Decent Highway MPG

goulian · 07-21-2007, 06:38 PM

Just got back from a trip to Ohio from Texas. On the way back from Toledo I was able to get to Jackson Tennessee on one tank. I traveled at 60 mph and logged 630 miles. The last bubble was not blinking. I suppose we could have gone another 30 miles or so but my wife and I needed some sleep. I did burp the tank and filled it to the rim.

IsrAmeriPrius · 07-21-2007, 06:46 PM

How many gallons did it take?

brick · 07-21-2007, 08:46 PM

Ditto. What was the "MPG?" Miles on a tank doesn't mean much without the other number.

chuck kershner · 07-21-2007, 09:57 PM

I'd love to know what all you folks are doing to eek out 600-plus miles to a tank. I'm reaching 9K with a late 06 Prius and now that summer temps are with us in Central New York, my average MPG is 44-45. The best ever was 52 and in the middle of winter, with the car sitting out all the time in sub-zero temps, mileage drops into the mid-20 to low-30 range. From talking with other owners with vehicles dating to '05, the 44-45 range seems to be standard around here. Must be New York State with its undulating hills, long, steep hills, windy roads, Thruway travel, and normal temps. But I'm still intrigued with the seemingly off-the-chart numbers posted on this site. Question: Can you get 60-70 mpg while text messaging on one phone, receiving a video clip on another, eating a 4-course dinner, and driving with your eyes closed?

berylrb · 07-21-2007, 10:14 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chuck kershner @ Jul 21 2007, 08:57 PM) [snapback]482986[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

I'd love to know what all you folks are doing to eek out 600-plus miles to a tank. I'm reaching 9K with a late 06 Prius and now that summer temps are with us in Central New York, my average MPG is 44-45. The best ever was 52 and in the middle of winter, with the car sitting out all the time in sub-zero temps, mileage drops into the mid-20 to low-30 range. From talking with other owners with vehicles dating to '05, the 44-45 range seems to be standard around here. Must be New York State with its undulating hills, long, steep hills, windy roads, Thruway travel, and normal temps. But I'm still intrigued with the seemingly off-the-chart numbers posted on this site. Question: Can you get 60-70 mpg while text messaging on one phone, receiving a video clip on another, eating a 4-course dinner, and driving with your eyes closed?
[/b]

First congratulations Vince on your 600 mile tank, regardless of your gallons I long for such numbers just for the experience.

Chuck, just to give you some perspective re-read Vince's post and you'll see that he traveled 60 MPH from Texas to Ohio! There are definitely optimum speeds, conditions, and techniques to get the 600 plus tanks, but compare that with say CA, I just got back from business in LA, two 400 mile fill ups of 49 MPG going, 67 MPH (mostly CC), and 44 MPG coming back, return trip 75+ MPH, interstate 5 both ways. Posted speed limit of 70 MPH almost the entire trip!

My point is don't be chagrined, if you could manage 60 MPH on the freeway and 39 MPH on surface streets I would bet that you would get 600 mile tanks easily!

goulian · 07-22-2007, 11:23 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(berylrb @ Jul 21 2007, 09:14 PM) [snapback]482992[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

First congratulations Vince on your 600 mile tank, regardless of your gallons I long for such numbers just for the experience.

Chuck, just to give you some perspective re-read Vince's post and you'll see that he traveled 60 MPH from Texas to Ohio! There are definitely optimum speeds, conditions, and techniques to get the 600 plus tanks, but compare that with say CA, I just got back from business in LA, two 400 mile fill ups of 49 MPG going, 67 MPH (mostly CC), and 44 MPG coming back, return trip 75+ MPH, interstate 5 both ways. Posted speed limit of 70 MPH almost the entire trip!

My point is don't be chagrined, if you could manage 60 MPH on the freeway and 39 MPH on surface streets I would bet that you would get 600 mile tanks easily!
[/b]

I do want to interject that from Toledo to Jackson Tennessee the highways are quite hilly. I used cruise control the whole way. If you do the math, you can get the gallons I used. The computer is pretty close.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Jul 21 2007, 05:46 PM) [snapback]482922[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

How many gallons did it take?
[/b]

Take 630 miles and divide it by 53 mpg.

IsrAmeriPrius · 07-22-2007, 01:51 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(VinceD @ Jul 22 2007, 08:23 AM) [snapback]483129[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Take 630 miles and divide it by 53 mpg. [/b]

Your original post had the range that you drove, but not the MPG or the number of gallons that it took to refuel the car.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(VinceD @ Jul 21 2007, 03:38 PM) [snapback]482915[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Just got back from a trip to Ohio from Texas. On the way back from Toledo I was able to get to Jackson Tennessee on one tank. I traveled at 60 mph and logged 630 miles. The last bubble was not blinking. I suppose we could have gone another 30 miles or so but my wife and I needed some sleep. I did burp the tank and filled it to the rim. [/b]

brick · 07-22-2007, 04:45 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chuck kershner @ Jul 21 2007, 09:57 PM) [snapback]482986[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Question: Can you get 60-70 mpg while text messaging on one phone, receiving a video clip on another, eating a 4-course dinner, and driving with your eyes closed?
[/b]

