How do some Prius drivers achieve fuel economy above the EPA estimate of 50 mpg—while others barely reach 40 mpg? What techniques allow some of these “hypermilers” to consistently break 70 mpg?

In the search for answers, it’s easy to get lost in the hundreds and hundreds of posts on discussion forums. So we took the trouble of reading everything we could find, and to speak directly with the most accomplished of fuel-efficient drivers. The info below is the “Readers Digest” of Prius mileage advice.

Do these hints work for you? What else would you add?

With the 2010 model, Toyota added its three modes—Eco, Power and EV. That puts more efficiency tools in the hands of Prius drivers. How are using those buttons to maximum benefit? Please add your suggestions in the comments and we’ll integrate the best ideas into the main article.

Overview

Toyota’s sophisticated hybrid system allows nearly all drivers to achieve better than 40 mpg. Master the art of "gliding" and your mileage could far surpass the EPA’s combined estimate of 50 mpg.

Break-in Period

Give any hybrid a full six months and/or 10,000 miles to get broken in. The biggest impact occurs in the first 2,000 miles or so, and it may take as much as 15,000 to achieve peak mpg’s. Hybrid owners commonly experience a 10-15% improvement in fuel economy after the new car smell has drifted away.

Route Selection

Speed is your enemy. The ideal routes have long stretches without stops, and speed limits of 30 – 35 mph. (The sweet spot for most hybrids, in "steady state" testing, is between 40 and 45 mph.)

Don’t be concerned about hills, especially routes with short steep uphills and long gradual downhills. The glide or coast on the way down—especially if it’s uninterrupted—will more than make up for the extra energy to get to the top. And the downhill stretches will give you a chance to recharge your battery through regenerative braking.

Pick routes that are less windy. A hybrid’s aerodynamics are streamlined for head-on gusts, but swirling and sideways winds can destroy high mpg. Tail winds are great.

Experiment with multiple routes to see which paths consistently produce the best mileage.

When to Drive

Cold starts are mpg killers. The Prius and other hybrids get the worst mileage in the first five to ten minutes of driving.

Try to get all your errands done in one outing. If you can help it, drive after the day has warmed up. Hot humid air is the least dense, and produces the least air resistance.

Avoid rush-hour traffic, if at all possible.

Do your best to skip driving during rainy, slushy or snowy conditions.

Tire Pressure

Tire pressure (i.e., rolling resistance) has a significant influence on fuel economy, and an obvious impact on safety and the quality of your ride. Do the research, and make your own decisions about how far to take the tire pressure to maximize mileage.

Drivers getting the highest mileage recommend using the recommended maximum tire pressure on the sidewalls—not the psi supplied by the automaker on the doorframe.

Maintain the maximum recommended tire pressure. Check the tire pressure regularly so the pressure does not fall below the maximum level.

Fuels

Low octane gasoline is best. (There is actually less energy in high-octane fuel.)

Some convenience stores may use more additives than "name brand" gas stations.

Distance from Other Vehicles

Be aware of road conditions. The most important factor in maximizing your mpg is your ability to take your foot off the accelerator absolutely as soon as know that you’ll need to slow down or stop—and getting into "glide" mode.

To give yourself time to stop and coast, create space between you and the car in front of you—except when you have the opportunity to "draft" behind larger vehicles on the highway. You can obtain the benefits of drafting while maintaining a safe distance of 150 feet of more.

Starting & Warming Up

Frequent short city trips will not produce good mileage, even though the Prius is rated very high for city driving. Combine errands to reduce the number of warm-ups.

Dashboard Displays

There are two schools of thought about using the Prius’s display to maximum effect.

Simple: Watch the instantaneous mileage numbers. Learn what produces the best results by watching the effects of your experimentations. Don’t worry about the arrows that appear on the "Energy" display.

Advanced: Use the Energy display to watch the direction of the arrows. Drivers getting the best mileage are able to use split-hair changes in how they press on the accelerator and brakes to move energy from the gasoline engine to the wheels and/or the batteries—or to get all arrows to disappear completely from the screen, in what is referred to as "glide mode." (More on this below.)

