If wind resistance was the factor for better mileage in low speeds, then all our cars wud be fuel sippers. The regenerative action is important but that is only playing a small role. The battery powers the car at very low speeds, but cannot do so at higher speeds (I am guessing > 30 mph but cud be wrong on the number). Which is why in city traffic and at intersections the car uses virtually no fuel. It is like an electric car. The regenerative thing kicks in to charge the battery, because or else the battery wud be dead. Such a pattern of driving, a.ka., slow speeds and braking is what happens in city driving where the Prius uses lease fuel. For high speeds the gasoline engine kicks in where most normal gasoline cars do great anyway. THERE the Prius was especially designed to minimize fuel consumption via an ultra aerodynamic shape. The shape of the Prius was driven by necessity and NOT by aesthetics.
Whew! that was my nickel’s worth of words.
Excuse the typo. I meant to say, “…blah blah blah…Prius uses LESS fuel…more blah blah blah”
If as you say Aerodynamics is THEE reason it gets better gas mileage at low speeds…then how do you explain the better gas mileage for a Camry or a Hylander?? Both of these vehicles use the same body style as their NON- hybrid twins…yet their city mpg is as high or higher then their highway…
You can turn your gas mileage upside down, that is, get better gas mileage in the city than on the highway, with a conventional car, if you drive as if the car’s brakes don’t work and you don’t let the engine idle for extended periods while waiting for trains to go by.
No matter how aerodynamic the car’s body is, there is still less air resistance at low speeds than at high speeds.
It takes less energy to go slow than fast and hybrids are engineered to be efficient when going slow in stop and go conditions. In city driving, stop and go forces you to throw energy away by braking and you spend a lot of time going zero miles per hour with an idling engine. Hybrids do away with both of these gas wasters to a large extent.
On the highway, they are just another car.