Chuck, in your first tread you describe just what I would do in cold weather. That is, do what works best. When its hot, I run the A/C and take to the freeway and draft as much as posible. The A/C running in a draft make very little difference in FE. When the FEH is very cold inside, I get off the freeway and stay cool with A/C normal recirculation and use EV with a fully charged battery. Of course I coast any time I can and under 40mph I do it in EV.

Now, I have flat roads and nice weather for a hybrid. The FWD can take advantage of EV the most it seems. This combination with all the tricks to charge the battery helps me get 60+ mpg on a lot of roads. When I have to stay with traffic, I do, my wife can drive it some and I get on the freeway a little now and then and my average is still around 42 mpg. My best top off at 181 miles was 52.717 mpg. This can be beat on a long trip along the coast here. The best part of it now is I stay relaxed knowing I can drive up my tank average on the beach roads anytime without the A/C. If my 15min. average drops off to 42mpg because of highway driving or the wife, I can drive it back up to 46mpg in no time.

With regard to this 1,000 RPM no ICE arrow at 45-50 mph, I've had similar things happen at lower speeds of 35-40mph. It happen again just the other day. While doing my thing with the "low gear Advantage", I shifted down to "L" at 43mph and the tach dropped down to 1,000 -1,100 RPM's so I shifted back to drive at 40mph and waited for EV. The tach hung up at 1,000 RPM's and my speed stayed constantant at 35mph where I had set the cruise. The energy screen showed the ICE with a ban around it (running) but no arrows from anything. What I thought was happening was an overcharge burn off of the generator was holding my speed. The tach continued to be locked at 1,000 RPM's but no arrows. It held this for awhile till I hit the gas to speed up and things went back to normal. If I can master that mode, move over Honda Insight! My bet, it was an overcharge bleed off but instead of high revs, the generator burned it off at the axles because the battery was full. As far as going down hill, all I have is large bridges around here. Over 40mph, I get ICE on with no arrows going down. If a charge arrow was coming from your battery, it was more likly because the 12 volt system needed it. The electric motor is restricted from sole power from an RPM standpoint over 40 mph.

GaryG