Learning how to get the system into these different states is only possible if you monitor the Energy display and keeping an eye on the results of your fancy footwork.

Accelerating & Cruising

Never mash your foot to the floor. Accelerate slowly especially from a standstill. (Some Prius drivers prefer moderate acceleration before gliding with the engine off.)

If you would like to simultaneously send energy to the wheels and to the hybrid batteries—for example, when you have the headlights on at night and you have a low charge, follow these steps:

1. While traveling above 20 mph, slightly lift your foot off the accelerator (but not all the way).
2. Reapply your foot gently, until the Energy display shows the energy flow going to the wheels and the batteries. If you push the accelerator too soft, all arrows will disappear (and you will be gliding). If apply too much pressure to the accelerator, all of the gasoline will go to the wheels.

When you need to enter a highway or otherwise rapidly accelerate, simply stomp on the gas and go. The battery power will "assist" the gasoline engine, thereby reducing your fuel use as much as possible.

For highway driving, get best results by setting cruise control at 55 mph. For every mph over 50 mph, you lose approximately 1 mpg. Slowing down from 65 to 60 mph or from 75 to 70 mph will save you approximately 5 mpg.

Braking & Deceleration

In the eyes of advanced Prius drivers, the way you slow down and brake is much more important than acceleration techniques—and the goal is to "glide" (description below) at every opportunity, regardless of the traffic conditions.

The main idea is to control the amount of braking that is used to regenerate energy to the batteries. (Regenerative braking is essential for keeping energy in the batteries, but a little bit goes a long way. Avoiding overuse of regenerative braking will prevent you from slowing down more quickly than necessary. Extending your glides and coasts is a key to maximizing mileage.)

Native Alaskan people have many words for "snow," and Prius hypermilers have at least four words for how to brake. Use the least aggressive method to travel as far as possible before needing to accelerate again:

Gliding (least aggressive) – While traveling, remove foot from accelerator. Then, ever so slightly, re-apply pressure until all arrows disappear from the Energy screen. You’ll a feel slight surge forward.< /p> This technique will only work when the car is warmed up.

You can glide at any speed, but it’s difficult to get the arrows to disappear at speeds higher than 40 mph. At the higher speeds, even if you are gliding, the internal combustion engine will spin in order to protect the smaller electric motor from getting damaged. Above 40 mph, the engine is spinning but no gas is being used. Under 40 mph, the gas engine is not spinning. (Some Prius drivers report a "sweet spot" at 39 mph.)

Coasting (slightly more aggressive) – This kind of braking is much easier to explain. Simply remove your foot entirely from the accelerator, but do not apply it to the brake. Regenerative braking is engaged, so you will slow down more quickly than gliding.

Regenerative Braking (aggressive) – Press down on the brakes, but not firmly. As you press, you’ll obtain more regeneration than with coasting, and the electric motors (now acting as generators) will make you slow down quickly.

Mechanical Braking (most aggressive) – Firmly stomp on the brakes to immediately stop. You will obviously use this style of braking if a vehicle or pedestrian jumps in front of you.

To recap, the most important point: Anticipate the need to stop so you can slow down in a glide or in the least aggressive manner. If you do nothing else but get your foot off the accelerator more quickly, you will increase your mpg.

Another "magic number" is 7mph. Below 7 mph, regen stops and friction brakes are engaged—wasting energy that could be stored in the battery. Try to avoid slowing below 7 mph by decelerating earlier while approaching a red light, so that it turns green before you get there.

All-Electric Mode

Prius hypermilers do not favor all-electric mode as the optimum strategy for maximizing mileage. They prefer to alternate between the gentlest use of gasoline (pulse) and the gliding technique described above. See Advanced Techniques below for a detailed description of the pulse and glide technique.

In certain situations, such as the last mile or so of your trip, or if you’re just moving the car from one part of the driveway to the other, the all-electric mode is more advisable. (The batteries will recharge quickly on your next start-up.)

