25% Improvment in MPG....Thank You!

[Brian K]

I'm thinking you might get REALLY great mileage with an '08.

Good going regarding the change in driving technique. Hey, we must all be nuts too. We do what we need to do to get better mileage. My pet peeve since getting the Prius are jackrabbit starts by other folks, just to get to the (obvious to a sighted person) next already red light. What morons. I bet they gripe about the high price of gas.

[EricGo]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hdrygas @ Apr 28 2006, 12:17 AM) [snapback]246470[/snapback]</div>

OK I did the same thing... in Spades. I actually researched the topographical change on maps! Yes I am sick. I have now 2 stop signs and 6 stop lights. I can usually cruse through at least 2 or 3 of the stop lights. Gradual up and down hills a great to work and only a few tenths of a mile greater than the usual route that involves 2-3 miles at 50 mph. Makes a big difference.
[/b]

Sorry, you are not sick. I am

I have been known to check the local weather, and time my trips when the wind is favorable to my topography.

[j24816]

arggh!

Actually, I could not find either spelling in Websters, and when googling both returned numerous hits. I should have quit when I was ahead, but.....one was in the Urban Dictionary. Argggh!

Note that if your new route is a sufficiently greater distance you may be using more gasoline in total even though the MPG figure is better:

6 miles @ 40 MPG burns 0.16 gallon
9 miles @ 50 MPG burns 0.18 gallon

Very good point. Using Streets and Trips, my new route is two tenths of a mile longer. Looking at the map it seems reasonable. Eventually I'll get around to measuring, but for now am content that I am actually saving gas, not just padding my MPG.


I actually researched the topographical change on maps!

Aside from 1 mile/300 vertical feet to/from my house (after reading your post I had to check!) the trip is now fairly flat; if I work late I have actually been able to get 10 straight minutes of a maxed out display. Lights are timed and I was hitting them perfectly.


Let me be sure I've got this right. You now have 49 lights or stop signs---in 9 miles---an average of 5.5 per mile---and this is an IMPROVEMENT over your old route?


Part of the charm of living in Southern California. I could go on for quite a while on this topic, but will let it go at that. By coincidence, heading to work this morning there were three Prius's stopped abreast (including my cars twin, separated at birth) at one of the lights.


EV mode switch

My wife would kill me. (and keep the Prius)


Ultimately, it's not about miles per gallon; it's about gallons

Wisdom!!!

[foo]

I've had my Prius a week and the MPG readout has gone from like 16 to 44.5. I have 4 bars (pips? still learning the lingo) left on the gas gauge and 240 miles or so on the odometer.

I doubt I'll be measuring altitude, etc., but I'm happy that with extremely marginal changes in my driving habits I'm able to average 44MPG on a commute from Contra Costa County to San Francisco.. (40 mile roundtrip commute).

Occasionally I commute to San Jose instead (120 mile roundtrip commute) and I'm looking forward to seeing if that improves or reduces the MPG. I'm guessing it will be a bit better due to fewer hills, but we'll see..

[darelldd]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(j24816 @ Apr 27 2006, 07:05 PM) [snapback]246415[/snapback]</div>

4) I think twice before taking a short trip, and delay the trip if not truely needed.
[/b]

If I may.... THIS part is likely to have the biggest impact on mileage. Short trips will kill mileage, while long, warm ones will see the best.