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Getting an average of 35 mpg in city? Why?

Discussion in 'Prius c Fuel Economy' started by Britt Jacobsen, Oct 26, 2014.

  1. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

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    They do reset, but if you keep the information for more than 9999 miles it rolls over to 0 again, but keeps the memory of the actual mileage from before as well. It get's difficult to read sometimes because it will show 10 miles with an EV mile of 400 (or whatever yours is). It is still accurate, but it shows as 10 or 20 miles instead of 10,010 miles.
     
  2. minkus

    minkus Active Member

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    Here's an example (pictures included at bottom):

    • I have 20,685 miles on the odometer. I use trip A to keep track of lifetime mpg and such.
    • The trip A screen (which has never been reset, so it technically has the same number of miles on it as the odometer) says 684.8 miles, because it's rolled over from 9999 to 0 twice.
    • It says EV 77% 7705.8 miles. 7705.8 EV miles/20,685 total miles = 37% EV, not 77%.
    • So for the EV % calculation, if the trip odometer has rolled over past 9999, it does the EV % calculation as if the trip odometer has 10,000 (edit: or maybe 9999?) miles on it (7705.8/10000 = 77%), regardless of the number of times it's "rolled" past 9999.
    • So basically, everything is correct except the EV % and the number of miles on trip A.
    • Eventually, once I reach 10,000 EV miles (sometime around next June, maybe), it'll say 100% EV. And then I'm curious to see if it will go over 100% or just stay at 100% forever.
     

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    #62 minkus, Oct 31, 2014
    Last edited: Nov 4, 2014
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  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    gotcha.;) that's a heckuva ev % for a non plug in, is that typical for c owners?
     
  4. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

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    I knew the numbers were still the same, I didn't realize that the percentages were off. I reset mine once I saw it didn't go past 9999. Thanks for the info and pictures. That helps explain it much better.
     
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  5. goinskiing

    goinskiing Active Member

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    Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that the ICE is not tied directly to the drive train, IE. the drive train is entirely electric and the ICE is a generator. When in high rev situations such as when you're in PWR mode, the ICE is keeping the battery charged so that you can have a high power dram to supply that sort of high revving. Is that correct (even make sense)?
     
  6. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

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    Not correct. That's how it works on the Volt, but not the prius. They work in tandem.
     
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  7. minkus

    minkus Active Member

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    If the miles for the tank are mostly to/from work and around town, my EV % is usually over 50% - my last fill-up was 62%, and those average speeds are ~20 mph. If the tank includes a 200-300 mile round trip I frequently take, the EV % is around 30% and average speed is ~30 mph, since I usually take state routes that go through small towns, which takes longer but is far less boring than the interstate highway, and gets me 60-70 mpg. Northeast Ohio winters drop all those percentages, especially when turning the car off for less than 5 minutes results in a full warmup cycle.

    So, my answer to your question is that I'd expect most people to have more highway driving than I do and a lower EV%, but it could be the same if they're stuck in traffic on the highway, or more if they only take city streets/live in warm climates.
     
  8. Easy Rider 2

    Easy Rider 2 Senior Member

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    The EV% is pretty much meaningless in a non-plugin hybrid because.............

    EV mode or not, 100% of the energy used comes from the gas burned in the engine; yes even the regen brakes are just capturing part of that gasoline energy.

    In many conditions, using EV actually reduces your total efficiency because of conversion losses.

    There is no free lunch.
     
  9. goinskiing

    goinskiing Active Member

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    This is indeed true which means there's a theoretical maximum MPG (not sure what that is, too lazy to do maths right now). The trick is just knowing your route and making adjustments to how you drive to maximize that efficiency. You are correct too that there are scenarios where trying to go EV only for certain stretches have diminishing returns since that energy to the battery needs to be restored. For example, I try to use as much EV as possible on my commute to the freeway since I know my freeway driving will regenerate the battery once I'm there. It just takes some practice and observation is all.
     
  10. SageBrush

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    About 120 MPG as a practical matter.
    Interesting that we consider 60 MPG a nice result, isn't it ? ;)
     
  11. minkus

    minkus Active Member

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    Yes, I know. But since the EV % simply counts the distance the car travels while the ICE is off, most of those miles are coasting/slight braking or using under 1/3 of the EV range to P&G. I know my commute and when I can afford to use some battery power.
     
  12. Britt Jacobsen

    Britt Jacobsen Junior Member

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    So what EV percentage should we be at? Or what's the average?
     
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    there is no best and the average wouldn't mean anything as your driving conditions and terrain have a lot to do with it. all you can control is your pulse and glide technique.
     
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  14. Okinawa

    Okinawa Senior Member

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    Just go to You Tube and type in HOW TO DRIVE A PRIUS and some pulse and glide videos will come up. Just click on and watch one or two and you will get the idea.
     
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  15. xraydoug

    xraydoug Active Member

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    Over the last 7500 miles averaging over 59mpg. Most miles in town.

    If I were to ask you why, it would be difficult to give any input. There are a lot of things that kill your mpg in a prius c.

    Tire psi I use 50
    I only use AC on hwy in eco mode
    To much stop and go.
     
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  16. ufourya

    ufourya We the People

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  17. ewxlt66

    ewxlt66 Active Member

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    Not while delivering mail. I would guess the pulse distances are so short, her ICE is constantly kicking on lowering her MPG. Still, 35mpg is fantastic. Imagine if you were in a Chevy Malibu? 17mpg at best I'd guess.
     
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  18. mahout

    mahout Active Member

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    right on. its a matter of enegy: the moreoften youaccelerate and vbrake the more gas you will use.only the Leaf willdobetter if your route is less than 5o miles total roundtrip. Even then it might be a trifle close.
    Charging that sucker at nite with 220v is downright cheap to ryun. the Pius c is next butall that stoppingand going means 30 mpg because you aren't driving the EPA city cycle computer route. Their programmed drive is a lot less energy sapping.
     
  19. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

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    Yeah, she was getting 20-25 while doing the same route in a Tacoma.
     
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  20. Britt Jacobsen

    Britt Jacobsen Junior Member

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    It's actually getting better. Now I am seeing an average of 45 mpg. I am not sure why. And the weather has been colder also. Maybe I have changed my driving patterns. I noticed with my bank statements that I was spending $450-$800 just in gas with my Tacoma. With the Prius I have been spending at the most $180 in gas since I have owned it. That is my car payment.
     
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