How do you get into all-electric mode?

1. In the third-generation Prius, the 2010 model, that’s easy: use the EV button.
2. While traveling, remove foot from accelerator and then, very gently, re-apply pressure to the accelerator. Ever so slightly increase the touch on the accelerator (hardly moving your foot at all) until arrows on the Energy screen flow only to the battery.

Maintain steady speed to remain in all-electric mode. In the third-generation model, you’ll get kicked out of EV mode above 34 miles per hour.

A sustained period of all-electric driving will deplete the battery charge, which could trigger the use of gasoline to recharge the batteries, essentially nullifying the efficiency benefit.

Idle versus Shutdown

If you need to remain stationary for no more than ten minutes or so—stopping to run quickly into your house or pick somebody up—place the Prius into park, but don’t shut down.

Turn off the heating, cooling, lights, and other electric accessories. Push the "Park" button.

The goal is to avoid shutting down and restarting, at which time the Prius will run through a startup cycle that uses gas.

Gear Selection

There are not a lot of gear selections to consider. (Think of your foot as the main control for maximizing mileage.) The one exception is the B gear.

The B gear should be used only if you are going down a long hill. The B gear lets the engine slow down the car without overusing your brakes and over-charging the batteries.

AC and Accessories

It’s best to avoid AC and Defrost whenever possible. Using the vent function with the temperature set to your preferred comfort level works well on long trips.

On hot days, set the AC two degrees lower than the outside temperature or to 85, whichever is lower. This setting keeps air coming into the Prius using the least amount of energy.

Avoid using the MAX setting.

State of Charge (SOC)

Two or three bars from the top is fine. When you are missing five bars, the gas engine will kick in to recharge the battery.

When you are three bars down, consider the technique of sending gas power to wheels and battery (watching arrows and wiggle foot to get it) or use a slightly more aggressive form of braking to increase the amount of regeneration.

It’s okay to allow the charge to drain at the end of the drive, or right before an anticipated long downhill stretch.

If the SOC gets too low, you can’t get into glide mode. SOC display in bars is not always entirely accurate.

Cruise Control

Cruise control, which provides smooth acceleration and allows the computer to make the fuel-saving decisions for you, is recommended in most situations. It works well on flat driving, and is excellent for non-congested highway driving.

Set at 55. (Good way to discipline yourself to keep your speed down.) Lower speeds will produce even better results.

Cruise control is not nearly as good in hilly terrain, where uphills produce aggressive driving and too much regen braking on downhills. When you’re going downhill in cruise control, you can give a little push on the accelerator, which will disengage regen and give you even more speed. Maintain safety by not allowing to much speed to build up.

Advanced Techniques

The Pulse and Glide technique, which has allowed some drivers to achieve exceptional mileage, is ideal for roads that allow 30 – 40 mph unobstructed driving. Pulse and Glide will be more difficult in any road conditions with busy traffic or numerous traffic signals.

1. Accelerate moderately (not babying accelerator, but not gunning it) to 40 mph.
2. Then ease off the accelerator. Then, ever so slightly press down on the accelerator again and hold the pedal in that position.
3. Glide (engine on but not turning over and transmission in neutral). At this point, the energy screen should not have arrows going in any direction. This state has been referred to as "dead band." If you press too much, repeat the process of easing up and pressing down again until you find the right spot. At this point, you are coasting without any energy being used to charge the battery.
4. Coast down to 30 mph.
5. Gently accelerate (pulse) back to 40 mph.
6. Repeat steps, alternating between gentle accelerations to 40 mph and gliding down to 30 mph.

The post Better Gas Mileage in a Toyota Prius appeared first on HybridCars.com.

The Diesel Difference

Diesels are also known as compression ignition engines, and have a different combustion cycle than gasoline engines.

• In a gasoline engine, fuel is mixed with air, drawn into the cylinder, and ignited by a spark from the spark plug.
• In a diesel, air is drawn into the cylinder and compressed first without fuel present. This compression heats the air to such a high temperature that when fuel is then injected into the cylinder, it combusts.

