Gas Motor On And Off Very Often In City Driving

[richard4u]

this is my first lexus very happy with the ride and performance

i thought it could run on battery only for short city trips - less than a mile

however i have watched and the gas motor comes on almost always

is this normal ???????? getting about 23 - 25 mpg 400 miles on car so far

[Rx330driver]

yes perfectly normal. The car will only run on electric mode from stop to about 20 mph, which is the highest fuel consumption area. It will also turn off the gas engine when you let go of the throttle, but pushing the gas again will activate the engine.

Future lexus cars will have an EV mode, the new 2008 highlander hybrid will have it where pushing it will give you about 1 minute of electric only mode.

[silvercorvette]

yes perfectly normal. The car will only run on electric mode from stop to about 20 mph, which is the highest fuel consumption area. It will also turn off the gas engine when you let go of the throttle, but pushing the gas again will activate the engine.

Future lexus cars will have an EV mode, the new 2008 highlander hybrid will have it where pushing it will give you about 1 minute of electric only mode.

That is no true,. but it is what I thought when I first got the car. I all depends on how light your foot touches the pedal. Someone else mentioned they were able to run on battery only at 55 MPH. I didn't think it could be done until I learned how to do it myself and now under proper conditions I can get he car to run on battery only at 55. All you need to do is get the car up over 55 then just back off on the pedal and let the car slow down. It only works if you are on a flat road or a slight downgrade. I doubt if it saves much gas but it is kind of fun to do, sort of like a personal challenge, and also simple things amuse me. I have also played a little game after filling up the car. I see if I can drive the 2.5 miles from the gas station to my house with out the engine coming on. I have only successfully done it a couple times because when I get another car behind me I speed up out of courtesy to the driver. But even when the engine does come on during the 2.5 mile drive back to my house I still wind up getting 99.9 MPH on the car computer. That number quickly drops down into the 20's when I start the car up the next morning. I just did a fill up yesterday and put on 35 miles after filling up. I always set the reset on the computer after every fill up and so far my computer reads 29 MPG. Someone said that the computer is overly optimistic and if you do a real pencil and paper calculation he true number is 1 to 1.5 MPG less than the computer read out. Some people complain you have to drive like an old Grannie to get good mileage but I just consider it smart driving. I normally get above average mileage on every make car I have ever owned. Heck before I got into this whole hybrid thing I have been playing a personal challenge game with myself for decades. I like to see how well I can drive ahead and time it so that I don't have to stop for a traffic light. It is just a silly game I play but it develops good driving habits that will save you on gas. It is all a matter of thinking ahead and observing conditions ahead of you and adjusting to them. Not only does it save on gas and brakes it also makes you a safer driver. By driving ahead and reacting to conditions 1/4 to 1/2 mile ahead of you are not only saving gas, you are also giving your self more time to react to conditions down the road and are able to avoid an accident before it can happen. I am not the first or fastest car to take off from a traffic light but I also don't have a long line of cars behind me tooting their horns either. Learn to drive with a light ouch on the pedal and you will discover that is isn't that hard to drive on battery only and you will also be able to increase your MPG. By the way, sometimes you save money by getting less MPG. If I am driving over 1,700 miles from NY to TX I may loose a few MPGs by driving 70 to 75 instead of 55, but if I get there a day sooner the money I save on an extra night in a motel and eating one less day in a restaurant more than makes of for the loss in MPG

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

yes perfectly normal. The car will only run on electric mode from stop to about 20 mph, which is the highest fuel consumption area. It will also turn off the gas engine when you let go of the throttle, but pushing the gas again will activate the engine.

Future lexus cars will have an EV mode, the new 2008 highlander hybrid will have it where pushing it will give you about 1 minute of electric only mode.

That is no true,. but it is what I thought when I first got the car. I all depends on how light your foot touches the pedal. Someone else mentioned they were able to run on battery only at 55 MPH. I didn't think it could be done until I learned how to do it myself and now under proper conditions I can get he car to run on battery only at 55. All you need to do is get the car up over 55 then just back off on the pedal and let the car slow down. It only works if you are on a flat road or a slight downgrade. I doubt if it saves much gas but it is kind of fun to do, sort of like a personal challenge, and . . . . . . .

Go to priuschat.com and type in the search term, 'pulse & glide'. You'll find

A)

That is what you are describing, and that there ARE a number of folks doing it

B )

That pulse & glide can significantly increase your mileage.

Funny thing is, here on the lexus site ... very few folks care to bother with seeing whether they can achieve 40mpg. Rather, it's all about the comfort ... all about the power, etc. But on the Prius site, the folks are more into mileage ... and some, rather than get 60mpg, have gone above 70mpg ! !

My best in the prius has been 61.7mpg on 9.5 gallons (over 600 miles on a small tank of gas)

My best in the 400h has been 33.5mpg. One of these days I'd LOVE to find out how many miles I can travel on the 400h's tank. Yes, small things entertain me, too.

[katzjamr]

with regular at over 3.50 and premium at 3.70 in the beautiful pacific northwest, and with 4.00 gas on the horizon here u can bet i have rededicated myself to getting high gas mileage. i know i slacked off a bit when gas was cheaper however now i am back on my game.

[richard4u]

yes perfectly normal. The car will only run on electric mode from stop to about 20 mph, which is the highest fuel consumption area. It will also turn off the gas engine when you let go of the throttle, but pushing the gas again will activate the engine.

