Posted by Michelle Steiner on June 2, 2007, 5:30 pm
> I consider you a Prius expert, but don't think coasting regenerates.
I'm no Prius expert, but I do know that when I coast, there are green
arrows from the wheels to the motor/generator, and from the
motor/generator to the battery. Look at the energy screen when coasting
yourself.
--
Support the troops: Bring them home ASAP.
Posted by David Kelly on June 3, 2007, 5:26 pm
Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
>
>> 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.
Elmo P. Shagnasty quoted the above but didn't seem to understand any of it.
> 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.
Efficiency has nothing to do with it. What others were saying was that
the best *economy* can be had by not spending energy than one is
promptly going to shed with the brakes.
If one must shed energy with the brakes the Prius has a means of
recovering *some* of that energy. Is not terribly efficient but its
better *economically* than throwing it away as heat.
Posted by Elmo P. Shagnasty on June 3, 2007, 8:34 pm
> >> 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.
>
> Elmo P. Shagnasty quoted the above but didn't seem to understand any of it.
Elmo understood all of it.
Posted by Dick Byrd on June 4, 2007, 12:27 am
MarkB:
Actually, accelerating slowly is NOT the way to get the best fuel mileage
in a Prius. You are better to accelerate rather quickly (not full throttle,
but close to it) and then back off and "glide," letting the ICE shut-down.
The Prius Atkinson-cycle engine has the best "specific fuel consumption",
i.e. produces the most horsepower per gram of fuel used, when the power
output is rather high, and the rpm is in the 2,000 - 2,300 range. This
"Pulse and Glide" technique produces the best MPG figures.
Dick
> 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 RRB on June 4, 2007, 5:36 pm
Dick Byrd wrote:
> Actually, accelerating slowly is NOT the way to get the best fuel mileage
> in a Prius. You are better to accelerate rather quickly (not full throttle,
> but close to it) and then back off and "glide," letting the ICE shut-down.
> The Prius Atkinson-cycle engine has the best "specific fuel consumption",
> i.e. produces the most horsepower per gram of fuel used, when the power
> output is rather high, and the rpm is in the 2,000 - 2,300 range. This
> "Pulse and Glide" technique produces the best MPG figures.
And is more fun to drive, too.
--
Faciait li signeur!
Roy Batty
http://www.regalodautore.it/