By using higher compression ratios and higher combustion temperatures, diesels operate more efficiently. As a result, diesel vehicles attain better fuel economy than their gasoline counterparts. This fuel economy advantage is enhanced by the fact that a gallon of diesel fuel contains about 10% more energy than a gallon of gasoline. These two factors help modern direct-injection diesels achieve roughly 50% higher fuel economy than their gasoline counterparts. For example, a European model Honda Accord with a 2.2 liter i-CTDi diesel engine is rated at 43.3 MPG, 49% higher than the rating of a Honda Accord with a 2.4 liter gasoline engine. The Camry Hybrid is rated at 39 MPG, 10 percent lower than the diesel Accord.

Diesel Emissions

Modern diesels require something of an environmental tradeoff. While generating fewer greenhouse gas emissions (due to greater fuel efficiency), diesels emit larger amounts of two other pollutants:

• Particulate matter is the black cloud that trails many older diesel vehicles. Diesel particulates are harmful to human health as well as aesthetically unpleasing.
• NOx, while less visible, is a key ingredient in the formation of urban smog, and also can contribute to the formation of acid rain.

Higher emissions of these pollutants are diesels’ greatest drawback. There has been an ongoing split in diesel emissions regulations in the US between those required by the Environmental Protection Agency, and those required by the California Air Resources Board.

Not an Either-Or Situation

It’s technically possible to use a hybrid drivetrain with a diesel engine. In fact, PSA Peugeot Citroën recently showed a diesel-hybrid prototype: the 307 CC Hybride HDi, a compact convertible that gets 70 miles per gallon, about 30 percent better fuel economy than the existing diesel version. No one makes diesel hybrids yet, mainly because they are expensive. The added benefits come at a double expense—more for the hybrid system and more for the diesel engine. PSA Peugeot Citroën is planning to introduce a diesel hybrid to the European market in 2011. But no promises yet for the North American buyers.

The post Diesel appeared first on HybridCars.com.

High Hopes for the Next Prius
Rumors about a third-generation, 94-mpg Prius coming out in 2008 have been circulating the Internet. High hopes for hybrid fans came crashing back to earth last month when the Wall Street Journal and a Japanese industrial daily reported that a new Prius would not switch from nickel metal hydride to lithium ion batteries, and that Toyota would not release the vehicle until spring 2009.

Prius Sales Run Continues
In May, Toyota sold a whopping 24,009 Prius gas-electric hybrids, the highest sales level yet for the iconic hybrid. Toby Parks, sales team leader, Toyota of Berkeley, said, “You have the hottest selling vehicle. You have available inventory for that vehicle. You put special pricing on it. They’re going to move."

Honda Drops Accord
The decision to use hybrid technology to offer greater performance, rather than maximum fuel efficiency, came during the early days of the hybrid market. Honda took one on the chin for the entire hybrid market, learning a bitter lesson that hybrid buyers prefer to emphasize fuel efficiency in a gas-electric vehicle.

No Single Approach to Fuel Economy Legislation
A well-designed fuel economy policy ought to include a full complement of instruments to maximize the potential of each. It ought also to include consumer-targeted and manufacturer-targeted mandates and incentives. No single approach is likely to be the entire solution.

Diesel-Hybrid Dreams and Realities
Die-hard hybrid fans would like to see the technology used in all possible varieties. But shouldn’t we be careful about slapping the word “hybrid” and a hyphen in too many places? Not all hybridized technologies pass the three-part test of feasibility, appeal and cost.

The Model G: Google’s Plug-in Hybrid Program
On June 18, the billionaire founders of Google, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, backed out of a parking space in a Toyota Prius converted to run almost exclusively on energy from solar panels. We were there to watch the demonstration of the capabilities of plug-in hybrids, and the two-way flow of electricity between car and electric grid. These technologies could have a profound impact on transportation in the 21st century.

