How To Drive Hybrid Cars Rules Of Thumb Guide

[AMAQ03]

Those videos explains the rules of thumb for driving hybrid cars efficiently with minimum fuel consumption. if you have any other tips kindly share in the comments below.

[Wayne2015]

Interesting - Thanks!

[MEP's Yaris GS]

OP I'm a bit confused as to why you keep posting so may links to the same youtube channel in so many new threads??

Are you 'smart cars' by chance, trying to create a revenue stream?

[offashead]

I'm confused about this info from his channel

I replied to this video explaining my confusion. Can someone clarify the point that this starting procedure is NECESSARY before driving. I usually jump in start wait a second for ready to appear, then quite simple drive away depending whether I need to defrost the windscreen or whatever. Am I doing something wrong here?

Is it different for my Auris, I wouldn't of thought so?

[Wayne2015]

I'm confused about this info from his channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ednGGBQCqGk

I replied to this video explaining my confusion. Can someone clarify the point that this starting procedure is NECESSARY before driving. I usually jump in start wait a second for ready to appear, then quite simple drive away depending whether I need to defrost the windscreen or whatever. Am I doing something wrong here?

Is it different for my Auris, I wouldn't of thought so?

Didn't watch all of the video,

But yes the manual in my Auris states u have to wait for READY before u can select D...

[AMAQ03]

OP I'm a bit confused as to why you keep posting so may links to the same youtube channel in so many new threads??

Are you 'smart cars' by chance, trying to create a revenue stream?

Thank you for your comments. Yes those videos are mine, i make them during my spare time so that my time is put to something that will be useful to myself and hopefully some others ... And no I am not making a retirement off of those videos :)

Each video is a different subject so they can't be grouped into the same post .

The purpose of the video is hopefully to find some viewers out there that will find those videos useful as well as share there own experience to be beneficial for all.

[AMAQ03]

I'm confused about this info from his channel

I replied to this video explaining my confusion. Can someone clarify the point that this starting procedure is NECESSARY before driving. I usually jump in start wait a second for ready to appear, then quite simple drive away depending whether I need to defrost the windscreen or whatever. Am I doing something wrong here?

Is it different for my Auris, I wouldn't of thought so?

Hi, thank you for your comments. This is not mandatory in in any way ... As I explained on your comments on the video page ... It helps get the car to optimal temperature faster which results in better fuel economy when you drive, another thing is that its a very good practice to wait on the car to warm up before moving especially in very cold temperatures ....

[AMAQ03]

Interesting - Thanks!

you're most welcome, i hope it was helpful :)

[Joseph D]

I think the use of the word safely, implies that to not wait for this warm up cycle to finish is unsafe, which it is not. There is nothing intrinsically unsafe in just driving off once the car is READY, as Cliff does.

However, there is benefit to waiting for the ICE to stop and while it seems like it runs for several minutes, it is actually in the region of 50 secs. (You can see this in the video; the engine starts at ~ 0:41 and shuts down at ~1:31.)

This warm up cycle is actually the first of 5 stages of hybrid operation. You can read about the 5 stages of hybrid operation in this link.

If you have a minute or two of flat terrain and you can run at no more than 25 mph you can do this warm up cycle on the run, but you will use a significant portion of the HV Battery as propulsion is all EV. If you request power in this stage, it will skip to stage 2 to provide the power requested.

If you have to climb a significant up-hill or need to get onto a high(er) speed roadway within the first minute of starting, then it would be beneficial to wait for the warm up.

As always, none of this advice is compulsory. It is your car, and you can drive it as you see fit.

Hope that helps.

[Wayne2015]

I think the use of the word safely, implies that to not wait for this warm up cycle to finish is unsafe, which it is not. There is nothing intrinsically unsafe in just driving off once the car is READY, as Cliff does.

However, there is benefit to waiting for the ICE to stop and while it seems like it runs for several minutes, it is actually in the region of 50 secs. (You can see this in the video; the engine starts at ~ 0:41 and shuts down at ~1:31.)

This warm up cycle is actually the first of 5 stages of hybrid operation. You can read about the 5 stages of hybrid operation in this link.

If you have a minute or two of flat terrain and you can run at no more than 25 mph you can do this warm up cycle on the run, but you will use a significant portion of the HV battery as propulsion is all EV. If you request power in this stage, it will skip to stage 2 to provide the power requested.

