do you find yourself hypermiling a non-hybrid?

yep, '05 dakota. can't seem to nurse it over 18 mpg through.

 

I find I drive the ChuggyPig in much the same way as I drove my previous car (Toyota Corolla DX Wagon - see threads passim, I used to get 35mpg in winter and up to 45mpg in the warmer months) but the BIG difference is the lack of noise when the ICE shuts off when not needed! My passengers all remark how quiet the Prius is!

 

Ive been hyper-milling since before I had a hybrid.

 

When I first started to learn about Hybrids and then eventually hypermiling techniques I didn't own a hybrid, I owned a Honda Accord. The funny thing is in experimentation I hypermiled with the Accord a whole lot more than I ever really hypermile with the Prius.

I guess my logic being with The Prius and Hybrid Synergy Drive, I don't really NEED to hypermile. I'm going to get Hybrid MPG results just driving it.
With the Accord, I was impressed how much better I could do per tank IF I applied some conservative hypermiling techniques.

To each his own. But for me? I'm really not in to that much focus.

Driving The Prius can be relaxing. Speeding up and slowing down continually? May improve MPG a bit, but is just not the way I want to drive.

 

Wife's car is EPA rated at 28mpg combined. While she was out of town for 3 days, I drove it over 170 miles and got this:




So the answer to your question would be YES!

 

Well, I can understand your point of view, however I really enjoy the quiet! I'd never own a Harley-Davidson¹, because I just couldn't stand the constant noise and vibration. I love smooth, and my Prius is perfect for me! Of course I'm sure I would enjoy the quiet and torque of a Tesla, (who wouldn't?) and if it had to be powered by an infernal-combustion engine, then something with 12 or 16 cylinders would fit the bill quite nicely, and if it had to be external-combustion, then I daresay a Stanley-Steamer might also fit the bill, especially with all that low-end torque!!!

¹ I realise everyone says "…but LOUD is a safety issue!" to them I say I'll believe that when HD start mounting the exhaust-pipes sticking out in front!

 

i love quiet. even as a teenager, i loved my mgb, but hated the noise.

 

Well, I own a Prius now, and yes, it's quietness is an aspect I enjoy considerably.
But you don't have to hypermile to get the benefit of The Prius's quietness. That's also a pretty automatic part of Hybrid Synergy Drive.

 

I think that was one of my main draws to it as well. Don't want to have to use special driving techniques to get decent mpg...on my work commute I have to be right in the traffic flow or I'll get run over anyway. The Prius still does well even in those conditions. Very impressed so far. And I love how quiet it is too and love hearing the engine stop at lights. I probably spend almost a third of my work drive with the engine off.

 

Yup, everyone under the sun can hypermile. Have a look at cleanmpg, interesting bunch.

 

That is Pulse & Glide, which is just one item on a large menu of things known as Hypermiling. There are many other ways to Hypermile without Pulse & Glide.

Do beware that without instruments, it can be difficult to be successful with P&G in a different vehicle. And very easy to mess it up and not actually improve MPG.

 

I just go with the flow...unless I'm running late.

 

I find much of it is to do with the feel, I was taught to drive as if I had an egg between my feet and the pedals and I'd lose if the eggshell so much as cracked! …another thing to try is slipping your shoes off and driving in bare¹ or stockinged feet! (gives you a much better feel of what's going on!). I found with my previous Toyota, (1993 Corolla DX Wagon, 5-speed stick-shift) that there was a sweet-spot at about 60mph and 2k5 RPM where everything was happy and I got the the optimum mpg. You might try it, but of course, YMMV!

¹ illegal in some states, Hobbit? …any thoughts?

 

You made it sound like the only time you hypermile is when you running late.

 

Actually some of us drive fast in a Prius when running late or just because. A car is transportation for me...not an experiment, contest or whatever to get the best mpg. The Prius already does better than everything else driving normal.

Sorry ladies, I do not and will not hyper-mile.

 

I have tried some of the hypermiling tricks but found myself getting in dangerous spots from time to time.

I have followed semi trucks so close that I could not see their mirrors until one trucker clopped on his brakes. I about hit that bar hanging down from the rear of the trailer. It helped but wasn't worth the risk.

I set the cruise at 52 mph which was suggested somewhere on their site. And you're supposed to take off ramps, on ramps at that speed, too. No, it can be too dangerous.

I just let the Synergy Drive do its work. The car has great engineering and I find it does a better job than I could ever do.

Hypermiling takes a lot of concentration, which should be used for driving in my humble estimation. There are just too many bad drivers, semi trucks, road construction and constantly changing wearher. I can afford gasoline, I can't afford a wreck.

 

There's tactics you can use that both improve your mpg and safety, say: increase following distance, abide by speed limits. Doesn't take extra concentration, if anything, it's easier.

 

You know, you don't really need to hypermile to get good gas mileage. No P&G needed. All you have to do is no warm up and brake gently from 2 to 3X the distance you normally would when coming up a red light. My Tacoma gets 21mpg city just from doing that. EPA rated at 17 city, 21 hwy. My Sienna gets 22-24mpg city. EPA rated at 18 city, 25 hwy.