Worse consumption when driving long distances

Bob, I think we got crossed up with some comments. I don't have a problem, I was just commenting on the post about leaving the engine running to avoid the start-up routine each time it's turned off. miso03 posted the latest problem and I think that's maybe who you wanted to ask about the ODB scanner, but you quoted my comment and I responded.

 

I can run at 75mph on the Hwy in the Midwest with A/C on and still pull 50mpg but I'm in flatlander country

 

No offense to OP and his girlfriend, but I think a good clinometer for indicating slope,up or slope down while driving would be a great addition to his Prius. I have been similarly puzzled by odd events I the long ascents and descents in the US Rocky Mountains, but without the clinometer I could never be sure what our situation was. Very frustrating, but I have not yet been able to build a good one for our Prius.
Alternatively, we could rip a rate-of-climb/sink gauge from an old airplane or glider and mount that on the dashboard to have instantaneous ROC information, but those are usually 3-5 inches round, so it's going to look pretty ugly.
Anybody else have a solution for getting this info whilst driving?

 

A GPS mouse combined with a digital, topology map would work and then noodle out some sort of small display. Perhaps some of the hiking apps that run on cell phones?

Bob Wilson

 

A few times I have set a GPS display field to show altitude, then watched for it to rise or fall.

So far, this is only with an add-on GPS. If it is available on the built-in NAV, I haven't found it.

 

On the Toyota system, IIRC I found an altitude field once when parked, but I then could not access any of it whilst driving! Argh!
Agree on GPS with altitude display and I have a Bad Elf GPS logger above dash that always displays altitude as one field, BUT I really hate the distraction and mental workload of staring at it to see if the altitude is increasing or decreasing. In a low workload period in an airplane cockpit I think that action would be safe, but I cannot bring myself to do it when driving a car as generally second-by-second control adjustments are necessary for safety, particularly in the hills and mountains where this all becomes an issue. So I'm looking for 1 clear-cut display that I can give a 1/10th of a second glance and get either "how much slope up or slope down" info (the clinometer) or "how fast are we climbing or descending" info (Rate Of Climb/sink gauge). I know, picky, picky, picky...

 

Who has run a 1200 mile trip like Chicago to Disney World ?? How is it in the Mountains of KY and Tenn., avg trip MPG
Going to this run in April

 

I see no reason you can do 50 mph or better.

I should add that mountains are non-issues east of the Rockies. The biggest ranges you'd likely encounter have installed either tunnels or newer highways that eliminate the extreme elevations we had even 10 years ago. The downhill should mitigate the uphill unless you are heavily loaded.

 

I live in the Poconos near Wilkes-Barre, PA. Most of my driving is near there and I average about 44, with my daily commute to work brim. 4 miles each way and about 2-3 times per week going to W-B for groceries/etc with about a 35 mile round trip. I have an 07 base model with about 170k on it.

From here to NYC and back I got 50.1.

Not a Dalek

 

If you can, see if it can monitor the traction battery temperatures. This is one area where backing off can lead to longer service life.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

 

Here's a sample of battery temps with the plug-in. It uses a different chemistry. So, I'm quite curious how the regular model varies as the drive proceeds. Anyone (Bob) have that data handy?

 

Been pulling 63MPG in the suburbs of Chicago but today it was raining all day I know it hurts the traction was getting 54MPG only