How to accelerate in P&G mode?

[sonyhome]

I'd like input from people with experience with optimal acceleration when in Pulse and Glide (keeping the engine ON in glide).

What's your real world experience on that topic? How hard to accelerate in P&G mode?


FE recommendations are to accelerate as slow as possible, in low RPMs. I believe the logic is you don't know what you're doing so we'll give you an idiot proof solution yet not optimal: low RPMs=less gas used. The recommendation also likely assumes you keep using a lot of gas once you've accelerated. HOWEVER, in P&G, the goal is to save gas on the total distance travelled, and in G mode gas used is little.

Let's set the rules here:

- Total distance is split in P-distance and G-distance.
T = P + G
- In G, car uses constant 700RPM, and burns a typical 0.3GPH.
- Total travel time is constant no matter what (else you could drive slower meaning higher FE in theory)
- City travel < 45MPH so aero impact negligible

My take is the best way to accelerate is a hard acceleration where the engine is in it's peak torque curve, so that distance P is minimized, in favor of G, and that doing so the engine runs at peak performance aka energy burned vs enrgy output to the wheels.

With the above, if we can plug in GPH for some accelerations and acceleration durations, we could tell what's optimal. However I don't have the data...