I've been wondering about the pulse and glide.If the gasoline motor didn't have any internal friction then pulse and glide wouldn't work any better than just keeping a constant very slow speed that would be equivalent to the average speed of the pulse and glide run.I'm just thinking out loud,and just thinking in terms of using it with a gasoline only engine.The same situation applies to the hybrids,but it is easier for me to see it with just a gas motor.
I'm guessing it works because keeping a constant 40 miles per hour-say 2000 rpms with an auto trans Corolla costs more in internal friction losses than accelerating to 60 miles per hour from 20 miles per hour-shutting down the gasoline motor and gliding down to 20 miles per hour..Yes,a rev at 60 mpg-3000 rpms-cost more internal friction than a rev at 40 miles per hour-a 2000rpms rev because the piston-rings are moving faster,and the higher pressure in the CC should press the rings into the cyl walls a bit harder.Still,I think the frictional loses from a gasoline motor would be less with pulse and glide.It would probably work-some-not shutting the motor off since auto trans do tend to let the motor drop waaay down when you let off the gas.There probably isn't any practical way to do an actual shut down of the motor with a modern vehicle.Part of the advantage of hybrids is that they actually shut the gasoline motor off when you let off the gas(well-the toyotas will at some speeds-te Hondas will at least let the RPMS drop waaay down-I think).
I might have this backwards,so I'm open to correction.Thanks.Charlie