Thx for the info. I think probably most LS 600h L owners didn't get the car for the mileage, if that was all they were concerned about they could get a Prius. Somewhat improved mileage at this specification class would be just part of the whole package, IIRC.

 

I agree with you zdoc, if I bought this car it would have nothing to do with the gas mileage. However, I am surprised that the mileage is so low. I know the car is much heavier than the 460's, but I would have thought it would get at least equal, if not slightly better, mileage.

Actually I'm more surprised that the LS430 only gets 15 mpg. Heck, my 12 year old Infiniti Q45a gets at least 17 (and I'll do over 20 mpg on the highway). So far my LS 460 is getting slightly above 23 mpg.

 

hehehehe, all about how you drive it given that doc has a lambo, i am sure you have an idea (sorry doc, hehe)

in fact, between hist ls430 and the 600hl, i think we can have a good idea about how good the gas mileage on the 600hl is

 

In 2005 EPA numbers, the LS 430 was 18/25 mpg....amazing that the new LS sedans beat that.

 

I do feel like I'm babying the car a lot to get that mileage, FWIW. One thing I am curious about. When approaching a stop in a hybrid, do you save more gas waiting to brake relatively hard, or coasting as much as possible with the car slowing down and braking softer. Does the regenerative braking create more electricity with an abrubt short stop vs a slow coast and gentle stop?

 

Well, taking a SWAG, I'd say the longer stop would replace more juice in the battery. However, it takes the same energy to stop the car whether its abrupt or not. So basically, I don't know.

I do know the abrupt stops are worse for your pads and rotors though!

 

On the topic of gas mileage - I'm getting about 18-19 MPG consistently on the 460. I'd like to think that I don't drive it too roughly either. One WOT / week or two just to test the limits I suppose, and about 60% highway/40% city driving.

 

The answer is (relying on college physics courses) both methods will require the same amount of energy expended (calories). My thoughts are to be 'kind' to your brakes, as the battery level will generally always be charged sufficiently to allow the electric motor to 'push as fast as it can'.

Remember, even though the 600 is a 'Hybrid', it is using its' electric motors primarily to add power, not so much to extend mileage.

 

Regenerative "braking" actually has nothing to do with the brakes. When you lift your foot off the accelerator and the gas engine or electric motors are no longer needed to propel the car forward, the second electric motor becomes a generator using the energy of the moving car to recharge the battery. The longer you are coasting or slowing down with the brakes, the more energy the motor can create to charge the batteries. So by stopping slowly, you are allowing more energy to be generated by the motor than if you stop quickly and the motor is spinning for less time.

So the simple rule for a hybrid to achieve the best mileage is to accelerate slowly using more electric power and less gas and stop slowly allowing the “regenerative” power of the motor to charge the battery.

 

I was thinking that was the case, but clearly the car is sending energy to the battery when hitting the brakes also (if you can believe the dashboard display.) Does the car vary the amount of resistance to forward motion by shunting progressively more force to the electric motor the harder you hit the brakes? Does the CVT play a role in this?

I did think of the same total amount of energy needed to stop the car being identical in both circumstances. But the efficiencies of the stopping methods will be different, which would yield a difference in recovered energy / frictional loss.

But what do I know? The last time I went to an engineering class at MIT, Sir Isaac Newton's name was on the side of the building. (Hmmm, probably still there.)

 

Hmm, the Lexus Hybrid brochure only mentions 'avoid heavy braking' and while it mentions the regenerative braking system there is no specific info on that:

http://www.lexus.com/hybriddrive/pdf...dPcktGuide.pdf

 

Just another input point. On my 600hL, I'm getting 22.5 overall milage (up to about 800 total miles so far. Once it's really "broke in", it should go up some.

It's a pretty good mix of city/highway driving.

Not bad for a car with the horsepower this has.

But, like others, I didn't get the car because of the gas mileage.

- Darryl

 

That sounds about right given the EPA ratings, which are now better adjusted for accuracy.

 

Filled the tank, and had a highway trip for 20 miles. The car averaged 25.4mpg at 75mph sustained. That I found impressive.

 

I don't!!!!!!!!!!!