If you have to climb a significant up-hill or need to get onto a high(er) speed roadway within the first minute of starting, then it would be beneficial to wait for the warm up.

As always, none of this advice is compulsory. It is your car, and you can drive it as you see fit.

Hope that helps.

That link states a Prius has 2 electric motors - does that apply to all Toyota Hybrids?

I noticed that too - my Auris always starts in EV and if I drive off straight away it's still in EV mode until a minute or so then I can feel/hear the ICE starts up....or if I sat in car longer after startup the ICE start automatically....

In term of waiting for car to warm up after startup - in older cars this was always recommended.

In recent years isn't the advise is to drive off (but civilisely) as car idling uses more fuel ?

But Joseph is right ref if drive off slowly will get car temp up normal anyway :)

[johalareewi]

That link states a Prius has 2 electric motors - does that apply to all Toyota Hybrids?

Yes, but they are both motor/generators.

During normal operation, one will be a motor and the other a generator.

Lots of information on the web about how the Toyota hybrid drive works.

Such as

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_Synergy_Drive

[offashead]

Hi. Let's say. It's minus 5 outside, the car has frozen over. I get in, start, wait for ready mode, turn on all heating full including ac. The engine starts. I then wait for the engine to turn off before driving away. Yes/ no?

A normal day. Same as above, perhaps less heating. Wait or not?

The point I am trying to make is. If it is really cold, would it not take some considerable time for the engine to turn off?

A case study. 7am the other morning. Got in , pressed start, ready mode on, heating on, engine engaged. Drove 1/2 mile to base, got out of car to chat to colleague, the ice as you call it was still running ten minutes after arriving at base, turned off and turned back on 2 minutes later. Heating still on, as I do like to be warm. My speed getting to the base was around 25 mph, flat terrain, ev flashed maybe once.

As you can tell I am still pretty confused.

[Wayne2015]

To be honest

As long as I am not in a rush (drive away fast) -

Then I just start, READY, then drive away immediately.

It's a modern car. It will be fine.

Same as if ice'd over, (as long as screen is defrosted for safety),

Then just drive away immediately.

Just my 2 pence...

[offashead]

To be honest

As long as I am not in a rush (drive away fast) -

Then I just start, READY, then drive away immediately.

It's a modern car. It will be fine.

Same as if ice'd over, (as long as screen is defrosted for safety),

Then just drive away immediately.

Just my 2 pence...

That's what I think too Wayne. Surely Toyota would include a detailed start up procedure in the manual or otherwise should such a procedure be necessary.

On another note. Being we are talking Hybrid driving tips, I spend most of my time in eco mode or milk float mode as my pals call it, I get on with this mode quite well. Please don't tell me that this is another no no as far as driving a hybrid is concerned?

Does anyone else use eco mode most of the time? Does it cause problems if you stay in eco mode forever?

[Wayne2015]

To be honest

As long as I am not in a rush (drive away fast) -

Then I just start, READY, then drive away immediately.

It's a modern car. It will be fine.

Same as if ice'd over, (as long as screen is defrosted for safety),

Then just drive away immediately.

Just my 2 pence...

That's what I think too Wayne. Surely Toyota would include a detailed start up procedure in the manual or otherwise should such a procedure be necessary.

On another note. Being we are talking Hybrid driving tips, I spend most of my time in eco mode or milk float mode as my pals call it, I get on with this mode quite well. Please don't tell me that this is another no no as far as driving a hybrid is concerned?

Does anyone else use eco mode most of the time? Does it cause problems if you stay in eco mode forever?

Cool

Lots of tips/threads if u do a search on here bud :)

Have u got a user manual by the way?

I am testing my Auris in my 2nd tank now....

For now:

1st tank - 400miles range on 52mpg driving like miss Daisy (mostly in ECO)

2nd tank - brisk acceleration to PWR mode then quickly back down to ECO - so far 39mpg - eeeek!

[PeteB]

...Then I just start, READY, then drive away immediately.

It's a modern car. It will be fine...

...Does anyone else use eco mode most of the time? Does it cause problems if you stay in eco mode forever?

Yes, I do. 99.999% of the time!

I probably use PWR mode less than once a month, and normal mode never. If you need to move quickly, flooring it in any mode will give full power.

