by "BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
Published 05/27/2017 at 09:43
by "BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
Published 05/27/2017 at 09:43
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STARS: 3
Toyota has a challenge going on in the Netherlands at the moment, where you can win a Yaris Hybrid if you manage to get most out of the Battery while driving. I don’t know what I managed as the server apparently couldn’t handle the heat, and derped out my score.
I quite like how it drove actually. Sure it is boring but extremely quiet when in EV mode, and quite nice to be in. The fact that I applied ‘slow car fast’ driving in order to prevent losing momentum also helped.
Afterwards I decided to take the long way home, in order to find the best driving road near me. Sadly my area is quite flat, so the best road had like 4 successive bends that were nice, SAD! As a consolation I did come across a Zastava 1300, which I thought was a Fiat 1500. Luckily the owner, a Serbian going by his accent and the fact he imported a Zastava, corrected me when I asked him about it.
Normally, I don’t stop to ask people about their cars, as I don’t want to come of as a weirdo, but turns out (car) people don’t mind as much as I thought they would.
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
05/27/2017 at 09:46, STARS: 3
how quickly does it suck the soul out of you?
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
05/27/2017 at 09:50, STARS: 2
Relatively quickly, I think about half my soul was left after driving it for 15 minutes. Luckily the long way home topped my soul back up again.
"dogisbadob" (dogisbadob)
05/27/2017 at 09:51, STARS: 1
but I thought it had regen :p
"lecrab" (superservaas)
05/27/2017 at 09:55, STARS: 1
These are excellent for commuter driving, like I do. Smooth, worry free.
"Seat Safety Switch" (seat-safety-switch)
05/27/2017 at 10:01, STARS: 1
Can you just put the car in neutral and flat tow it behind another car to win?
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
05/27/2017 at 10:03, STARS: 1
As a car in person I love it when people talk to me about my car. Especially because it’s kinda hard to notice. And when I see something interesting I make take any chance I can to ask the owner about it. Last time that happened I had a long discussion with an older gent about his 66 Barracuda.
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
05/27/2017 at 10:12, STARS: 0
That’s a good idea, not sure if the computer registers that too, I’m guessing it only registers fuel consumption, state of charge and position. As the dealer invited me to retry once they fixed it, I could always try it, haha.
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
05/27/2017 at 10:15, STARS: 2
I think the problem for me personally is that people don’t expect a car guy to be driving a Twingo. It would be way easier if I drove a more interesting car.
It was a short talk, but it involved the Yugo, so it was a good one!
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
05/27/2017 at 10:16, STARS: 1
Smooth is a very apt description of it. Though the engine revving up during acceleration took some getting used to.
"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr)
05/27/2017 at 10:27, STARS: 1
From what I’ve heard elsewhere about people who did this challenge, the goal is to get the highest EV percentage possible? That’s a time-based metric (time spent driving versus time spent with the engine off), I believe, so...
Also, I think you have to be in a gear (R, D, or B) for that to count up, at least based on my Prius. (My Prius shows that percentage in the trip computer, for what it’s worth, so I think this game is just getting that info from the car.)
I’d say the best strategy while staying within the spirit (no outside towing!), if you’re not familiar with how to drive that car for maximum EV time, would be...
Put the navigation system on the Eco screen so you can see battery level, unless there’s a way to get that on the display in the instrument cluster.
Moderately accelerate, using the engine, unless the battery is full - the goal is to use the engine, but use as little engine as possible (to charge the battery)... but also balancing that with time spent running the engine.
Cruise with as light of a foot as possible, to maximize the score.
If the battery is low, consider force charging at stoplights. This involves standing on the brake and gas. However, that’s time that you could have counting as EV time, so only do it if it’ll help you stay in EV longer while moving.
Also note that, if the challenge works like how I’ve seen it described, it’s EV time, not MPG, even though EV time is a mostly useless metric in a car that you can’t plug in.
"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr)
05/27/2017 at 10:28, STARS: 1
You drove it slow car fast, which means you were cornering aggressively. How did it behave when doing that?
"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr)
05/27/2017 at 10:30, STARS: 1
That actually makes me wonder, if you did a wide open throttle application from zero, how quickly did it respond?
My Gen 4 Prius gets the engine from 0 RPM to max RPM for the current vehicle speed in a bit less time than it took my old ALH (1.9 TDI, 90 hp rating although mine was heavily tuned to ~150 hp or so, VE pump, VNT turbo) to get its turbo spooled up, which... that’s acceptable.
