Not arguing the point here...but riddle me this batman, If you take 45 seconds@15mpg to accelerate a total of 30mph vs 10 seconds at 5mpg, then not only do you burn less with the shorter burn but you cover more distance in the process. But the real plus comes when you get to the desired speed, your mpg goes back up to the design cruise mpg 35 seconds sooner and you are saving fuel over much of the distance you would be still burning at a 15mpg rate. And your right, it is physics...but I am not a math major so one of you math guys can figure it. I think in terms of a heavy vehicle accelerating to get on a freeway, for example, that moderate acceleration might result in less fuel burned than minimal acceleration rate. I don't have any numbers to back this up, just looking at the instant mpg's and time here. What we need is one of the CAN programs on a laptop hooked into the car and run it. Am I off on my thinking here?

 

Mel I agree it is amazing technology. As far as the ECO gauge from the tests I have completed keeping the gauge at 12 O'clock gives the best MPG. If you are out of the soild green band to the first green dash the reduction is .5MPG at least on the Tahoe. I have found accelerating slowly if possible and keeping the truck in and EV mode for as lond as possible with the ECO mater at 12'Clock gives the best overall MPG.

 

Mel your thoughts are good. I have found that when a trailer is involved with a few thousand pounds keeping the ECO meter in the center is hard until up to speed.

 

I won't be pulling the boat much until spring so won't know until then. Add that to the "top 10 reasons you know he has a hybrid"...he won't use his boat because trailering would affect his MPG average too much!

Yesterday I was driving in a small town in the downtown district. Driving 20-25 mph was no issue so I stayed in EV for I am guessing a couple of miles...Then I look down and not only is the engine running, but I am getting an instant mpg of 6 mpg while traveling 20 mph steady!Now I know that you have to put back what you use but...the rate that it puts back is apparently metered as well. Anyway, kklein, it got me thinking about what you were saying. I am not so sure that trying to stay in EV doesn't burn more in the long run. GM developed the software program to get the most efficiency out of this system it could. While it doesn't know what is coming next and we do, trying to stay in one mode for the sake of doing it may not be the most efficient way. But the proof is in the pudding, kklein is getting what I would say may be the best mileage I have heard about at 26-28mpg. But is that all the time or just on one trip? I am hovering right around 19.5 mpg but mine is the 4WD Silverado and rated at only 20/20. Also, I live in the country and 80% of my driving is highway miles but none is without stops at intersections or on/off freeways and I do drive to DFW frequently in the traffic.

Along the same thought, mpg...on the trucks, they have the air dam open with the tow hooks coming through. It is closed behind the hook mostly but still a big opening to create turbulence I am sure. Someone needs to come up with a mod to cover that area on both sides with a vinyl/plastic plug to streamline the frontal area.

 

Mel my 26-28 MPG, is from a couple of very long trips, minimual traffic and under ideal conditions keeping the ECO meter dead center. My overall average is in the 22-24MPG range. I have had one trip at 30.1 MPG, however I have not been able to achieve this again. I do know that when the battery is charged up from a long trip you travel a lot further in EV mode.

 

Thanks, then I think I am doing pretty good. But it is still very new and I am still manuevering for the best techniques to use. Would you read my reply regarding vehicle movement when brakes applied in the very long thread regarding brake failure. I am curious if I have a problem or if all of you experience the same with these vehicles. Thanks.

 

Hi Mel I did read your post and I have not experienced the Tahoe hybrid moving with light brake pressure. I will again today and see what happens.

 

I re-read my own post and realize I said heavy brake pressure...that is wrong. Just more pressure than a light foot resting against the pedal when stopped. I have noticed several times that at a light, or after backing out of the garage and shift into D, the truck will roll if I don't increase the pressure. I will stop at a light behind traffic and realize that I am moving and apply more pressure! A bit alarming and so far, I am alert and catch it...ask me how I do after an all-nighter!

 

Keep-us informed about the all-night.

 

referring to flying an all-nighter...and being so tired after landing and getting away from the airport, you need to pull over and take a nap just to drive home!