The only time I normally use PWR mode is on a 250+ mile round trip I do once or twice a month if I pull into a park area off the A11 northbound between Attleborough and Thetford (breakfast stop). The exit back into the A11 is quite sharp, and turns onto a dual carriageway up a slight incline where the approaching traffic is only doing 70mph if I'm lucky! I need to put a lot of power on as I straighten the steering and PWR mode makes it a bit easier. Once safely building speed I keep the same pressure on the accelerator and resume EDO mode - the reduction in acceleration from the same pedal pressure is quite gradual and smooth.

I've had the car 3 years and it has over 46k on the clock, and ECO mode has caused no problems at all. I've been very happy with my overall fuel consumption given that 80% or so of my use is relatively short journeys. During the summer I've averaged over 62 mpg (calculated), and my all time average has been improving steadily after my mother went into a nursing home 18 months ago and I stopped doing lots of very short journeys each day. My best tankful was just over 67 mpg, and one or two of my longer journeys have seen between 72 and 81.6 mpg displayed (probably about 4 mpg optimistic).

I always drive off straight away unless I need to demist or defrost, in which case I let the engine run until I've scraped or whatever. Occasionally if I'm stopping at the local shop/ATM ½ mile away before going further afield I use EV mode (if I've got 5/6 bars on the HV Battery gauge) to avoid extending the warmup period unnecessarily. Once on the main dual carriageway I can let the warmup happen while I'm moving continuously.

One thing I miss from the Mk1 Prius (I had 2 of those) is a blue thermometer symbol on the dash which lit up until the engine was partly warmed, and I used more moderate acceleration and speed until it went out.

Even after over ¼ million miles in Hybrids it still amuses me how the car runs on electricity (unless accelerating hard) during the warm up while it runs the engine as if it's totally detached from the drive train.

[MEP's Yaris GS]

My PiP is always in Eco mode, it only affects ventilation system operation and not power output from experience and what the hand book advises.

[PeteB]

Does it not reduce the amount of power delivered during the first half of the pedal travel compared to normal mode?

[Joseph D]

... In terms of waiting for car to warm up after startup - in older cars this was always recommended.

In recent years isn't the advise is to drive off (but civilly) as car idling uses more fuel? ...

Yes, for standard cars, but the hybrid is a little different. To be clear, it is not necessary to do the warm up, otherwise it would be in the owner's manual.

In older cars the purpose of warming up was to get the oil pressure up and circulating so the engine was well lubricated before loading it up.

The purpose of allowing the first stage warm in a hybrid is preservation of the HV Battery. It is simply that allowing the warm up reduces the Battery cycles by eliminating the need to drive solely in EV until the car moves to stage 2. While it may seem that letting the ICE run while stationary for 50 secs is wasting petrol, it recoups that by getting to a more efficient state sooner and while it is sitting there running the ICE it is putting a little charge into the HV Battery to be used later.

Another option of course would be to drive off and give the go pedal a bit of welly to force the car to stage 2.

Notwithstanding, the HSD has been designed to be driven just like any conventional car, so you are not going to do any harm by driving it just like any conventional car.

Once again, none of this advice is compulsory. It is your car, and you can drive it as you see fit.

[Joseph D]

Hi. Let's say. It's minus 5 outside, the car has frozen over. I get in, start, wait for ready mode, turn on all heating full including ac. The engine starts. I then wait for the engine to turn off before driving away. Yes/ no?

A normal day. Same as above, perhaps less heating. Wait or not?

The point I am trying to make is. If it is really cold, would it not take some considerable time for the engine to turn off?

A case study. 7am the other morning. Got in , pressed start, ready mode on, heating on, engine engaged. Drove 1/2 mile to base, got out of car to chat to colleague, the ice as you call it was still running ten minutes after arriving at base, turned off and turned back on 2 minutes later. Heating still on, as I do like to be warm. My speed getting to the base was around 25 mph, flat terrain, ev flashed maybe once.

As you can tell I am still pretty confused.

That's a good point, as when the heat is on, the ICE will run longer to warm up to a higher temp, so after the ~50 sec when it moves to stage 2 then ICE remains running.

Also when the OAT is 10℃ or less, you could wait 50 or so seconds (say you need to clear the windscreen/rear window, e. g.) but other than that, there is not much to be gained by waiting longer.

