What do you all think, should I leave the pulse and glide technique in the document? I think that one of the fundemental aspects to learn how to drive a hybrid is to learn how to coast / glide. This is one of the many differences between a normal car and a hybrid. While this technique also works on a conventional car, the hyrid is engineered (or so it seems) for this! This is why this is the first technique that every new owner of a hybrid should be aware and hence, it's inclusion in the document. While gliding, you will loose speed (either true regen or simply, physics). You will then have to speed up again. This is a very simple pulse and glide and one that even my mother could understand and execute.

Thanks,
Stephane.

 

What method of gliding are you using? Does the 2006 shut itself off automatically during a glide? Dang, I need to go check out one of those new HCHs....but what if I end up wanting one?

 

I was being sarcastic. I was trying to indicate how much driving strategy matters even with non-hybrids, or perhaps especially with non-hybrids.

It was the lights I was referring to, yeah. That and traffic. Stopping, which precedes accelerating, is what kills me, not going uphill.

I think I'd be terrified. Still, it could be fun. I'll never change my highway habits but I'd be interested in seeing how you deal with city traffic.

 

Hi Lakedude,

- When your are rolling at a desired speed remove your foot from the gas pedal
- Wait until your Instantaneous (current) Fuel Consumption Display maxes out to 100 miles per gallons (or goes down to 0 liters / 100km) and that you see some regeneration (green lines on your ASST / CHRG display)
- Very gently press on the gas pedal. Your aim is to eliminate the regeneration and (if possible) get a few lines of assist (1-4 lines of ASST)
- Let yourself glide! Please note that while gliding, you will gradually slow down.

This is what I am refering to. Yes, when you get the hang of it (actually, youjust have to remove your foot from the gas!), the engine stops using gas. It still turns, but it isn't burning any gas.

You don't want one, you NEED one

Cheers,
Stephane.

 

I agree, especially with the 06 and the fuel shutoff/valves sealed glide with the option for EV.

 

You might ammend that to say if the I-FCD drops below 100 MPG, you went too far. There's a fine line in terms of accelerator pressure between gliding w/o regen and turning the ICE back on.

 

Hi NASA,

very good point.

Thanks,
Stephane.

 

Help! I'm using the carpool lane to get to work these days and my mpgs have dropped considerably to 46 mpg. I'm doing about 65-70 in the heavy traffic areas and then exit the carpool in the light zones and stay around 65 on the freeway. Any suggestions? Below 65 and I will get major agressive drivers on my tail. I live in Southern California. We have a lot of idiots here.

 

How fast were you driving before you got your stickers? How much slower is the traffic in the #2 lane in the heavy traffic areas?

I just got my stickers today and will try them out for the first time tomorrow. I'm hoping I can just jump in the HOV lane when traffic in the other lanes drops below my preferred speed, then drop back out when it lightens back up. We'll see how well that works!

 

slajeune,

I was able to do some tests over 10 miles today regarding how many bars of assist to use in ev-mode p&g on the 06 hch

it depends on the amount of battery charge you have:

7-8 bars of battery charge: during glide mode, use anywhere between 0-5 bars of assist. Don't worry about the battery drain: you have plenty of battery charge to use.

5-6 bars of charge: during glide mode, use between 1-3 bars of assist. You don't want to keep draining the battery too much anymore. 5 bars of charge is the optimum level you settle at - reaching a balance between assist and regen during pulse and glide intervals so that your battery remains steady at 5 bars. This is a good equilibrium point, I found, where forced regen is at most 1 bar that hardly affects your FE.

0-4 bars of charge: don't enter glide mode until you get at least 5 bars of charge back again. During this state, there will be 3 or more bars of forced regen that impacts your FE significantly. You're better off holding your speed or doing some slight driving with the load. (let speed decrease 5-10 mph uphill, let speed increase 5-10 mph downhill by holding your throttle steady)

I also found that the HCH is excellent in the city - maintained 60.0 mpg using pulse from stoplights and ev-mode gliding/braking in heavy traffic.