Hybrid
Owners: Maximize Your Mileage
by SolveYourProblem.com
Owners
of hybrid cars are taking the plunge for those of us still
driving the regular gas-only engine cars. Although they are
getting some perks for having these electric/gas hybrids, they
still want to improve their gas mileage. In fact, although
some drivers have reported much better gas mileage than they
had with their regular cars, they are finding that their expectations
have not been met quite the way they imagined they would be. In these cases, some hybrid owners have actually made it something
of a game to try and get better and better mileage. It appears
that the expectations are high with hybrids. Some models of
hybrids are getting in the 60 mpg range for cities and highways.
For some owners, however, the expectations are not being met
because regular consumers are not driving like a trained tester.
Experts on hybrid cars and driving in general are trying to
consult with the owners to show them that the mileage
guides were not deceiving them after all. After some workshops done
with hybrid drivers, owners have reported much better mileage
after taking advice from the experts. The added bonus from
mileage tips for hybrids is that they also work for those of
us who have not yet been able to make the switch over to these
mileage makers.
For
certain hybrid cars, the term “pulse and glide” is becoming
popular. This basically translates to finding the zone with
the hybrid where energy use leveled off between the electric
and gas engines. Lexus and Toyota get to claim use of the pulse
and glide which is best found when driving somewhere between
30 to 40 miles per hour. Getting into this mode requires a
little bit of fancy foot work which involves gradually getting
to the speed (within the 30's to 40's range) which you want,
and then once there, pressing quickly on the gas pedal. After
this quick press, a Toyota or Lexus hybrid driver will get
a clean screen on their dashboard which shows all black arrows.
This indicates that energy use has stabilized. When this tactic
is used properly, it is possible to double or triple your mileage.
This process takes a little time to get used to but is probably
a lot easier than driving a manual transmission or parallel
parking.
Another top tip for saving on gas mileage will be a little
harder to hear. The key is to take the rushing around out of
driving. Slowing down and driving at the speed limit
for a change is one of the best ways to save on gas. Although this
tip might require some organization and lifestyle changes,
it will also save you the most money. A dime saved on every
gallon is the estimate by energy agencies when you stay slow
and steady. A hybrid, or any car for that matter, does not
like a lot of stop and go, either. Luckily, driving a little
slower will give you more opportunities to see which lane will
keep you from slowing down up ahead, so hopefully, you will
not need to make a lot of sudden stops. Keep in mind the word
“glide” as much as possible. This will keep you from having
to continually accelerate and break to get where you are going.
When drivers get into that mode, they also tend to speed to
get out of whatever cluster they are in and get into more accidents
on top of that. Accelerating to get through a yellow light
may save you 15 seconds, but it will not save you any mileage
on your hybrid.
One of the other top tips for adding
mileage to your hybrid is to pay a little more attention
to your tire pressure. Under-inflated
tires can reduce the mileage performance on a hybrid by at
least 10%. This is large enough of a number to inspire a trip
to the auto shop for a tire pressure gauge. The trick is to
stay just under the maximum recommended tire pressure and make
sure that you are checking the pressure once or week. Slow
tires make a car drag, so let your hybrid become the super-mileage
maker that they aim to be by making a note on the calendar
to check them.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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