In the spirit of frugal living, we are changing fast to show you how to get even more out of your hybrid vehicle. Regardless of the title of this article, you will travel from rubber to the road, and with the following tips, you will learn the best way to drive a hybrid.

My wife and I bought a 2013 Toyota Camry Hybrid that we are 100% satisfied with. It has enriched our ability to save gas dollars and maintain our frugal lifestyles. But just because you own a hybrid vehicle doesn’t mean your savings efforts stop at the purchase. Did you know that there are techniques you can use while driving your hybrid to get even more out of your vehicle’s mileage? Read on for the proper way to drive a hybrid.

Hybrids get their best mileage at speeds below 45 mph. Therefore, traveling on the streets, contrary to the advice of yesteryear, saves gas. At speeds below 45 mph, you can employ the electrical aspect of your engine that powers it without the use of fuel. The longer you can keep your car in this mode, the more distance it will go without spending a penny.

Floating the hybrid, explained

We are very fortunate to have an expert salesperson while we test the hybrid. He introduced us to the concept of “floating the hybrid”. When you step on the gas pedal of a hybrid vehicle, depending on how heavy your foot is, it will use either 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 most economical. When in true hybrid mode, which means that by using gasoline and electricity at the same time, you save more than you would driving a gasoline vehicle, but not as much as operating it solely in its electric mode. In essence, you get the most savings the more often you drive in electric mode. And the act of consciously keeping the car in this mode is called floating the hybrid. Basically you are driving without using any gas at all.

Now, on the Toyota Camry Hybrid model, there is an electric display near the speedometer that shows when the car is in gas mode, electric mode, hybrid mode or if it is recharging the battery. We treat this screen like a video game, constantly trying to just use the electric motor at any time possible, but mostly when traveling below 45 mph. The technique we use in our car is to accelerate to the speed limit, then release the accelerator slowly until the screen shows that we are using only the electric motor. Usually we achieve this mode with just a light press on the accelerator. When you drive a hybrid vehicle properly, you assume a state of mind of preservation, not performance.

To further attest to the video game technique, the Toyota Camry shows how many miles per gallon you got for each interval the car is started 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 realized 54 miles per gallon.

In short, the engine status indicator on a hybrid was not intended as a bell and whistle. It is supposed to help you become more aware of how your car works and help you drive the hybrid efficiently. Regardless of which hybrid model you have, if you can figure out how to float it and take into account what part of the hybrid engine is running, as well as trying to keep it in electric mode as often as possible, you can really add to the savings. receive and get even more from your investment.