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Greetings, Hybrid Car Enthusiasts,
To date, hybrids on American roads have saved 5.5 million barrels of fuel, according to a new study from the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab. That’s less than one full day’s worth of fuel over a seven year period. The emergence of hybrids—documented on HybridCars.com and in this newsletter—is one small but necessary step toward reducing the use of petroleum. What else can be done?

We are proud to announce the preview launch of ZipcodeVillage.com, our new project to help Americans drive less by living more locally. As a subscriber to this newsletter, you are among the first few thousand people to learn about and evaluate ZipcodeVillage.com. Big problems like global warming and the loss of community in America cannot be solved by one technology or one website. But we’re hoping that you’ll visit Zipcode Village, make the first post to your "village," tell all your neighbors about it, and let us know what you think. We believe that feedback from our users will move us in the right direction. We’re committed to making Zipcode Village and HybridCars.com great resources for you.

Thanks for your help, and enjoy our latest roundup on the world of hybrid cars.

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SPONSOR

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HIGH HOPES FOR THE NEXT PRIUS

When an unknown musician becomes an overnight sensation with a runaway hit album, expectations for the follow-up release often rise to unrealistic levels. Toyota faces similar anticipation from loyal fans waiting for the next-generation Prius.

The Toyota Prius rose from almost complete obscurity in 2003 to become a mega-superstar in the automotive world. In May 2007, Prius sales reached platinum-record levels—more than 24,000 units in a single month, making it the sixth most popular of all passenger vehicles sold in the United States.

Breathless—yet unsubstantiated—claims about the next Prius began circulating in early 2006. The UK’s Auto Express credited a Toyota engineer as saying that the next Prius would achieve 94 miles per gallon, use lithium ion batteries, and be on the road as early as 2008. The auto and eco-minded bloggers went crazy with excitement, speculating further about the potential for the next Prius to break the 100-mpg mark with plug-in capabilities.

Fantasies about the next Prius took visible shape when Toyota showed off its “Hybrid X” design concept at the Geneva Motor Show in March. It was sleek, groovy and futuristic.

Then, the high hopes of hybrid fans crashed back to earth in May when the Wall Street Journal and a Japanese industrial daily, Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, reported that the third-generation Prius would not switch from nickel metal hydride to lithium ion batteries and that Toyota would not release the vehicle until spring 2009. According to the newspapers, Toyota had decided to take its time to ensure quality and safety—logical, yet not so dreamy.

Toyota’s reluctance to use lithium batteries in the next Prius may reveal more about the company’s corporate strategy than the state of lithium chemistry or plug-in technology. Why is Toyota holding back on the advanced battery technology for the next Prius?

We can find clues in recent comments from Jim Press, president of Toyota Motor North America. “The approach the company takes is a more conservative decision-making process that tries to avoid wrong decisions and therefore it takes longer to make decisions,” said Press in an April interview in Edmunds’ Auto Observer. “We have a saying that before a Toyota person crosses a bridge, we check every rock.” As alluring as it may be to push the Prius over the 100-mpg mark with lithium batteries and plug-in capabilities, Toyota can afford to be patient, avoid risk, and allow the production levels of its current crop of hybrids to reach economies of scale.

Where does that leave the next Prius when it comes out in 2009? Bill Reinert, national manager of the advanced technologies group at Toyota, predicted a continuation of the previous 30 percent jump in fuel economy from the previous Prius generation. Based on that calculus, the next Prius could boost real-world combined fuel efficiency from the current high-40s to the low 60s—still rock star status among motor vehicles today.

Read more:
http://www.hybridcars.com/compacts-sedans/high-hopes-next-prius.html

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PRIUS SALES RUN CONTINUES

In May, Toyota sold a whopping 24,009 units of the Prius, the highest sales level yet for the iconic gas-electric vehicle. "We had huge Memorial Day blowouts. In three days, we sold 40 Priuses. That’s more than twice as many as usual," said Toby Parks, sales team leader for Toyota of Berkeley, Calif. "You have the hottest-selling vehicle. You have available inventory for that vehicle. You put special pricing on it. They’re going to move." Record-breaking gas prices certainly have an impact, as well.

