In the spirit of frugal living, we’re changing fast to show you how to get even more out of your hybrid vehicle. Regardless of the title of this article, you will still be traveling from rubber to road, and with the following tips you will learn the best way to drive a hybrid.
My wife and I purchased a 2013 Toyota Camry Hybrid with which we are 100% satisfied. It has enriched our ability to save gas dollars and maintain our frugal lifestyle. But just because you have a hybrid vehicle doesn’t mean your savings efforts stop at the purchase. Did you know there are techniques you can use while driving your hybrid to squeeze even more mileage out of your vehicle? Read on to learn the proper way to drive a hybrid.
Hybrids get their best mileage at speeds below 45 mph. Therefore, traveling the streets, contrary to the advice of yesteryear, saves gas. At speeds below 45 mph, you can employ the electrical aspect of your engine to power it without the use of fuel. The longer you can keep your car in this mode, the further you can go without spending a dime.
Floating the Hybrid, Explained
We are very fortunate to have a knowledgeable seller as we test the hybrid. He introduced us to the concept of “floating the hybrid”. When you step on the accelerator of a hybrid vehicle, depending on how heavy your foot is, you will be using the gasoline engine, the electric motor, or both at the same time. The gasoline engine is the most expensive and the electric motor is the cheapest. When in true hybrid mode, which means that by using gasoline and electricity at the same time, you save more than you would by driving a gasoline vehicle, but not as much as if you were operating it solely in its electric mode. In essence, you’ll get the most savings the more often you drive electric. And the act of consciously keeping the car in this mode is called floating the hybrid. Basically, you are driving without using any gas.
Now, on the Toyota Camry Hybrid model, there is an electric display near the speedometer that shows when the car is in petrol mode, electric mode, hybrid mode or if it is recharging the battery. We treat this display like a video game, constantly trying to go electric-only whenever possible, but mostly when traveling below 45mph. The technique we use in our car is to accelerate to the speed limit, then ease off the throttle slowly until the display shows that we are using only the electric motor. We usually reach this mode with just a light press on the throttle. When you drive a hybrid vehicle correctly, you assume a state of mind of conservation and not performance.
To further attest to the video game technique, the Toyota Camry shows how many miles per gallon it got for each interval the car is on, and the more you focus on how the car gets its power, the more money you can save. . For me, my highest score is a trip where I got 54 miles per gallon.
In short, the check engine status indicator on a hybrid was not intended as a bell and whistle. It’s supposed to help you become more aware of how your car works and help you drive the hybrid efficiently. Regardless of what hybrid model you have, if you can figure out how to float it and keep in mind what part of the hybrid motor is running, as well as trying to keep it in electric mode as often as possible, you can really add to the savings. you receive and get even more from your investment.