In Cliff's case, his hybrid is a working vehicle, so time being money, waiting around is not the best idea, so he would be just as well to get the car READY and drive off. If you get to base and the ICE (internal combustion engine) is still running and there is no good reason to leave the car running switch it off.

Hope that helps.

[MEP's Yaris GS]

Does it not reduce the amount of power delivered during the first half of the pedal travel compared to normal mode?

Not in my experience.

In older cars the purpose of warming up was to get the oil pressure up and circulating so the engine was well lubricated before loading it up.

Even then with modern cars (anything in the last 30+ years) and oils you're talking seconds for oil to be up to pressure, and you can drive them instantly.

[offashead]

Hi. Let's say. It's minus 5 outside, the car has frozen over. I get in, start, wait for ready mode, turn on all heating full including ac. The engine starts. I then wait for the engine to turn off before driving away. Yes/ no?

A normal day. Same as above, perhaps less heating. Wait or not?

The point I am trying to make is. If it is really cold, would it not take some considerable time for the engine to turn off?

A case study. 7am the other morning. Got in , pressed start, ready mode on, heating on, engine engaged. Drove 1/2 mile to base, got out of car to chat to colleague, the ice as you call it was still running ten minutes after arriving at base, turned off and turned back on 2 minutes later. Heating still on, as I do like to be warm. My speed getting to the base was around 25 mph, flat terrain, ev flashed maybe once.

As you can tell I am still pretty confused.

That's a good point, as when the heat is on, the ICE will run longer to warm up to a higher temp, so after the ~50 sec when it moves to stage 2 then ICE remains running.

Also when the OAT is 10℃ or less, you could wait 50 or so seconds (say you need to clear the windscreen/rear window, e. g.) but other than that, there is not much to be gained by waiting longer.

In Cliff's case, his hybrid is a working vehicle, so time being money, waiting around is not the best idea, so he would be just as well to get the car READY and drive off. If you get to base and the ICE (internal combustion engine) is still running and there is no good reason to leave the car running switch it off.

Hope that helps.

Great stuff Joseph and everyone else too. The reason I leave/ left the hybrid running at base is to keep it warm, also because of the, shall we say gadgets that are using power from the 12 volt Battery,I leave the hybrid in ready mode most of the day. I do power down and turn all gadgets off when I go for lunch though. I'm not in too much of a hurry in the morning to get off the drive as I have to set up the gadgets which takes a couple of mins or so. During this radio, gadget power up the car is left running either in ev mode or ice depending on the state of the battery/ outside temp , inside temp or anything else. When the vehicle is at base it just cycles on and off in ready mode and I let it do it's own thing. This causes much amusement to my Luddite colleagues as does creeping up on them in stealth mode.

[Wayne2015]

...Then I just start, READY, then drive away immediately.

It's a modern car. It will be fine...

...Does anyone else use eco mode most of the time? Does it cause problems if you stay in eco mode forever?

Yes, I do. 99.999% of the time!

I probably use PWR mode less than once a month, and normal mode never. If you need to move quickly, flooring it in any mode will give full power.

Really???!!!

WOW

I think I am in ECO mode 90% of the time, and with "hilly" Yorkshire and the frantic drivers willing to BEEP u if u drive too slow or off the GREEN light, I dipped into the PWR mode at least daily in my 1st tank and still got 52mpg (a record I want to beat! :-) )

@Cliff

I don't think it causes problem in ECO mode - I thought ECO mode was the optimum band to be (PWR if u want POWER and EV if u have enough Battery juice)

[Wayne2015]

Does it not reduce the amount of power delivered during the first half of the pedal travel compared to normal mode?

NORMAL Mode?

What is NORMAL Mode?

Compared to which? EV? ECO?

[Wayne2015]

... In terms of waiting for car to warm up after startup - in older cars this was always recommended.

In recent years isn't the advise is to drive off (but civilly) as car idling uses more fuel? ...

Notwithstanding, the HSD has been designed to be driven just like any conventional car, so you are not going to do any harm by driving it just like any conventional car.

Hmmmm.....I not convinced yet until I have done my own tests on my car (ref MPG) :(

So far, driving like Ms Daisy 52mpg

A little PWR 39mpg

I do want to test my car driving like as I would a normal car and see what the effects are like too...