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Old 03-04-2010, 11:18 PM   #32 (permalink)
RobertSmalls
Left Lane Ecodriver
 
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA
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Prius C - '12 Toyota Prius C
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The correct approach is to engage the clutch until you have just enough kinetic energy to crest the first hill, then disengage the clutch and coast the rest of the way. Also, disengage the clutch if engine speed exceeds the peak of the efficiency curve, and re-engage if that is necessary to climb the first hill. The result will be that once the vehicle gets up to the speed corresponding to peak efficiency, it will hold that speed by running the engine at whatever duty cycle is required (this is familiar to ecomodders as pulse and glide).

Vehicle speed at the crest of each hill will approach zero, and the driver will die of old age before he finishes the course.

Last edited by RobertSmalls; 03-04-2010 at 11:38 PM.. Reason: I didn't read the part about zero drag area and zero rolling resistance.
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