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
05/27/2017 at 10:35, STARS: 0
Yep it’s EV time (I assumed the towing was joking)
Thanks for the tips! I indeed tried to keep it in EV as much as possible, while using the engine for short fast accelerations. Going by the indication light I think I was in EV for about 65-70% of the time, which would be around the best at this dealer. If I manage to go back I will have a slight advantage, as I know the route, and with your tips I should be able to improve.
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
05/27/2017 at 10:40, STARS: 1
Way better than I expected. In one corner I kept it at 50 kmh, while that was a bit too fast seeing that the corner had a speedbump in the middle, 30 kmh would be more suitable, the Yaris didn’t care though. Also took a few roundabouts at 60 kmh, and while it had a bit of body roll, I didn’t have the feeling I was driving on the edge as ot just did what it was asked.
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
05/27/2017 at 10:43, STARS: 0
There was a bit of lag I think, but generally speaking the engine revving up and down was clearly related to throttle position, which was quite impressive and surely helps to understand why the engine turned on.
"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr)
05/27/2017 at 10:44, STARS: 1
65-70% is already really good, to be honest - if I’ve got a trip over 50%, it was probably a pretty slow trip. My tips are mainly ways to try to preserve charge in the battery for later, but if the route gives you enough charge from regenerative braking, might as well leave room in the battery for that. (And, that’s some of my hypermiling technique, too - if I know I’m going to have to brake on a battery that’s more than half full or so, and I’m cruising with the engine running, I’ll try to burn off some battery by lifting off partially to stop the engine, to make room for the braking event without having to use much friction or engine braking.)
The big thing is, if the engine’s on, you want to be charging the battery, or at worst, leaving the battery alone. (The eco screen on the navigation system will show you the power flow, though.)
Note that actually driving for efficiency requires a different strategy than this - maximizing EV time is part of it, but not all of it. Driving to max out the EV percentage above all else will actually use a bit more fuel when the engine’s on.
"lecrab" (superservaas)
05/28/2017 at 03:48, STARS: 1
Yes, that is true. I still like it.
"Jobjoris" (Jobjoris)
05/31/2017 at 04:17, STARS: 1
Of course he doesn’t mind you asking about his pride and joy. He has to be passionate about it an passionate people always like to talk about their... Passion!
Too bad he went for the yellow plates. BOOOOOH!
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
05/31/2017 at 04:54, STARS: 1
Yeah your right, it was a bit random though, stopping on a back road to ask about a car.
It’s a 1978, it’s too young, haha, definitely needs them though.
"lecrab" (superservaas)
05/31/2017 at 12:57, STARS: 1
By the way
Thanks to your post, I learned about the challenge, and took out a Yaris Hybrid today as well. First of all, this car drives like it’s a larger car, and the dashboard looks very good for this small a car. The saleslady apparently thought I did well, but who’s to say?
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
05/31/2017 at 13:58, STARS: 0
Nice, what percentage did you manage to score? I think the challenge ends after today and my schedule didn’t allow me to retry, so I sadly still don’t know how much I can squeeze out of it.
You’re right, at no time did it feel like I was driving a Yaris sized car.
"lecrab" (superservaas)
05/31/2017 at 14:01, STARS: 1
I got 42. the lady said “well maybe we’ll see you when they hand out the prize” but I have no idea. The challenge is until the 11th (next week). I put it in “B” pretty quick to use max regen. Nice weather, it was a nice ride.
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
05/31/2017 at 14:15, STARS: 1
At the dealership I went to, the highest was 69%. I’ve heard that B is for maximal engine braking, which does not necessarily mean maximum EV driving, as the engine is on during that time (or that is what I have read)
But if it is till the 11th, I’ll try and see if I can have another go at it, at least I’ve got the benefit of knowing the route haha.
"lecrab" (superservaas)
05/31/2017 at 14:23, STARS: 1
Yes correct, but regen does replenish the battery, which you can than use to drive more electric. 69% is pretty high, wow. I don’t stand a chance I think. Yet I did the route, combined highway and local roads, average speed was 40 km/h. I noticed the “ev” led light up way more than I expected. Nice car, in my opinion.
"lecrab" (superservaas)
05/31/2017 at 14:24, STARS: 1
I have to add, the average fuel consumption on my route was 4 liters per 100 km’s. I dd a cactus with the smallest engine, and I average about 4.7 in that. I kinda like this hypermiling.
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
05/31/2017 at 14:33, STARS: 1
In that light it does make sense.
As a comment to the 69%, I must add that the route I had to drive was completely on back roads and through a few towns, with an average of about 40-ish, but no harsh acceleration like a highway would make necessary.