[V8Cobrakid]

I was driving around last night. It's good to be able to check the system with almost no one on the road.

I think i may have figured out the hybrid system. When accelerating, make sure the electric engine kicks in. Get up to speed.. possibly a little past. So if you want to go 45mph go up to 50 and you'll most likely slow to 45. When you hit 50, let off the gas and start applying small amounts of pressure. Don't go too slow or you'll burn fuel again to get to your 45mph. The optimal way to drive is with the gas engine on powering the wheels but turning the generator too to charge the battery. You should be able to figure out where a steady mph point is on the gas. If you'r going 45 and you hold your foot there with no acceleration or deceleration, you should not have a problem with the road being un-even. Here in San Jose, Ca. the roads are pretty flat but dip up and down a bit every once and a while. Driving with the hybrid sytem like this gets you around 50mpg some may see 40+.. if your car is broken in and you are used to this technique you should see a minimal of 60mpg on your screen. Last night when i was traveling, my average for that 15-20 minute ride was around 70mpg. The trick i figure out is this. When charging the battery with the ICE while driving, your mpg keeps going up. When the bettery nears full, the Synergy drive will kick in the electric engine just to burn up some of that extra power in the pack. What you get out of this is your 40+ mpg gas engine now assisted by an electric engine. If anyone can illustrate this, thanks... please do. For those of you who get what i'm saying, try it out and tell me how it goes.

 

[BIF]

You're right about all this.

As you said in your original post, it really is easy to do once you've figured it out. It's more difficult achieving this during daytime stop-and-go driving, though.

I'm not saying you shouldn't try; really, it's kind of fun. But the key to good MPG on a tank-over-tank basis is to reduce your stops at traffic lights and slowdowns while behind "brake light bettys" and slow-poke "rightie turnie" drivers. This is because the re-accelleration always will cost you more energy than that you were able to re-gen/re-claim during the slowdown.

 

[RSnyder]

Hi V8Cobrakid,

Maybe I'm not understanding what you're saying. Would there be any difference if you accelerated up to 50, then backed off to 45, then set the cruise control for the rest of the drive? If not, the cruise control would be easier to do.

 

[V8Cobrakid]

True.. Cruise Control is easier. But what i've found out is that the cruise control isn't as efficient. you could hold your foot at the same position that gets you around 50+mpg.. and if you come to a small incline.. you will simply slow down a mph or two. Then, when the incline is over, you're back up to speed. The cruise control will "dribble" more fuel into the engine. I'm not done "studying" this sytem quite yet. I think in traffic areas, cruise control may be a little more efficient because it will adjust to speed faster than you will. But, if you're cruising at night.. you can be more efficient by 10+mpg.

What i was trying to do today is test the efficiency of take offs. I tried semi slow take offs that are charging the battery, or powering the motor with no battery feed. When you take off you are accelerating and getting 20+mpg but if you have a bunch of short lights ahead of you, this method does not work. Simply accelerate quicker to get to your speed.. and "coast" with minimal motor or engine help.

So now to break it down.

If you are in areas where there are many lights and many stops, accelerate quick to get to your speed and then sip on the engine power and electric power. (still best to use ICE and charge the battery in progress)

If you're cruising at night or any other time where traffic will go around you or not bother you, accelerate slow so the ICE will completely power the motor.. or the ICE is feeding the battery. When you cruise try to just use the ICE and have it charge the battery in the process. When your battery is getting fuller, the Motor will kick in and increase your MPG even more. (Just using ICE to cruise should get you 45+mpg)

Enjoy!.. post results and findings.