Actually, that's not bad. I bet if you left your MFD showing the energy transfer display you'd often find the batteries supplying power. It may not be running all electric, but that boost is why you're getting over 36 mpg on 3 mile drives.

The end of my drives are almost always in EV mode, so when I start my next drive the SOC is pretty low. I find that my mileage doesn't improve until the SOC gets up to about 70%. And if it gets any higher I find the batteries and electric motor contributing to the ICE and the mpg gauge hovering around 50 - 60 mpg.

 

It take a lot of practice to get the right feel of the accelerator dependably. I used to kick in the ICE from EV mode often because I was giving ever so slightly more accelerator depression than was really needed. Now, I can accelerate pretty well from a stop without leaving EV mode (when the SOC is high). It's like learning to ride a bike. Much practice make for much better results. Note that with only a slight incline, or head winds, it can be very difficult to maintain even 35 MPH in EV mode. On the other hand, on flat and level with no wind and no AC (and perfect street light timing!!!), I can keep it in EV mode for miles at a time and the SOC drops very little. The AC will pull the charge down faster than a 35 MPH cruise in EV.

-- Alan

 

You people are correct, all the energy that the TCH uses comes from gasoline and recaptured energy due to braking and downhill grades, but, as we know, in order to recapture energy from braking and downhill grades the ICE had to use gasoline to get the TCH moving and/or up the incline in the first place. Now, hyermilers have development methods of driving that take advantage of the recaptured energy in an efficient manner. Like was stated earlier, use the EV mod as much as possible and watch how you accelerate, the Synergy Drive System will due the rest.