Nope! I can do high 50s/low 60s pretty consistently on my highway commute but it takes some effort. It doesn't require anything fancy but it does require paying close attention to traffic to avoid braking, keeping my speeds right around the limit, and glancing at my tach ($20 at Autozone) to keep the engine mostly in the "butter zone" between 1500 and 2400RPM. Sounds fancy but it keeps me focused on one thing: driving the car.

berylrb · 07-22-2007, 08:04 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brick @ Jul 22 2007, 03:45 PM) [snapback]483245[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Nope! I can do high 50s/low 60s pretty consistently on my highway commute but it takes some effort. It doesn't require anything fancy but it does require paying close attention to traffic to avoid braking, keeping my speeds right around the limit, and glancing at my tach ($20 at Autozone) to keep the engine mostly in the "butter zone" between 1500 and 2400RPM. Sounds fancy but it keeps me focused on one thing: driving the car.
[/b]

hey brick, just curious, at what speeds is your tach showing 1500-2400 RPM would that be, say, 29, 39 and 59 MPH, say level road? These MPH seem to be the sweet spots suggested by many posters, but I don't seem to recall anyone associating a tachometer range, hmmm ...

brick · 07-22-2007, 09:55 PM

As always, "it depends." Speed limits on my commute are 55 or 60mph depending on which stretch, and most of the time I'm either headed up or down hill. I can usually maintain 60 on the ascents without breaking 2400rpm so. On a dead flat road with no noticeable wind, the engine seems to produce enough power to maintain 60mph when it is turning right in the range of 1500. On the down-hill segments I back off and employ a little "warp stealth" to stop fuel consumption until I have good reason to demand significant power from the engine again.

Keep in mind that the use of a eCVT means that the only relationship between engine RPM and steady-state speed is power output. In other words, the car will open up the throttle plate and then control power by increasing or decreasing engine speed. I haven't noticed any particular sweet spots except that the range between 41 and 50mph is a pain to manage. 1500RPM makes too much power for steady speed on a flat road so you have to use warp stealth to P&G, and that kind of P&G is a lot more touchy than below 41mph.

Now that I think about it those speeds do make sense as a general guideline. Below 40mph (39mph) the system will sort of P&G for you as it goes between gas and electric operation. At 55-60mph (59mph) you are moving fast enough that the engine can run at the low end of its efficient range and still hold roughly 60mpg from my observations. Above 60mph aerodynamic drag picks up and there is a fairly steep decline in fuel efficiency. By 70mph I don't expect to be much above 50mpg.

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07-21-2007, 06:38 PM	#1
goulian Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 10 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Just got back from a trip to Ohio from Texas. On the way back from Toledo I was able to get to Jackson Tennessee on one tank. I traveled at 60 mph and logged 630 miles. The last bubble was not blinking. I suppose we could have gone another 30 miles or so but my wife and I needed some sleep. I did burp the tank and filled it to the rim.

07-21-2007, 06:46 PM	#2
IsrAmeriPrius Progressive Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 4,335 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	How many gallons did it take?

07-21-2007, 08:46 PM	#3
brick Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 720 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Ditto. What was the "MPG?" Miles on a tank doesn't mean much without the other number.

07-21-2007, 09:57 PM	#4
chuck kershner Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 25 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I'd love to know what all you folks are doing to eek out 600-plus miles to a tank. I'm reaching 9K with a late 06 Prius and now that summer temps are with us in Central New York, my average MPG is 44-45. The best ever was 52 and in the middle of winter, with the car sitting out all the time in sub-zero temps, mileage drops into the mid-20 to low-30 range. From talking with other owners with vehicles dating to '05, the 44-45 range seems to be standard around here. Must be New York State with its undulating hills, long, steep hills, windy roads, Thruway travel, and normal temps. But I'm still intrigued with the seemingly off-the-chart numbers posted on this site. Question: Can you get 60-70 mpg while text messaging on one phone, receiving a video clip on another, eating a 4-course dinner, and driving with your eyes closed?

07-22-2007, 09:55 PM	#10
brick Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 720 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	As always, "it depends." Speed limits on my commute are 55 or 60mph depending on which stretch, and most of the time I'm either headed up or down hill. I can usually maintain 60 on the ascents without breaking 2400rpm so. On a dead flat road with no noticeable wind, the engine seems to produce enough power to maintain 60mph when it is turning right in the range of 1500. On the down-hill segments I back off and employ a little "warp stealth" to stop fuel consumption until I have good reason to demand significant power from the engine again. Keep in mind that the use of a eCVT means that the only relationship between engine RPM and steady-state speed is power output. In other words, the car will open up the throttle plate and then control power by increasing or decreasing engine speed. I haven't noticed any particular sweet spots except that the range between 41 and 50mph is a pain to manage. 1500RPM makes too much power for steady speed on a flat road so you have to use warp stealth to P&G, and that kind of P&G is a lot more touchy than below 41mph. Now that I think about it those speeds do make sense as a general guideline. Below 40mph (39mph) the system will sort of P&G for you as it goes between gas and electric operation. At 55-60mph (59mph) you are moving fast enough that the engine can run at the low end of its efficient range and still hold roughly 60mpg from my observations. Above 60mph aerodynamic drag picks up and there is a fairly steep decline in fuel efficiency. By 70mph I don't expect to be much above 50mpg.