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Old 05-06-2008, 09:23 AM   #15
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 342
Rich_in_Tampa said: "The Prius boards are filled with mileage-squeezing suggestions. Pulse and glide is very common and I have found myself doing it just out of habit in my Prius (~58 mpg in mixed commuting). I find the biggest help is to anti-tailgate so that when brake lights go on in front of me, I just coast without braking. 90% of the time, they have accelerated again before I get close enough to brake."


Like Rich, I have a Prius and use pulsing and coasting. The car's multi-display provides instant feedback via cool schematics that show your mode (engine/ electric motor or combo and associated real-time milage) that "teach" you how to reflexively drive efficiently. The anticipation becomes automatic. As Rich explains, you begin to anticipate stopping distance and, without thinking, use a friendlier foot on the pedals. I over-inflate the tires a bit (41 psi front and 38 rear) to decrease rolling resistance. Another issue is roof racks. An EMPTY roof rack cuts my milage by 4 or 5 mpg. A kayak up there cuts it by 6 or 8. I don't leave the rack on if it's not in use.
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