ENERGY SAVING BLOG

The amount of hybrid cars on Irish roads is a clear sign of the changes taking place. Hybrid vehicles combine a regular combustion engine with an electric motor and battery. There are various ways in which hybrid vehicles can operate. For example the electric motor can be used to provide additional power during acceleration and high load conditions. The battery can then be recharged by the internal combustion engine or from energy absorbed during braking or cruising. Hybrid vehicles offer reduced fuel consumption and CO2. Despite recession some cars are still selling and the hybrids are very popular for three apparent reasons: low VRT, low road tax (on cars registered after 1st July 2008) and economical fuel consumption. The Green Party introducing new system where VRT is calculated on the basis of CO2 emissions rather than the engine size made hybrid cars both new and second hand very desirable. Together with reliability and recognised quality of Toyota and Honda cars buying a hybrid is a no-brainer. And what do the owners of hybrids say? According to Toyota, 8 out of 10 Prius owners say they would buy another. We, at QR EnerStar, would completely agree with it.

 Apart from being spacious, safe and easy to drive it’s now a challenge for us to get the most of the “green-lean-fuel -saving-machine”. After some practice we came up with a list of essential tips for those who want their tank last longer:

1. Driving within the speed limits helps conserve the fuel a lot (less braking, less need to accelerate later on).

2. Light acceleration works better than pushing the accelerator into the floor and the goal is to “glide” (While traveling, remove foot from accelerator. Then, ever so slightly, re-apply pressure until all arrows disappear from the Energy screen. You’ll feel a slight surge forward.) The main idea is to control the amount of braking that is used to regenerate energy to the batteries. (Regenerative braking is essential for keeping energy in the batteries, but a little bit goes a long way. Avoiding overuse of regenerative braking will prevent you from slowing down more quickly than necessary. Extending your glides and coasts is a key to maximizing mileage.)

 3. Try and avoid short journeys as the car warms up and becomes more efficient only after 10 minutes of driving.

4. If you have cruise control in your Prius – use it as it saves fuel best than any other way of driving.

5. Don’t keep things in the car you don’t need: the lighter the load the higher the mileage you get out of a full tank.

6. If there’s an option of opening the windows rather than using the air-conditioning switch the AC off.

7. If you need to remain stationary for no more than ten minutes or so (like stopping to run quickly into your house or pick somebody up) put the Prius into park, but don’t shut down. Turn off the heating, cooling, lights, and other electric accessories. Push the “Park” button. By avoiding shutting down and restarting, you will avoid a startup cycle that uses petrol.

8. Like any other car a hybrid is more economical when the tyres are inflated to the correct pressure. Maintain the maximum recommended tire pressure. Check the tire pressure regularly so the pressure does not fall below the maximum level.

9. Going down a long hill you can use B gear. The B gear lets the engine slow down the car without overusing your brakes and over-charging the batteries.

The above tips are presented as suggestions only, and should only be used in appropriate driving conditions. Please remember to always drive safely!