New owner? Want MPG help? Read this first.

[frankbankoff]

efusco,
i cannot locate your treatise on how to increase mileage. can you provide it in text or a link to the single document?

[andyprius]

I sort of think that low mileage until complete warm-up occurs is the same for all cars. With the Prius, low mileage = 40 plus MPG. Very few cars can equal that. Going between buildings during the day, a bicycle might be perfect. Prius is not only a unique concept car, but I find it affects my thinking in other energy saving aspects.

[bengarland]

This is probably a weird thread in which to put my first post, but I read the first several pages of it and I just have to chime in about something here

Several posters (this is from a couple years ago near the beginning of the thread) were lamenting that they only have a 5 mile or less commute and their Prius wouldn't get good gas mileage during such a short drive.

If they are still reading this thread, I would like to ask:

Have you tried a bicycle? I'm serious. Just about anyone can bike 5 miles in less than 25 minutes without even trying. Plus, you can get good panniers or an Xtracycle that will give you the capacity to carry enormous amounts of cargo should have the need. Plus, it's good exercise.

Just something to think about. It will save you money not spent on gas, time not wasted sitting in traffic (yeah it might take longer on a bike, but at least you're doing something productive), and improve your health.

[pete miller]

I agree exactly with AndyPrius. All cars are hampered during warmup; the Prius is less so. Using the below technique, I (2006) get about 45 MPG during the first 5 min and 25 to 30 if driving regular for the first 5.

Also the link to Fusco's fine paper is right on. As can be seen, there are a LOT of variables. When measuring MPG, a basic requirement is to start and end the measurement with the same battery state of charge (SOC).

One driving technique that is Very effective is the "pulse and glide" , mentioned earlier. Key to the technique, surprisingly, is minimizing the use of the battery. This is because use of the battery is not 100% efficient. However, the technique requires some attention and can bug other drivers. 1) accelerate moderately, but not so hard as to require assist from the battery/electric motor. Accelerate to say 40 MPH, whatever the speed limit permits; 2) Feather the gas until the ICE stops but not enough to start using the car's inertia to put juice back in the battery (dynamic braking). This is coasting, while only very gradually slowing down, say to 30 MPH. Then repeat. Use the energy display to tell if you are feathering correctly (no arrows out of the ICE and none in or out of the battery). The SOC should remain fairly constant (unless the ac is on). This mode of driving in perfect conditions by experts can average over 100 MPG, but I don't like to bug the drivers behind me, so I can average about 50 MPG in moderate traffic and 70 in no trafic.

Any Prius owner that gets better MPG @ 65 MPH then in the city @ 30 - 45 MPH is probably driving aggressively in the city. The MPG for all cars drops dramatically at high speeds due to windage. Hybrids shine in the city because of ICE shutoff when coasting/stopped and dynamic braking.

[Son of Gloin]

Originally Posted by stvpriustouring

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jendbbay @ Nov 12 2006, 07:41 PM) [snapback]348023[/snapback]</div>

I just got my Prius Touring a month ago and my first tank average is 43mpg. I guess this is pretty accurate for most people. Of course, the mileage gained depend very much on the driving habit and also the condition of the road. If you start driving downhill for 100 miles, of course your MPG will be much greater than 43.

i'm quite new here - still awaiting delivery on an '08/'09 Pkg #3 - but felt strangely obligated to respond to the above post ....

i know what you mean about driving downhill for 100+ miles. over the last SEVERAL years and on three different occasions, i've driven from Denver, CO - elevation 5300' - to Salina, KS - elevation 1250' - which is a distance of 400+ miles.

driving just a tad below the posted speed limit in the '97 Dodge Stratus - which i still have ... which is epa rated at 28mpg / hi-way driving - i got over 38mpg for that stretch one time, and over 40mpg the other two times ....

has anybody here had a chance to drive that same stretch of I-70 in a Prius at, say, 60-65mph? if so, what kind of mpg did you get for that haul?

[Son of Gloin]

Originally Posted by LanceinOregon

Wow, mileage for my 2007 Prius just jumped 4 MPG this week! I have gone from 42 MPG the previous week, to 46 MPG this week.

Two things have happened in the last week:

#1: The weather has been way warmer. Highs have been in the low 60's, instead of high 40's

#2 I fueld up, and noticed a BIG 12 cent increase in the gas price. Could I be getting a new blend of fuel now?

In any event, with this new 4 MPG increase, I am now quite happy getting 46 MPG

Lance in Orygun

slowly-but-surely, i'm getting caught up with this MOST informative and interesting thread.

i'm VERY happy to read, Lance, that - as of the date of the above-quoted post - your mileage had rather rapidly improved from 29 (?) to 46 (!) ... that's great!

we're still waiting to get our '08/'09 Prius - placed a deposit and ordered one nearly a month ago - and we certainly hope that IF our initial mileage is low as yours was, that it will also increase with time as yours has ....