Prius and Hyper-Miling?

my guess would be the techniques from this page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_economy-maximizing_behaviors

There are a couple things you can do to get better gas mileage.
1) Use cruse control ( I started doing this and got 15% better mileage)
2) Slow down – air resistance goes up with the square to velocity.
3) Remove all extra weight from the car
4) Cover the wheel wells to make the car more aerodynamic.
5) I have even seen some people add tails to the cars to make the car more aerodynamic

There is is also drifting, which I do not recommend! That is where you get very close to a big rig and ride in the wake. Very dangerous.

@mygolden – Do you mean drafting? Yes, drafting is dangerous (although it works).

@brownlemur yes. It is late. Sorry about that.

My roomate’s dad has a prius. My roomate drove his mother from North-Central Arkansas to Kansas city, Kansas, drove around the city for a couple of days, then drove back to Arkansas on a tank and a half. Ugly ass car though.

I don’t think the Prius is ugly.

Hmmmm, different strokes for different folks, I guess.

I can’t remember if it was good or bad, but like if you punch the throttle and then let off and drift down the highways a while before repeating the process. Can anyone tell me if it is good or bad for the engine?

Yes. It is good or bad for the engine.

Haha sorry, I’m really tired. Can anyone tell me whether or not it is good for the engine or if it bad for the engine.

It sounds like it would be bad. Really high rpms are damageing over a short time. Punching the throttle opens the ports up and the injectors spray more fuel into the motor to make it run faster. I would think it would be harmful. The cruise control is probably one of the greatest inventions because it will keep your rpms and fuel intake, steady.

If you live in a city and own just a gas-powered car, just turn the engine off at stoplights.

You can do things to a Prius to get that kind of mileage. There are aftermarket battery kits that give you plug-in capability, for instance, but they’re expensive, and the auxiliary battery can’t be recharged from the primary system.

As to “hypermiling,” all of the following apply:

- If you drive 35 MPH on the Interstate, you’re an asshole, and you’re probably breaking the law.
– Trucksucking is stupid and dangerous.
– Overinflating your tires is stupid and dangerous.

BUT:

- Shutting the engine off when you have to sit for a couple of minutes is a good idea
– Shift into neutral or park at stoplights. Better yet, ditch your automatic transmission and drive a stick. Automatics are the biggest gas-wasters ever invented, not to mention that they sap power.
– Keep your tires properly inflated.
– Get rid of that junk in your trunk
– Don’t use premium gas in an engine that doesn’t require it. Like burning money.