Keep an eye on the dashboard fuel economy display, if present. [2] X Research source This display will give you a real-time update about your fuel efficiency. Incorporate driving styles that are fuel-efficient into your regular driving behavior. Use your brakes. Hybrids employ a technology known as regenerative braking. This means that the energy produced by the brakes – wasted as heat in normal cars – is used to recharge the battery of your hybrid. [3] X Research source Apply gentle, even pressure to the brakes and gently glide to a stop. Don’t brake too soon. Give yourself enough distance and space to effectively brake.
California, for instance, permits hybrid car drivers to use the HOV lane if they have a Clean Air Vehicle Sticker and their car is on the approved list. See http://www. arb. ca. gov/msprog/carpool/carpool. htm for more information. Virginia offers a similar program. [4] X Research source Check their list of approved hybrid vehicles at http://www. dmv. virginia. gov/vehicles/#cleanspecialfuel. asp to discover whether your hybrid can be used in HOV lanes. However, you will not be able to drive the car in HOV lanes on I-95 or I-494 with less than three passengers.
Don’t be afraid to ride in the slow lane. Let other cars pass you. Use moderate acceleration. [6] X Research source Accelerating too quickly will cause both the gas and electric engines to operate in tandem. When heading up a hill, Try find that Goldilocks zone with your hybrid car – an acceleration level that is neither too slow nor too fast. Drifting in either direction will cause your mileage and fuel efficiency to decline.
After reaching your desired speed, coast as long as possible until you need to stop or turn. Be mindful of how you start your vehicle at stoplights. Your hybrid is programmed to turn off the engine when in park or when you’re not moving. [7] X Trustworthy Source FuelEconomy. gov Official source for the U. S. government for fuel economy information Go to source It will turn on again when you resume motion. Use your foot to gently apply pressure to the gas pedal to start the car in motion.
If you don’t have cruise control, try to keep your speed constant. Not only does accelerating your vehicle use energy, slowing it wastes your energy as well. A constant speed is the most energy-efficient for your vehicle.
Some hybrid manufacturers have factored this fact into their design, and have safeguards in place from preventing a battery from actually reaching a totally full or totally empty state. Consult your user manual for specifics about how to manage your battery’s charge levels.
Turn on your car and let it sit idle for a bit in order to get the battery warmed. Excessive heat can be bad for your battery, too. A battery at ninety-two degrees Fahrenheit will only last five years. Keep your car in the garage and out of direct sunlight.
Drive within your vehicle’s battery range. Most hybrids allow between 10 and 35 miles of driving exclusively on the electric battery before they need to transition to a gasoline engine. [11] X Trustworthy Source Consumer Reports Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing Go to source Keep your drives short and at a close distance from your home. Stay close to home with your hybrid to maximize its efficiency.
One design option you need to choose is whether to get a parallel or a series hybrid. A parallel hybrid is one in which both electric and gas engine can be used in tandem. Most hybrids are of this type. Some, however, are of the series type, in which only the gas or only the battery can operate at any given time. [12] X Trustworthy Source Consumer Reports Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing Go to source Full hybrids can run on electricity alone. Mild hybrids are those in which the gas engine is on all the time, and the electric battery only provides an extra boost. Plugin hybrids can be plugged into the wall at your home or (if facilities exist) your workplace, but the gas engine will not recharge the batteries as in a non-plugin hybrid. The decision you make about what kind of hybrid you want comes down to your motivations and your budget. If you’re an eco-warrior, you might want to choose a full or parallel hybrid. If you make a lot of long trips but still want to improve your gas mileage, a series or mild hybrid might be for you. Always purchase a car within your price range.
The federal government offers rebates of up to $7,500 on plugin hybrid vehicles that were purchased after 2010. [14] X Trustworthy Source FuelEconomy. gov Official source for the U. S. government for fuel economy information Go to source Many states also offer similar incentives on purchasing fuel-efficient or hybrid vehicles. Check federal and state regulations to determine if you could get a rebate on your vehicle. For a full list of state incentive programs, check out http://www. afdc. energy. gov/laws/state. For a full list of vehicles that qualify for federal rebates and incentives, visit https://www. fueleconomy. gov/feg/taxevb. shtml.
Additionally, plan on negotiating with the dealership salesperson. You can often knock ten to twenty percent of the posted price of a car with some haggling. You could also compare prices among different hybrid cars. For instance, if two different hybrid cars vary in only a few unimportant features (for instance, maybe one has passenger video screens in it while another doesn’t), you should choose the car with the lower price. Always test-drive cars you think you might want to buy. If the car doesn’t meet your specifications, look elsewhere for one that will.
