Modify your “Drive w/ Load” to improve mileage?
#2
05-31-2004, 05:26 AM
Wayne,
This is exactly how I try and set my constant throttle position versus the min speed cruise control. (You will always fare better if the engine does not have to get out of its most efficient load range). I have considered using GPS and topo products to predict an optium load vs terrain driving program. This would allow the car to be proactive vice reactive to the terrain. It would be easier to implement on the Prius with its drive by wire however. Have fun, RIck
This is exactly how I try and set my constant throttle position versus the min speed cruise control. (You will always fare better if the engine does not have to get out of its most efficient load range). I have considered using GPS and topo products to predict an optium load vs terrain driving program. This would allow the car to be proactive vice reactive to the terrain. It would be easier to implement on the Prius with its drive by wire however. Have fun, RIck
#3
05-31-2004, 08:57 AM
Ridiculously Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Atlanta, Ga
Posts: 1,797
Thanks Wayne.
Here in N. Georgia the terrain is extremely hilly, I'd say it is the foothills of the foothills. Most of the time while on a good long slight decline I'll get get a good high MPG reading in the +80 range but I know it leads to a 75' rise over half mile then into a brutal 100' rise over the next half mile.
Anticipating this I don't run in the +80 range for the whole way but instead the last 1/2 mile I'll drop down to 56MPG which will increase my speed by about 5-7MPH so I don't have to dig quite so deep to make it over the hills.
Then again on the last segment of my trip home I have those pair of monster hills.
1-1/2 mile of fairly good downhill in a known speed trap- Speed limit is 55 but you can get away with about 63. Then suddenly 200' rise over 3/4 mile, short 1/8 mile flat then another 200' rise, then 2/3 mile SLIGHT decline which I spend gradually increasing speed for the base of the next pair of hills, longer but just as steep as the first pair.
Geeze theres only so much one can do on these but if I carefully time it out and the CVT doesn't decide to shift to low I can sometimes ride these up at 38MPG with asssist. Since these are in my last 3 miles of the 45 mile run I only loose about 1MPG.
Oh how I dream of the Texas and Arizona flats!
Here in N. Georgia the terrain is extremely hilly, I'd say it is the foothills of the foothills. Most of the time while on a good long slight decline I'll get get a good high MPG reading in the +80 range but I know it leads to a 75' rise over half mile then into a brutal 100' rise over the next half mile.
Anticipating this I don't run in the +80 range for the whole way but instead the last 1/2 mile I'll drop down to 56MPG which will increase my speed by about 5-7MPH so I don't have to dig quite so deep to make it over the hills.
Then again on the last segment of my trip home I have those pair of monster hills.
1-1/2 mile of fairly good downhill in a known speed trap- Speed limit is 55 but you can get away with about 63. Then suddenly 200' rise over 3/4 mile, short 1/8 mile flat then another 200' rise, then 2/3 mile SLIGHT decline which I spend gradually increasing speed for the base of the next pair of hills, longer but just as steep as the first pair.
Geeze theres only so much one can do on these but if I carefully time it out and the CVT doesn't decide to shift to low I can sometimes ride these up at 38MPG with asssist. Since these are in my last 3 miles of the 45 mile run I only loose about 1MPG.
Oh how I dream of the Texas and Arizona flats!
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