GreenHybrid - Hybrid Cars - View Single Post

HybridVue · #3 (**permalink**) 02-21-2008, 06:53 AM

A few things to consider.

The dealer tank may not have been filled to the top. Hence, you put more gas into the tank and your mpg wase way below average. I would give it at least three full tanks to see if your mpg's improve before I would be concerned.

Having the Hybrid in a garage vs the elements is a big factor in mpgs. Especially if you make alot of small trips. My Hybrid Vue is garaged. As a result, my starting temperature was 42 degrees this morning instead of 14. This helps the Hybrid to warm the engine sooner and allow for the auto stop & assist/charge to happen sooner in the trip. I see a big difference when the temps get above 60 degrees. My auto stop will kick in within a mile of my house. When temps are in the 20's it takes a good 5-10 minutes of driving before the auto stop occurs. Also, I rarely use the heater and if I do I do not turn it past the first setting and I wait for the Hybrid to warm up first. If you use the heater or AC (in the summer) past the first setting - your auto stop will not engage.

Also - I think we need some more information about the 30-40 minutues you spend driving. Is it highway driving or alot of stop and go? With two kids and working downtown - we know that you make at least three stops - maybe more. If that is the case, when you add low temps, multiple stops and stop & go driving - your mpgs will be low. Excatly how much is tough to determine without additional fillups.

As for keeping the ECO light on - that is great.

This next section maybe difficult to understand as you are new to the Saturn Hybrid Vue but this is what I do to get the most out of the Hybrid Vue.

I have mastered getting the battery to either charge or assist. I rarely have the gauge in the middle. I have found that the Saturn Hybrid Vue with its belt alternator starter (BAS) system, works best if it is either charging or assisting. So that is what I do. On my daily 45 mile commute each way - I use different sections to charge the battery and different ones to assist. For example, I have a two mile downslope about 10 miles into my commute. I use that section to coast and regenerate the battery. By the time I get to the bottom of the hill - my charge guage barely moves to left. This tells me that the battery is fully charged.

How do I do this? As I start the 2 mile downslope of a four lane highway (I am in the far right lane), I slowly accelerate the Hybrid to 65mph using the assist. Once I get to 65mph I then coast - the charge/assist gague swings all the way to the left. I coast down to 55mph. I can get a good 15-25 seconds of driving with the charge all the way to the left. I then accelerate back up to 65mph using the assist and coast again back to 55mph. This time the guage starts off all the way to the left and then slowly works its way back to the middle. By the time I am at the bottom of the slope the gauge is close to the middle and I know the battery is fully charged.

All the while - my ECO light remains on. I also keep a eye on the traffic behind me to make sure I am not impeeding the traffic. With the battery charged I take the next 20 miles at 65-70mph using the assist and maintaining the ECO light the rest of the way. This method has become second nature. I do not even look at the gauges but I focus on the road and the traffic around me. By the way, the first 5 miles and last 7 miles of my commute are stop and go. The last 7 miles - when I stop the auto stop always kicks in. Regardless of temp outside.

My driving style applies to Hybrids and Regular cars alike - smooth accelerations and declerations - watching the flow of traffic and driving "smart smooth". Using my driving style - the cold weather has not taken the bite out of my mpgs as it has done with others.

Best wishes with your Saturn Vue Hybrid and I hope you mpgs rise over the next few tanks. I will be keeping an eye

on your results.