Future lexus cars will have an EV mode, the new 2008 highlander hybrid will have it where pushing it will give you about 1 minute of electric only mode.

That is no true,. but it is what I thought when I first got the car. I all depends on how light your foot touches the pedal. Someone else mentioned they were able to run on battery only at 55 MPH. I didn't think it could be done until I learned how to do it myself and now under proper conditions I can get he car to run on battery only at 55. All you need to do is get the car up over 55 then just back off on the pedal and let the car slow down. It only works if you are on a flat road or a slight downgrade. I doubt if it saves much gas but it is kind of fun to do, sort of like a personal challenge, and also simple things amuse me. I have also played a little game after filling up the car. I see if I can drive the 2.5 miles from the gas station to my house with out the engine coming on. I have only successfully done it a couple times because when I get another car behind me I speed up out of courtesy to the driver. But even when the engine does come on during the 2.5 mile drive back to my house I still wind up getting 99.9 MPH on the car computer. That number quickly drops down into the 20's when I start the car up the next morning. I just did a fill up yesterday and put on 35 miles after filling up. I always set the reset on the computer after every fill up and so far my computer reads 29 MPG. Someone said that the computer is overly optimistic and if you do a real pencil and paper calculation he true number is 1 to 1.5 MPG less than the computer read out. Some people complain you have to drive like an old Grannie to get good mileage but I just consider it smart driving. I normally get above average mileage on every make car I have ever owned. Heck before I got into this whole hybrid thing I have been playing a personal challenge game with myself for decades. I like to see how well I can drive ahead and time it so that I don't have to stop for a traffic light. It is just a silly game I play but it develops good driving habits that will save you on gas. It is all a matter of thinking ahead and observing conditions ahead of you and adjusting to them. Not only does it save on gas and brakes it also makes you a safer driver. By driving ahead and reacting to conditions 1/4 to 1/2 mile ahead of you are not only saving gas, you are also giving your self more time to react to conditions down the road and are able to avoid an accident before it can happen. I am not the first or fastest car to take off from a traffic light but I also don't have a long line of cars behind me tooting their horns either. Learn to drive with a light ouch on the pedal and you will discover that is isn't that hard to drive on battery only and you will also be able to increase your MPG. By the way, sometimes you save money by getting less MPG. If I am driving over 1,700 miles from NY to TX I may loose a few MPGs by driving 70 to 75 instead of 55, but if I get there a day sooner the money I save on an extra night in a motel and eating one less day in a restaurant more than makes of for the loss in MPG

[richard4u]

yes perfectly normal. The car will only run on electric mode from stop to about 20 mph, which is the highest fuel consumption area. It will also turn off the gas engine when you let go of the throttle, but pushing the gas again will activate the engine.

Future lexus cars will have an EV mode, the new 2008 highlander hybrid will have it where pushing it will give you about 1 minute of electric only mode.

That is no true,. but it is what I thought when I first got the car. I all depends on how light your foot touches the pedal. Someone else mentioned they were able to run on battery only at 55 MPH. I didn't think it could be done until I learned how to do it myself and now under proper conditions I can get he car to run on battery only at 55. All you need to do is get the car up over 55 then just back off on the pedal and let the car slow down. It only works if you are on a flat road or a slight downgrade. I doubt if it saves much gas but it is kind of fun to do, sort of like a personal challenge, and also simple things amuse me. I have also played a little game after filling up the car. I see if I can drive the 2.5 miles from the gas station to my house with out the engine coming on. I have only successfully done it a couple times because when I get another car behind me I speed up out of courtesy to the driver. But even when the engine does come on during the 2.5 mile drive back to my house I still wind up getting 99.9 MPH on the car computer. That number quickly drops down into the 20's when I start the car up the next morning. I just did a fill up yesterday and put on 35 miles after filling up. I always set the reset on the computer after every fill up and so far my computer reads 29 MPG. Someone said that the computer is overly optimistic and if you do a real pencil and paper calculation he true number is 1 to 1.5 MPG less than the computer read out. Some people complain you have to drive like an old Grannie to get good mileage but I just consider it smart driving. I normally get above average mileage on every make car I have ever owned. Heck before I got into this whole hybrid thing I have been playing a personal challenge game with myself for decades. I like to see how well I can drive ahead and time it so that I don't have to stop for a traffic light. It is just a silly game I play but it develops good driving habits that will save you on gas. It is all a matter of thinking ahead and observing conditions ahead of you and adjusting to them. Not only does it save on gas and brakes it also makes you a safer driver. By driving ahead and reacting to conditions 1/4 to 1/2 mile ahead of you are not only saving gas, you are also giving your self more time to react to conditions down the road and are able to avoid an accident before it can happen. I am not the first or fastest car to take off from a traffic light but I also don't have a long line of cars behind me tooting their horns either. Learn to drive with a light ouch on the pedal and you will discover that is isn't that hard to drive on battery only and you will also be able to increase your MPG. By the way, sometimes you save money by getting less MPG. If I am driving over 1,700 miles from NY to TX I may loose a few MPGs by driving 70 to 75 instead of 55, but if I get there a day sooner the money I save on an extra night in a motel and eating one less day in a restaurant more than makes of for the loss in MPG

thanks for your input i tried it today and you are right on the money natch we lexus owners are not in it for the $$$$$ saved on gas richard4u