I just got done reading the FAQ's on this site. Recommended reading for all newbies, that's for sure!

We run a lot of short trips, and rarely go above 40mph. Would using the L (low) gear be something we would want to try to help improve mileage? Anybody else use it?

Also, how many double-tap the breaks to get the ICE to shut off sooner?

I tell ya, every day I learn new stuff from this website.

Mark

 

90% or better of my driving is at less than 45mph. I will use a combo of D and L using L when needing to BRAKE for a red light unless there is someone directly behind me (no brake light comes on doing this) then I will remain in D and do the quick double tap while below 40mph. The ICE will usually shut down sooner while in L generally when it sees some regen braking while below 40mph.

 

Hi Mark and Bill

There is a new "Low Gear Advantage V2" thread at http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1807 Also, if you google "hybrid Fake Shifting", there is alot of information available on saving gas.

Bill, Ron is very concerned with your problems with the SG. Let us know if the new one has problems ASAP.

GaryG

 

Let's not all go over this again.

https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...33.html?page=1

 

Wow, 24 pages of posts. I can see why you don't want to go over that again. I read the first 5 pages or so, and most of the talk seems to apply to cars. Can anyone sum-up all those pages for me. Is using L gear a good idea for in-town driving with a lot of short runs for a Mariner? Big difference is that ICE comes on at 25mph, not 40-45 as is the case with some of the cars.

Maybe I'm missing the jist of the whole thing. My owners manual says it's good to hit the brakes because it charges the battery. When in L gear, will it still charge the same even tho your not using the brakes as much? Or is it suppose to charge more because it automatically creates braking?

I don't want to start another long thread. Just looking for a quick summary as how this applies to a Mariner.

Mark

 

While we all call it low gear, it's not. It's braking gear. That is, there is no difference except for a software one. In L, the system applies light brakes any time your foot isn't on the gas. With a little leverage and practice, once can actually go from driving to coasting to light braking to moderate braking in L just by releasing pressure on the accelerator.

This braking is the same as light pressue on the brakes in D. In other words, as you're coasting along in L, with the automatic light braking, you're recharging the battery.

However, it should be noted that this robs you of coasting, and GaryG's tests showed that you get worse FE just driving about in L as opposed to D.

This has led to many peoples extensive shifting while driving, with mottos like drive in D, brake in L. Remember, it's all software, no physical changes happen between shifting from D to L an back, you can do it as much or as little as you want.

As to your actual question, no, it's not the same, in most cases, braking in L is better, especially with experience as you'll get more charge out of a longer slow down, and use your brake pads less.

This is pretty much covered in the FAQ. Gary's post over at Cleanmpg is also a great summary, though it's mostly his observations, some people here disagree, and have found techniques that work for them. Remember, this is your time to experiment, to see what does an does not work for you. You may not be able to use all my tips to great success, or GaryGs, or GPS's, but you can probably come up with a nice medly of them that does work for you.

 

Yes and yes. Experiment. Watch your charge indicator, the one to the left of the tachometer and try both. They're both doing the same job but going about it in a different way. Both are communicating to the power control module that you are requesting a re-gen braking event to slow you down. The brake pedal also will actuate the brake pads to contact the rotors to stop the vehicle if re-gen isnt slowing you down fast enough.

 

I drove around on Low this afternoon, and I have to say that I like the fact that it starts charging the battery the second I let up on the gas. But what worries me is that perhaps it takes a little more power to propel since there's the L drag on the engine. Today I did show a slight increase in mileage by driving on L, but it also seemed like the engine came on a lot sooner when coming out of a stop due to the drag.


Mark

 

Read the posts, there is no L drag on the engine.

 

Gotta second what Wbruff said - there is no more drag on the engine when driving in L as there is when driving in D. The only time there is any additional "drag" is when you let off on the accelerator pedal. When accelerating or in constant speed driving, the vehicle behaves exactly the same. When you let off the gas, the computer dictates how much regen to use based on whether you are in L or D. It's as simple as that.

Rich (Pravus) stated but it isn't applying the brakes, it is slowing the car down using regeneration. The brakes (as in pad on rotor) are only applied when you have your foot on the brake pedal and the computer decides that you want to decelerate faster than can be done with just regeneration, when the battery is fully charged or when the car is travelling too slowly for regeneration to work.

That, to me, is what makes L so beneficial. Driving in L and letting off on the gas pedal causes the computer to think that you want to slow down which generally is the case. If you don't want to slow down you put more pressure on the gas pedal and the computer either backs down on the regen or adds power depending on how hard you push on it. It's a finesse thing that takes some practice. I have been using L since shortly after I bought my first FEH and my highest mpg tanks have been when I have used nothing but L. In fact, I now use L for all driving except interstate driving.

Play around with it, you won't hurt a thing driving in L as much as you want and at any speed. Decide what works best for you in your driving conditions.

For some further reading on the topic, read this thread: https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...gear.2494.html