Just finished my best tank ever. 500.3 miles, 50.1 MPG. I'm starting to really see some great segments as well. The 5 mile trip from the gas station to the house last night was 62.0 MPG. I'm learning how to hop into EV mode when I'm on residential streets at < 20 MPH. I also have been doing pretty well at driving in EV mode through the 15 MPH school zone in the morning. That has helped a lot.

How do you "hop into EV mode"?

...and congrats!

EV mode at low speeds takes putting just a small amount of pressure on the accelerator. If you do it right, you'll see your iMPG go all the way up, and you'll have 2-4 bars of assist showing, with RPMs right around 1000. Tarabell's article on CleanMPG.com describes how to get into Regen, Glide, and EV. It definitely takes some practice, and it does drain your battery pretty quickly.

Congrats on reaching a milestone....

What people call EV mode in a HCHII is when you release the accelerator
where you see your I-FCD pegged at 100 mpg. You would probably see
some of charging bars displayed, lightly depress your accelerator till the
charging stops and you start to see some assist bars. This is the point
where you are in EV mode, be careful not to push accelerator to far or
the ICE will restart. The assist with the ICE off helps you coast longer
without wasting fuel.

The typical amount of assist bars you see in EV is between 1 & 3 (sometimes 4),
anything over that the ice will restart. Works best for slower speeds city driving,
stop & go traffic (30- 35mph), higher speeds you have enough momentum where
EV only wastes battery that you will need to recharge later.

Hmmm... is the ICE off AND at 1000 rpms?

Technically, no. The ICE is NEVER off in an HCH2 while driving (like it can be at low speeds with a Prius).
When possible, what happens is the ICE closes the FUEL INTAKE valves shut (exhaust ones too, I think [to reduce pumping losses]). This is the mode where the ICE is turning (at 1000-1100 rpm), but is using ZERO fuel.
It's cool for short distances at lower speeds, where you can get the rpms down to 1100. That's like a magic number.
PCK is right about how to go about it:
(1) Let off the gas ENTIRELY to get down to 1100 rpm when you are already at or just above 1100 rpm.
(2) Watch the instant MPG meter peg 100 MPG
(3) Then and only then ease back on to the gas very lightly to remove the regenerative charging and get 1-3 bars of assist.

I can only seem to get 2 bars of assist before losing this state. So I just stay at 1-2 bars as long as it'll hold or until traffic makes me speed up or slow down enough that I lose the mode. You know you've lost this state when the instant MPG meter suddenly drops .

This works at several different lower speeds, as long as you can be very near 1100 rpm at that speed. The CVT probably contributes to this being possible at several speeds (like a 5-speed transmission might allow you 5 different speeds to try this with).

Steve

STOP terrorism - Drive a HYBRID

Vehicles:
350 miles a week ------------ 2006 HCH II, Magnetic Pearl, w/NAVI (born on May 25, 2006)
350 miles a month ---------- 2003 Mazda Tribute ES-V6
350 miles a year (for now) - 1986 Mercedes 560SL

Thanks all for the explanations. I will commence EV trials immediately!

I just responded to your question in the EV mode thread, prior to seeing this one. I would be willing to bet you have been in EV mode for a short time before, just never realized it...

Now that you know more about it you will be able to recognize and hold EV mode.

Thanks again!

I did it today for about 30 seconds. Small victory!

Whoo Hoo!!!

I am now officially a member of the "500 mile In One Tank" club. Hehehehe...

I know that might seem like no big deal to many of you, but driving the rolling freeways in San Diego, it is hard to keep the FE high. Plus, I am still breaking my new car in. I am still under 2000 miles. I parked it at work earlier this morning and noticed that I had driven 538 miles...and I still have 4 little gas squares left!!!

I am having fun learning all kinds of stuff from all of you here, and have passed on the website to many of my friends. I am still learning, but I have started to master some of the big hills I have to drive up during my work commute.

Thank!!!