This level of sales activity removes most remaining questions about the ability for vehicles with gas-electric technology to move into the mainstream. Many industry executives and analysts had assumed that hybrids would not go beyond 2 percent of the new car market until the end of the decade—if ever—and therefore investment in the technology was unwarranted. In May, the 2 percent ceiling, which hybrids have not broken since their introduction almost eight years ago, was surpassed.

See full coverage on our Hybrid Market Dashboard:
http://www.hybridcars.com/market-dashboard/may07-overview.html

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HONDA DROPS ACCORD HYBRID

Honda is dropping the hybrid version of the Honda Accord. Honda’s decision to place a hybrid system in the V-6 version of the Accord, rather than in a more fuel-efficient, four-cylinder vehicle, was a critical error. That decision—to use hybridization to offer greater performance rather than maximum fuel efficiency—came during the early days of the hybrid market. Honda took one on the chin for the entire hybrid market, learning a bitter lesson that hybrid buyers first want fuel efficiency in a gas-electric vehicle.

The removal of the Accord Hybrid from the market follows Honda’s decision last year to discontinue the Honda Insight, the first hybrid to enter the market. While the Honda Insight was the reigning fuel efficiency king for six years, the two-seat teardrop of a vehicle was not practical for many car buyers. Unlike the Toyota Prius, a runaway hit because it strikes the right balance between practicality, performance and superior fuel efficiency, Honda erred with the Accord Hybrid by falling below hybrid-level fuel economy levels, and with the Insight because of impracticality.

It’s mysterious that Honda decided to discontinue the Accord Hybrid entirely, rather than moving the hybrid powertrain into the four-cylinder Accord. Perhaps the company is starting from scratch with its hybrids, and putting its resources into the new, smaller hybrid-only subcompact expected in 2009. With the release of the yet-to-be-named new Honda hybrid, the company is likely to regain its position as producer of the most fuel-efficient vehicle available in the U.S. market—and will hopefully put the mistakes of the Insight and Accord hybrids in the rear-view mirror.

Learn more:
http://www.hybridcars.com/news2/accord-hybrid-dropped-060707.html
http://www.hybridcars.com/compacts-sedans/honda-accord-hybrid-overview.html

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NO SINGLE APPROACH TO FUEL ECONOMY

The Congressional showdown over fuel economy standards is in full swing. Walter McManus of the University of Michigan thinks our political leaders should consider the full suite of tools at their disposal to influence corporate and household decisions about oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Old familiar mandates that demand specific behaviors and have been successful include:

* Fuel economy standards (aimed at manufacturers) and speed limits (aimed at drivers)

* Consumer incentives and disincentives: tax credits for hybrids and taxes for gas guzzlers

These sweet and bitter pills are designed to give consumers a personal financial interest in fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions reductions beyond what the market alone can provide.

Then there are the carrot and stick approaches:

* Investment tax credits or retiree healthcare subsidies for manufacturers, in exchange for their investments in advanced technology that they otherwise might not make.

A well-designed policy should include a full complement of instruments to maximize the potential of each. Consumer-targeted and manufacturer-targeted mandates and incentives. No single approach is likely to provide the entire solution for two important reasons. First, the problems being addressed—oil dependence and global warming—are large and complex, and must be addressed from multiple directions. Second, the effectiveness of any single policy instrument eventually diminishes over time and further progress needs to come from something else. Best to start with multiple instruments than to discover we don’t have them later.

The differing views of the appropriate CAFE standard seemed to be irreconcilable as recently as 2006, but it now appears that a sustained focus on CAFE in recent months will soon result in legislation. It must include a mandated goal to ensure real oil savings, but should include additional tools to be truly productive.

