Fuel consumption while driving at 80mph?

[Cruising7388]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(electricity_guzzler @ May 31 2006, 10:03 AM) [snapback]263450[/snapback]</div>

when you drive 70-80 mph, just make sure you are behind another car at least, or a truck preferably. the drafting effect makes a significant difference. see my drafting = 3mpg increase thread. (actually more like 7mpg increase).
[/b]

Not only will this increase your gas mileage, it will also decrease your burial expenses since
your Prius will serve well as your coffin.

[Arnold]

We are just back from a holiday in Czechia, where most roads have a 90 km/h (56 mph) speed limit and pass through villages where the max is 50 km/h. I got 23.2 km/l (54.6 mpg) !!!

On my way back through Germany on the Autobahn there is no speed limit and I went up to 181 km/h (112 mph) downhill. My mileage dropped to 18.4 km/l (43.3 mph), or 21%.
Several cars (BMW, Audi, etc.) still passed me though.

[Devil's Advocate]

I drive between Las Vegas and Orange County at least once a week. I usually travel early morning to avoid traffic.

From Vegas to OC (theoretically, because i would never speed ) cruising at 80 MPH average you 50 mpg is attainable, generally I am in the upper 40's to low 50's even with the AC on full blast.

Going TO Vegas is a completely different story, for the first 2/3's of the trip (at 80 MPH average) you average 38 to 42 mpg depending on AC use on the last 1/3 of the trip your overall trip average increases to 46 to 48 max. My worst tank ever, at 90+mph and 100+ degree heat was 38 mpg. You will run out of battery juice on the east bound uphill and have to run on ICE only, which due to the incline limits your speed to about 65!

[berylrb]

I think this is the best thread on PC.com!

It is so, well how can I say it, REALISTIC! REAL WORLD DRIVING!

LOL, thanks for making it happen Bartolo.

Hey MikeSF if you're still reading we should get together sometime and cry about our lousy 35-38 mpg city driving, hahaha. I'm so envious you get to drive embarcadero sometimes, check out Great Highway, oh my, talk about flat, once I thought about doing two or three laps just to experience what the high milers experience. But there's no way I'm driving below 70 on the freeway, it just ain't happening!

b

[DaveinOlyWA]

i did a tank from Montana to Washington at 70 mph pegged on CC, temps in upper 90's. AC set to 72º, got 48.7 mpg.

i dont know who posted they got 50 mpg @60 mph because im more like 56 mpg. cant believe there is that much difference. will say the Montana trip was better than normal gas mileage because i live in an area that requires E10 all year. pretty sure that when i filled in Montana, they were not using E10

[meezercat]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(busyrosy @ May 24 2006, 08:06 PM) [snapback]260651[/snapback]</div>

Once you get a prius, you'll probably change the way you drive. The consumption screen is addictive.. it's like a freakin game that you're trying to master.

[/b]

I'm so glad you said this. I'm on day 3 of Prius ownership and I can't get enough of that screen. I'm hanging out in this forum specifically to find ways to alter my driving to improve my numbers :P

[meshell]

i am still going through the break in period w/ my prius, but i took a long trip this weekend and drove btwn 70 and 80 mph, averaged 45.7 mpg. not bad considering the terrain, hills and more hills...