div>
    Short answer. Right. What you are tying to do is keep the ICE in the most efficient range and then in the glide phase turn the ICE off and use the battery as little as possible. If you look at the "stock" MFD you will see no energy flow. That is not quite what is happening. In fact you are sending a small amount of electrical energy to MG2 to keep the car in "neutral" or glide mode. Indeed you can "feel" this. There are instruments such as the CAN View to define this process but you are 3/4 the way there with the MFD. So you may pulse to just above the speed limit ( on the up hill if you can) then "feather" the throttle to get into the no transfer of energy on the MFD, then glide down to as many mph as you can below the speed limit.
     
    #11 hdrygas, Apr 29, 2006
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