Prius economy sucks

[wicastawakan]

There is always a difference in vehicles & gas mileage, but it will typically run in a narrower range than the effects of the operator. You have, wind, hills, tire pressure, etc, etc.

I'm not a hypermiler, I would describe my style as a more gun & glide than anything else. I pretty much accelerate with the flow of traffic. If the traffic is sparce, I am a little more laid back. I try to drive smart.

Given that my very worst full tank was in the low 40's. New tires, wind, hills, cold, etc. My best tank(s) have been lower 60's, but I cannot maintain 60mpg + tank after tank.

I have way more highway than city & usually wind & definitely hills. A combination of the last three tanks is a 50.8 mpg over 1,400 miles. Given some of the unfavorable parameters, I think I may be in the top half of the normal drivers. I also run 195/60-15 tires which are appx. 1/2 " wider than stock & I did take a little hit on mpg with them & have 4,000 + miles on them & wouldn't trade the benefits for the mileage. But you can add probably a couple miles per gallon to my average with std tires.

If you are not getting good mileage, review all the reasons why & there is plently of info available on this forum. Once you have exhausted any potential problems, you might want to look at your driving environment & your driving style. You can try to work around any physical things that can be improved, ex routing.

I think the simplest way to "catch on" to driving your Prius is simply moniter your "instant mpg" screen. If what you are doing is improving the mpg it is good, if it lowers the mpg it is not so good. Like I said, you can't simply quit going up & down hills, but you can certainly experiment with what you are doing with your speed & "gas pedal" that increases or decreases you mileage.

The instigators that come here are just that & their expert "advice" is worth exactly what it costs.

Take away the green, etc, etc, etc. When I take the vehicle for what it does, how it does it, how it fits my needs & factor in the mileage = one sweet package. I'm 59 years old & it is the best vehicle I've ever owned & I am more satisfied with it than any vehicle I've owned. Everything else is gravy. Nice vehicle.

[snead_c]

Originally Posted by V8KILLER

I have lately been averaging about 22 mpg, (far worse than my Camaro) and recently I have considering swapping the v8 from my Camaro into my Prius, also for obvious performance gains also. Is there another way I can increase the economy of my Prius, like a supercharger or a turbo?

"My Car: Other Non-Hybrid"

TROLL !

[crayola]

Originally Posted by V8KILLER

Is there another way I can increase the economy of my Prius, like a supercharger or a turbo?

Try pulling the floor mat from under the accelerator. I noticed an instant gain in power and throttle response. Right now I am looking at zero to 60 times starting in {D}“Drive” versus starting in {B}“Engine Brake”. When I pull away from a light in {B} the engine is already on versus in {D} so throttle response time is much quicker.

[Rokeby]

Lemme see if I've got this right...

A poster asks for tips on ways to increase "economy."

A second poster responds to mash the go-pedal to the floor looking to
increase acceleration off the line.

Just what kind of "economy" are we talking about increasing here...
That of Saudi Arabia, Venezuela?

[HTMLSpinnr]

Originally Posted by Mike Dimmick

The Prius was therefore stuck in fuel-enrichment mode (at top end power, cars add more fuel than necessary to ensure all oxygen is used up, and to keep combustion chamber temperatures down, to prevent damage) and using large amounts of fuel.

It is well documented that this is incorrect in the case of the Prius - it doesn't vary from a stoichiometric mixture - ever. This is a good part of why the ICE only makes 76hp at peak RPM, and takes a bit longer to spool up. It could easily do more power with a richer fuel load, but then wouldn't be nearly as efficient at doing so.

You'll almost never see a Prius stray rich or lean of this unless something is wrong w/ the fuel/exhaust feedback system.