There are two points in how to drive to extend the cruising range.

One is how to drive.

The i-MiEV accelerates more powerfully than the same-class gasoline-powered mini-vehicle, and the more-than-required energy is likely to be used at start. So, if you save the acceleration at start by selecting the shift position to “Eco”, you can extend the cruising range.

In addition, when you drive the i-MiEV on the expressways at a speed of more than 90km/H, for example, it worsen the electric power consumption due to the greater driving resistance such as air as a typical example. However, if you drive at a possible-constant speed of less than 90km/H, it becomes better condition than the urban driving which repeats start and stop, and so if you drive on the metropolitan expressways at the traffic jam time of the open road, you can extend the cruising range.

Taking a longer vehicle-to-vehicle distance than usual is also an effective way to drive at a constant speed.

The other is to use the regenerative brake system (*) effectively. In such driving conditions as frequently repeating the long downhill or acceleration and deceleration, using the regenerative brake system effectively with a shift position set to the “B” mode, where a stronger regenerative brake power is gained, charge more energy into the battery than in the “D” mode and can extend the cruising range.

• *: Regenerative brake system functions as follows:
  When releasing an accelerator pedal while driving, a motor operates as a generator, and then an energy which the driving vehicle has is converted into the electrical energy to be stored in the drive battery.