Why do hybrids such as the Toyota Prius get better gas mileage in the city than on the highway?

[jordon]

It seems weird to me. If you can let me know why I'd appreciate it.

[anonymous]

You may be misinformed. They get better gas mileage on the highway. Check www.toyota.com

[Santana]

As I understand it...when the electric engined Prius comes to a stop. An electric cell takes over operation of the vehicle conserving fuel. Thus since there is more starting and stopping in the city, it would get better gas mileage than on the highway. I hope this helps!

[bimmer]

1) Stop and go traffic allows the hybrid system to use only batteries, which is more efficient than the gas engine. Remember, electrical motor gives you full torque, even at ZERO RPM. 2) In normal cars stopping is done via brakes, which converts movement to heat only. In hybrid cars with regenerative braking, brakes convert movement back into electricity to be reused later. And there's a LOT of stop and go in the city. 3) On the freeway, you need a ever increasing amount of power to accelerate you to cruising speed, and then a fixed amount to stay cruising. Most of the power at highway cruising goes to counter wind resistance, and no amount of power design will make that more efficient. Normal engines can be designed to shut down some of the cylinders to save fuel at cruising speeds. Indeed, some Cadillacs and Lincolns already have this feature. But fuel savings is far less than what can be recycled in the city with a hybrid car.

[RickShaw]

toyota made a really efficiant way to save energy. when you slow down and take your foot off the accelerator the electric motor acts like a generator putting electricity back in the battery where if you were just on the highway you use more energy because the electric motor has to rev higher and use more energy.

[bracken46]

they get better in the city because the electric motor powers the car most of the time, guy at work had one gets 48 highway 53 city.

[bracken46]

This is because of the way the power sources are used. The electric motor is getting its energy from the heat that your brakes give off while you are stopping. The electric motor is used primarily for initial takeoff and slow speed driving. The initial takeoff is where a conventional gasoline motor uses the most energy in normal driving and the electric motor makes enough power to keep you going at slow speeds. As a result most of the time that you are driving in the city you are using the electric motor to get around and thus not using any gas.