Posted by Elmo P. Shagnasty on June 4, 2007, 2:24 pm
> > > I have noted that by doing this the battery charge levels remain
> > > lower, which means to me that they are being used more of the time. I
> > > am amazed how effective this is. You travel a little slower, but at
> > > significantly higher gas mileage.
> >
> > Why don't you reword that: "You piss off everyone around you by playing
> > games in traffic, but fuck 'em. Do what YOU want. It's YOUR life."
>
> Gee Elmo, do ou piss people off on the road as much as on the web?
not NEARLY as much as a self-absorbed hypermiler who doesn't give a shit
about living in the REAL world full of other people in traffic.
Posted by notachance on June 2, 2007, 12:41 am
I think you're right, but there's another technique that lets
you keep your eyes on the road.
Simply keep your foot off the -- -- brake.
Drive in such a manner as to minimize brake usage, and your
mileage will improve significantly. The conversion of kinetic
energy to electricity is very inefficient (better than nothing),
but the conversion of kinetic energy to heat is a total waste.
That concept allows brisk acceleration when there's nothing in
front of you, but it also means long/gradual slowdowns when
something is. Applying this idea, you tend to look further down
the road, and I think it adds a bit of safety as well as economy.
mark b wrote:
> This spring I made a discovery that increased by gas mileage from 46
> mpg to about 53 mpg. Quite simple. When you accelerate keep your eye
> on the instantaneous mileage bar. Accelerate slowly enough to keep it
> at 99 mpg up to about 18 -20 mph. Hard to do past that speed. Then
> you will be accelerating only on the electric motor. Also when coming
> down an incline at any speed, momentally take your foot off the
> accelerator till the bar goes to 99 mpg. Then reapply gas gradually
> trying to keep it at 99. I think that the gas motor stops when it is
> at 99 mpg.
>
> I have noted that by doing this the battery charge levels remain
> lower, which means to me that they are being used more of the time. I
> am amazed how effective this is. You travel a little slower, but at
> significantly higher gas mileage.
>
> MarkB
>
Posted by Elmo P. Shagnasty on June 2, 2007, 1:48 am
> I think you're right, but there's another technique that lets
> you keep your eyes on the road.
>
> Simply keep your foot off the -- -- brake.
>
> Drive in such a manner as to minimize brake usage, and your
> mileage will improve significantly. The conversion of kinetic
> energy to electricity is very inefficient (better than nothing),
> but the conversion of kinetic energy to heat is a total waste.
Which is EXACTLY why Toyota designed the Prius with brake-by-wire.
The brake pedal tells the car how much to kick in the generators, which
provides the braking power. Braking the car uses the more efficient
kinetic energy to electricity conversion.
Two exceptions to this:
1) the car does engage the mechanical brakes below 7mph (all those funny
noises you keep hearing under the hood during normal driving involve,
among other things, the brake accumulator pressurizing)
2) emergency stops--the car knows when to apply the mechanical brakes
regardless (see brake pressure accumulator concept above).
That the Prius drives like a normal car becomes more and more amazing as
you delve into how it all is designed and works in daily use.
They started with a goal--minimize inefficiencies. With some thought,
they managed to do just that. And they'll tweak things as time goes
along.
Posted by zonie on June 2, 2007, 2:44 am
You can get the best mileage by leaving the Prius home and walking to work.
That way the rest of us can get there also. Scott
Posted by Michelle Steiner on June 2, 2007, 6:28 am
> The brake pedal tells the car how much to kick in the generators,
> which provides the braking power. Braking the car uses the more
> efficient kinetic energy to electricity conversion.
Coasting also regenerates the battery. And coasting as far as you can
uses less gas than keeping up speed and then braking hard.
--
Support the troops: Bring them home ASAP.
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> > > lower, which means to me that they are being used more of the time. I
> > > am amazed how effective this is. You travel a little slower, but at
> > > significantly higher gas mileage.
> >
> > Why don't you reword that: "You piss off everyone around you by playing
> > games in traffic, but fuck 'em. Do what YOU want. It's YOUR life."
>
> Gee Elmo, do ou piss people off on the road as much as on the web?