Hybrid cars are the norm these days. We now have three varieties: mild hybrid, full hybrid, and plug-in hybrid. Regardless of which side of the climate change issue you take, a hybrid car’s fuel efficiency is well-known.
Driving a hybrid vehicle isn’t much different than in a normal gasoline-powered model, but hybrids do come with a few driving nuances. By adopting these 5 hybrid-specific driving habits, you’ll make the most of your hybrid’s powertrain.
Top 5 Driving Tips for Hybrid Cars
So you’ve weighed the pros and cons of hybrid ownership and tried it anyway. Below are five great tips to help you get the most out of your hybrid vehicle.
#1. Drive Efficiently.
Hybrid vehicles weren’t intended to be made fast. They were built in order to be fuel-efficient vehicles by using less gasoline and more electric power to make up the difference. Want a sporty performance for your buck? Buy a sports car.
Having said that, speeding via an interstate highway isn’t what I’m getting at, nor should you be trying to deplete your car as fast and hard as you can.
Rather, you should be using the gasoline only to get the car up to a speed you would like, then leave it and the electric motor in cruise. That’s the best way to save on gas.
#2. Lower Speed.
Even if you set your vehicle on cruise with the electric motor powering it too, you will be less fuel efficient if you’re often driving faster than about 55 mph.
When you are driving on the interstate, and you are able to cruise at about 60 mph not 70 mph, this will be the best way to cut down on gas while still going fast enough.
#3. Manage Battery Charge.
You’d think it’s best to charge the battery in your hybrid car thoroughly before you set on the road, right? This is not true, as a fully charged battery will, in fact, use power faster than a half-charged battery.
Many hybrid car manufacturers recommend keeping the battery charged in the 20%-80% range. If it drops below 20% and you have to drive your vehicle, you could end up ruining the battery by not being able to charge it as much in the future.
#4. Braking Helps Battery.
While you are using electrical battery power, if you are able to, you can actually bring energy back into the battery each time you hit the brakes.
That’s not to say you can drive especially fast down the street, and then brake hard, bringing all that power into the battery. What I do mean is, drive slowly, brake easily, and come to a brake as much as possible.
If you do, you will see that you will not have to recharge the battery as much.
#5. Use Less Accessories.
Remember that your car has plenty of things that will draw on its battery power too, like the air conditioner, radio, heater, and so on. If your car has an eco-friendly mode, then use it as it’ll cause the vehicle as a whole to consume less of the vehicle battery power when it is supplying it to these accessories.
Other tips to follow are to quit burning your lights up in the daytime and using your mobile for music and radio as opposed to the car radio.