Idiots guide pulse and glide in the CT200h!

9218 Views 9 Replies 9 Participants Last post by mdman, Apr 8, 2012

Dozer42

Discussion Starter · Mar 31, 2012

Thank you to abqpete for posting this extremely simple how-to on pulse and glide in the CT200h (it was in another thread).

I've read about it before, but nobody has laid it out to be this simple, and even after just one trip from Foster City down to San Jose last night I was able to eek significantly more mileage out of the CT.

It seems to easy, accelerate up to 40mph in a 35 keeping the needle pegged at the edge of 'power' and 'eco', then peg it on the lower line of 'eco' and charge letting it drift down to 35 or 30mph.

Rinse and repeat.

Not quite sure WHY it works, maybe it's sucking down the battery in glide mode, but it does seem to work!

Thanks!

abqpete said:
I come from a 2010 Prius so it is easy for me to apply the standard pulse and glide techniques to the CT, especially since it uses the identical power train. Though I am only halfway through my first tank, I am getting about 57 indicated (so about 54 actual) overall. City only driving nets me in the low 60s depending on traffic. The technique that I use in the city is rather simple. Accelerate so that the needle on the Hybrid System Indicator is at the top of the ECO band but not into the Power range. Your target is about 5mph above the speed limit. Once you've reach the target, immediately lift off on the accelerator and then reapply slightly until the Hybrid System Indicator is riding the line between Charge and ECO. If you are using the energy flow indicator on your nav screen, you are trying to achieve neither engine nor battery usage. This dead band is the most efficient. If you have trouble holding the dead band, try for as little battery usage as possible. Glide (coast) until you are about 5mph below the speed limit and repeat as needed. If there is a stop coming up, just keep coasting in the dead band until you need to use the brakes.

Save

1 - 2 of 10 Posts

Dozer42

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 31, 2012

Chik3nPoo said:
I never knew about the pulse and glide!
I want to try this and thank you for posting

quick question: do you have to do this in a specific mode? eco normal sport?

update: just tried to do this but failed miserably. how do you know when you are "pulse and gliding?" are there any differences in how the car runs etc etc?

No, AFAIK no special mode is needed. I'm in Normal mode most of the time, unless I find a nifty corner where sport is more fun. ;] I can't find any real use for 'Eco' mode.

There's no difference in the way the car runs, the difference is in how you run the car.

Specifically I'm using mine like the throttle is an on/off switch. I've either got the throttle on the upper line between 'Eco & Power' (that's pulsing), or I'm on the lower line between 'Eco & Charge', that's gliding.

Simple as that. I'm either pulsing and gaining speed (to 5mph over the speed limit), or gliding and losing speed (to 5mph under the speed limit).

This of course is only for around town, haven't quite figured out how to apply it on the freeway, steady state throttle still seems best there, but I do now automatically 'glide' when a mile or so away from my exit on the freeway.

Certainly seems to be helping, but I need a ton more practice. It's kinda fun really. =]

Save

1 - 2 of 10 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month