There is no special "requirement" to learn to drive a Hybrid. A hybrid should be driven like any other car... if you drive any car hard you use more gas, more tires, the engine and other components don't last, etc...

We simply need to learn to drive better... safely and efficiently... this applies to any vehicle in land, air or water. ...even to Nasa's vehicles.

Not having to learn to drive would be nice... but then driving wouldn't be fun . It would be like riding public transit vehicles .

Best Tank = 54.2 mpg (Sep. 9'06)
Best Trip = 61.9 mpg

Very well put, if I may say so.

I not only also agree with Mr. Kite's response as well, as I am sure many of us in this forum would be able to provide a comparable experience to his.

However, we do benefit a lot when we accommodate those who for whatever the reason may provide "the ever present" dissenting voice against hybrids.
Life is such, that without Livvie things would be just too boring.

Thanks Livvie. (by the way, I did have my Wheaties this morning)

MSantos

You are preaching to the choir here.

There are tons of post on this forum on how to drive a hybrid. So spare me that a hybrid should be driven like any other car... this is simply not true. If you want to gain the maximum out of a hybrid you have to change your driving habits. Especially if you want to attain EPA numbers. Now... you will not here any argument from me that these same techniques can be applied to any vehicle and save you gas. It just more so the case with a hybrid. imo.

Not sure where you are going with this. Anyway, my point is that a hybrid needs to be driven as a hybrid (meaning with care) and not like any other car. I just think the manufacturers could have done more with the electronics and drive by wire features to allow people new to the technology transition without being disappointed in their FE results.


From one of your own post:

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/artic...h-ii-1306.html

My wife and I drive our hybrid more or less like any other car. I get 50 mpg, she gets 35 mpg. Might we simply say hybrids amplify driving characteristics?

- If you're sensitive to your machine and strive to drive it smoothly, even when driving the speed limit and observing traffic laws and using A/C, you'll be over 45 mpg with this piece. It rewards attention and careful driving.

- If you're a leadfoot, well, gee, this car just can't help you much, and you probably actually wind up with worse mileage -- in terms of percent of potential mileage lost, not in absolute numbers -- than a non-hybrid would get.

just a thought
--doug

2007 HCH: lovin' every minute of it

Well... you don't have to be a lead foot to get bad mpg numbers. If I accelerate more than I have to and still maintain speed limits, you will affect your mpg numbers in a negative way. Hence you need to feather the throttle.

Your wife gets 35mpg... and she is probably not a lead foot as far as speed limit is concerned but probably doesn't understand the mechanics behind how to maximize FE in a hybrid. I'm saying your wife should NOT have to know the mechanics behind that. This is where the manufacturers have failed imo.

Liv,
would you rather have hybrids which can be babied and have tools and instruments which allow them (when babied) to produce pretty amazing results from average intelligence drivers,

or

no hybrids at all?

My point is that as of now, there is NO vehicle technology yet invented which allows one to zoom around uncaringly about how much power (fuel) is being exerted by the engine system (whatever that might be.)

It's not a failure by the manufacturers at all - it's them giving us the best thing that current technology offers, TODAY.

TOMORROW, that might be different.

Take the goodness of today's hybrid vehicles and magnify them, don't belittle them. They can't be better, RIGHT NOW.

They are the best compromise that the buyer will accept. Too small, too little power, not accepted (Insight). Good size, a lot of power but not such good efficiency, not accepted (HAH).

We are lucky to have hybrids, with there small number of disadvantages FAR outweighed by the long list of benefits.

Having to slow down a little (which we ALL need to do anyway) and pay attention to how you use the accelerator is a VERY small price to pay for millions of gallons of fuel saved so far and every day in the world.

Well, here's a question. What would happen if when you stepped on the accelerator, it effectively feathered the throttle? Would people say "Wow! It's easy to get good fuel economy in this vehicle" or would they say "These hybrid cars are ridiculously underpowered. I need a sports car!"?

hehe... ok. everything needs to be spelled out.

no. i'm not saying the hybrid default system should be the easy way. when the driver presses the ECON button this puts the hybrid in a mode that maximizes FE over any other parameter. Maybe we can have multiple levels of ECON... just like there are cars with multiple level of sport mode.

this way, those that know how to drive without the aids can do so, and those that can't can get some much needed help without having to think about it.

and some of us can figure it out fairly well with the gauges, while some people can't see what they are showing us.

thank said, i have an HCH-I, and my most recent fill was 64.8. i would rather drive a little differently and get results like this.

Best fill 66.7 MPG, best tank 801.5 miles


laurie, central minnesota