Follow Walter as he follows the fuel economy debate in Washington:
http://www.hybridcars.com/sustainable-mobility.html

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DIESEL-HYBRID DREAMS AND REALITIES

Die-hard hybrid fans would like to see the technology used in all its many varieties: full hybrids, mild hybrids, micro hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and biofuel hybrids. But we should be careful about slapping the word “hybrid” on too much sheet metal. All hybridizations don’t pass the three-part test of feasibility, appeal and cost. In Europe, where diesels represent half of the car market, the idea of diesel hybrids periodically gets paraded out—mostly at car shows in the form of a concept vehicle—as the latest silver-bullet-du-jour.

The Citroën C-Métisse diesel hybrid was unveiled last year at the 2006 Paris Motor Show. It was obviously nothing more than eye-candy at the auto show, but less exotic diesel-hybrid concepts (see Citroen C4, Peugot 307, Ford Reflex, Ford C-Max minivan, and a Mercedes Benz S class diesel hybrid) continue to be dangled. The vision of a fuel-saving, diesel-hybrid double whammy is too alluring for environmentalists to resist. TreeHugger.com, the excellent environmental blog, claimed that diesel hybrids are “realistic and attainable prospects” and a “happy sight.” It makes sense, right? If hybrids save fuel, and diesel vehicles save fuel, then automakers could theoretically combine the two technologies to produce super-fuel-saving diesel hybrid passenger cars. In fact, the hybrid-diesel combo has been employed in city transit buses, military vehicles, garbage trucks, and delivery trucks for years. How hard could it be to downsize the approach to passenger cars?

It comes down to cost. Back in 2005, Reuters reported, “The main problem is that diesel hybrid cars cost too much to produce—thousands of dollars more than petrol-electric hybrids like Toyota Motor Corp’s Prius.” Six months later, Wired magazine said, “Integrating both hybrid and diesel technology could add up to $8,000 to the price of the vehicle.”

Fast forward to 2007, and the needle has barely moved. Robert Peugeot, vice president for innovation and quality at PSA/Peugeot-Citroën, put the estimate for a marketable diesel hybrid at $5,000—a figure he characterized as "clearly too much." Andrew Fulbrook, powertrain analyst at CSM Worldwide, added, "I can’t see a point in the next five to six years where [diesel] hybrid systems will become a commodity."

Automakers know they have to respond to increased pressure for reduced emissions. This is particularly true in Europe, where diesels are popular but represent a significant environmental challenge. Carmakers and green-leaning car buyers are thirsty for solutions. But let’s get real. There have been—and will continue to be—winners and losers in the hybrid technology race.

Read more:
http://www.hybridcars.com/related-technologies/diesel-hybrid-dreams.html

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THE MODEL G: GOOGLE’S PLUG-IN HYBRID PROGRAM

When Henry Ford’s neighbors watched the young inventor roll his first gas-powered contraption out of a backyard shed, they had no way of knowing how the rickety four-wheeled carriage would revolutionize human transportation.

More than 100 years later, the billionaire founders of Google, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, backed out of a parking space in a Toyota Prius converted to run almost exclusively on energy from solar panels. This demonstration of the capabilities of plug-in hybrids, and the two-way flow of electricity between car and electric grid, could have a profound impact on transportation in the 21st century.

“Symbolically, this event is very important” said Stephen Schneider, PhD, one of the authors of the recent United Nations report on climate change. Dr. Schneider, a professor of environmental studies at nearby Stanford University, was at Google’s headquarters to observe. “We have to get people to stop thinking big is cool, and start thinking efficiency is cool,” he said.

The Google founders’ two-minute journey was part of the company’s celebration, on June 18, announcing the switching on of the largest solar installation to date on any corporate campus in the United States. Google has installed over 90% of the 9,212 solar panels that comprise the 1,600 kilowatt project. This installation is projected to produce enough electricity for approximately 1,000 California homes. The installation will help the company reduce its environmental footprint and power its new fleet of plug-in cars with clean solar electricity. The dashboard display of the converted Prius driven by Mr. Brin and Mr. Page showed a fuel economy reading of 99.9 miles-per-gallon, the highest number that the Toyota hybrid is capable of showing.

