Quote:
Originally Posted by Waspswatter
I'm trying to get used to driving a hybrid. I was very soft on the brakes on my Ranger, but now I wonder if I should use brakes more to engage the regen. Also, I've been a member here for five or six years and JUST RECENTLY read up on how to do pulse and glide.  I had heard that engines are more efficient under load but it must not have "sunk in". I would always slow down up hills and only start to speed up as I rolled over the crest, then using gravity to help me accelerate down the hill. 
Can someone please invent a smart cruise control that will automatically pulse and glide for me.  |
Regen is better than friction braking, but not as efficient as coasting to a stop. So your current way if being soft on the brakes is still better. Also, if you brake hard you activate the friction brakes because the hybrid drive can only regen so much.
Pulse and glide is more important the slower you go, the more aerodynamic your vehicle is and the bigger the engine. A smaller engine in a big, non-aerodynamic vehicle flying down the highway is already going to be under a lot of load.