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Help me maximize my commute

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by frayz, Apr 15, 2011.

  1. frayz

    frayz Junior Member

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    Ok. well i've been lurking on these forums alot and reading here and there. Trying to perfect my driving on the prius in the last year. Starting to learn little mistakes I was making driving and in judging my MPG.

    When I first bought the car I was resetting the trip/mpg every day and getting a daily reading. Then I started to realize that wasn't accurate as a per tank reading. So now I judge my weekly trip/mpg.

    Currently I am getting 57-59mpg on the MFD(I do not have a scangauge yet) - so i guess that would equal 54-57 actual.

    My commute is 43 miles one way. half of it is mixed city driving a mile of low speed out of my neighborhood to a 55mph with two 2 mile 35mph zones and then the second half is interstate.

    I have been working on keepign the SOC high for the 55mph so that i can most of the time slip in and out of high speed "stealth" mode. Usually with the MFD around 69-75? and not drop speed too quickly. maybe a mph per 2 miles depending on the grade.

    I try the pulse and glide in the 35mph zones. coast in, then glide as far as I can and pulse back up. I have been playing with a couple ways as i do not know how anyone else does it, but OPTION 1:pulse in electric only-takes longer and kills SOC. OP2:pulse hard into el+ICE and its crap mpg for a small amount of time. OP3:pulse gently into ICE and decent mpg for a little longer amount of time.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am pushing hard to try and get 60 actual this summer!
     
    #1 frayz, Apr 15, 2011
  2. mikewithaprius

    mikewithaprius New Member

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    You are already close to 60, no doubt that it'll happen!

    You're right about option 1, you don't want to pulse using EV. It sounds like option 3 is best for everyday driving, since it fits in, and also you will charge the battery a bit more. I found when I tried to do aggressive pulses that my SOC would drop quite a bit relative to other driving methods, since you're only charging it via the gas engine for a short amount of time.

    If I'm already at speed I like to have the mph equal mpg give or take a couple on the pulses, though that varies with terrain.

    On the highway, learn how to warp stealth. What you called high speed stealth is actually called Super Highway Mode. To get stealth on the highway (known as Warp Stealth at those speeds), do the same pedal shenanigans you would for a glide, only at those speeds you'll get yellow arrows, which is what you want. That's a no gas state.

    Some more info here:

    Mike with a Prius: Prius-ing for Dummies - beginner Prius mileage tips
     
    #2 mikewithaprius, Apr 15, 2011
  3. frayz

    frayz Junior Member

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    Thanks for your input. I've read about warp stealth. I just have not seemed to get it perfected. I can't manage to keep around the reasonable speed for any amount of time. I will read the link though and try harder!
     
    #3 frayz, Apr 15, 2011
  4. frayz

    frayz Junior Member

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    Ok i read that over and learned a thing or two (especially about the B mode! did not know that).


    Now for accellaration from a dead stop(which i try NOT to do, but occasionaly have to. )
    I've heard different things about going to slow and so I watch the mfd constantly and have come up with what I think is working ok, but I want your guys opinions..
    I usually start in EV up to 10-15mph and then slowly depress harder to get it to accell more briskly. getting 15-18 mpg but gaining speed at a good pace. As i reach the 30mph i start backing off hoping for 26-35 ish and around 40mph i ease off to accel at 40mpgish to my goal of 55mph.
     
    #4 frayz, Apr 15, 2011
  5. mikewithaprius

    mikewithaprius New Member

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    Yes, also read the bit about Hobbit's technique, that's really what you're looking for with highway driving. It's counterintuitive, but it should help with warp stealth, since yes, on flat ground if you don't have excess speed, you'll just lose a lot of momentum with it, and will end up with worse mileage from re-accelerating all the time.

    From a stop, in pulse and glide land starting with EV can be good. If you're in no hurry you can start with that for highway, too, but in terms of getting to highway speeds, I've found in a small, very limited bunch of tests that whether you accelerate very slowly or you gun it, there's no significant difference in mpg. My tests were only over about two and a half miles (acceleration plus cruise control), so over the course of a trip the difference would be very small, under 1 mpg (probably less) total in either direction. Sometimes the harder acceleration would actually give the best mpg, so I would accelerate "normally", especially to avoid pissing off everyone else on the road :) It makes no real difference.

    Basically, you can effect a far greater change on mileage with highway driving techniques than the acceleration.
     
    #5 mikewithaprius, Apr 15, 2011
  6. frayz

    frayz Junior Member

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    Thanks for the tips man! So far i've had the car almost a year and love it. Plan on getting a PHEV or a Prius C next year :)
     
    #6 frayz, Apr 15, 2011
  7. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    I recommend minimizing a commute, not maximizing it.

    Tom
     
    #7 qbee42, Apr 15, 2011
  8. frayz

    frayz Junior Member

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    There's no way to cut down the distance. Shortest route. I own a house x amount of miles from work. HAVE to work 5 days a week. Necessary evil. Maximize MPG for the trip.
     
    #8 frayz, Apr 15, 2011
  9. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    I was just picking on you for the way you phrased the title. It's typical of the ambiguity in the English language, unless you write like a lawyer. What you meant to say was "Help me maximize my gas mileage during my commute."

    Tom
     
    #9 qbee42, Apr 15, 2011
  10. frayz

    frayz Junior Member

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    This is true, but also the wonderful part about the "american english" is that all the rules are not per say rules. The language allows room for implied meaning :)
     
    #10 frayz, Apr 15, 2011
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