One highlight of the event occurred when Mr. Brin tapped a key on a laptop computer to launch the so-called “vehicle-to-grid” capabilities of the “ReChargeIt” project. With the keystroke, a nearby energy meter paused and then spun backwards, showing the flow of energy out of the plug-in car’s batteries and back into the electric grid. The crowd cheered when the meter, projected on a large flat-screen monitor, reversed directions.

When Mr. Page was asked if his family roots in Detroit had an effect on his support of advanced car technology, he declined to answer. One attendee associated with the project was more forthcoming. “This project tells General Motors and Ford and the American political establishment that it’s time for a change, and we’re not going to wait any longer,” said the gentleman, who asked not to be identified. “If Detroit doesn’t lead, California will.”

Learn more (and watch Google’s video about ReChargeIt.org):
http://www.hybridcars.com/plug-in-hybrids/google-plugin-hybrid-modelg.html

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WRAP-UP

We hope this issue of the Hybrid Cars newsletter provided a clear snapshot of the latest activities in the world of hybrids. Don’t forget to check out ZipcodeVillage.com.

Happy Driving,
Bradley Berman
brad@hybridcars.com

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The Hybrid Cars Newsletter is a free email-based newsletter discussing the latest news and information in the world of hybrid gas-electric vehicles.

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The post Hybrid Cars Newsletter: Issue No. 031 appeared first on HybridCars.com.

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We used a test cut key without an RFID chip we had made to insure the VIN code cut would work . (If the locks had ever been rekeyed, the key cut based on the VIN would not work. Better to ruin a $3 key blank than a $35 key blank). Anyway, I used this key to turn the ignition to the “on” position with one of the master keys from the lock set taped to the top. There was immediate hope: the immobilizer light stayed lit and did not blink. 30 minutes later, the car started up. 5 minutes after that, I had programmed a total of 4 master keys and 1 valet key. So, lessons learned: 1) always use a battery charger when doing any sort of ECU learning, especially on a hybrid — since the car is started with the 274 volt battery, the 12 volt battery can be *very* bad with no noticeable symptom. 2) Key transponder ECUs sold with lock sets must use a key provided with the lock set for the first key registration. Any other RFID key blank can be programmed after. 3) Charge at least 2 hours labor to replace key transponder ECUs and register the keys.

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Once the new Key Transponder ECU is installed, I attempt to register the first key. The way it’s supposed to work is — 1) install new ECU 2) put the first key to be registered into the ignition lock cylinder and turn the key to the on position 3) leave the key in the on position for 30 minutes. 4) start the car 5) use the new master key to register the other keys.

Unfortunately, this Prius had a bad 12 volt battery, and was unable to stay “on” for more than 5 minutes before going black. Those of you familiar with flashing ECUs may be wondering the same thing I wondered. What happens if the power goes out in the middle of programing? Is the new ECU now a paperweight? Only a new ECU can register a key without having a Master Key. Will an ECU halfway through its first registration still allow Master Key registration? Turns out a dead battery won’t mess anything up. Luckily for me. Next time, I’ll use a battery charger. It may not ruin the computer, but it is a real pain.

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So far everything sound great. Your car is safe. No one can steal it without buying a tow truck or diploma from MIT. If you could afford either, why would you want to steal someone’s car; right? But what happens if you lose one of your magical keys?

Losing one key is not a big deal, so long as you have at least one “master key”. A master key usually has a black head, and can unlock the glove box and the trunk, unlike the “sub key” AKA “valet key”. A master key can be used to register a new key with your Key Transponder and Hybrid Control ECUs. You can register up to 5 keys, and I’d recommend that you do, because…..

If you lose all of your keys, or all of your keys but the sub key, you will need to buy a new Key Transponder ECU to get your car to start again. As of 01/05, it’s cheaper to buy a key transponder ECU in a lock set including the ignition lock cylinder and two master keys than it is to buy just the key transponder ECU alone. Go figure. Since we were trying to do this as cheaply as possible, we planned to use only the ECU. That way we wouldn’t need to rekey the door and trunk lock cylinders. However, we would need to buy two new master keys and have them code cut to match the original locks.

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