If Toyota launches the current 08 hybrid battery but if adds the plug in capability then the total MPG should improve.

The new Lithium Ion powered plug-in Hybrid will be sold to:Model Year 2010 but coming out in 9/08 ? Fleet Customers, such as TRAC Toyota rent a car. ( Usually sold to and rented through Toyota's Service department ) for its service customers, but some dealer may rent to general public as well, or major rent a car entities / major Fleet purchasing companies.
Good way of doing and testing the plug-in hybrid via the Guinea-pigging,
before sold to individuals. Toyota is not certain of the Plug-ins ?
Ultra conservative company..

Regardless of what the government did regarding listed MPGs, the Prius didn't change from 04 to 08. You can still get 50 MPG (and sometimes more) with the current Prius. Your mileage depends on a number of factors, such as terrain, outside temperature, duration of trip, etc.

I get 55mpg without trying too hard. The current model isn't any different to the 2004 in any way that will affect mileage.

All the EPA changed their testing model, the cars didn't change.

It depends on how you drive and the environment you drive in. You can see what owners actually get at www.greenhybrid,com and I am disappointed when a tank comes in under 50mpg.

I just bought a 2008 package #2 prius this week. Me and my husband are averaging 50-57mpgs. My trip in the morning to work is 30 miles highway. I have never gotten under 50mpg average to work or home! My husbands drives all night long for deliveries in city. He is averaging 52-57 a night. I am new to this..... are to find stuff on this site...alot of info. Can someone help me learn tricks or "easter eggs" (as you say) on getting better mpg.

Also, is there any way to turn off engine completley for electric motor to run until it runs down on battery?

For short trips some people have installed an EV only button that comes on the EU and I think Asian models. You can run about 1-2 miles on it, but if you go too fast or drain the battery, the car switches over. You don't want to drive like that too often. It wears down the battery sooner. The button is only helpful for very short trips and moving the car around the parking lot/driveway/garage. Because of charge/discharge inefficiencies, it's much less efficient to drive EV only in most circumstances.

It sounds like you're already getting better mileage than many of us just by your normal driving style, so keep it up. Search for things on this site like "pulse and glide" "coasting" "accelerating" etc. If you live in a cooler climate, look at "engine block heater" "grill blocking" etc.

Hi vicina...,

As others have commented the 2008 Prius is no different from the 2007, and those back to 2004 in its basic capability.

My experience is that my 2006 Prius gets the same or a little better than old EPA mileage in spring, summer and fall driving. Its only in the sub freezing weather that it gets worse.

The Prius is the only car I have ever had that does this. Everything else has been somewhat less than the old EPA method, which is why they changed the old EPA method to the new EPA method. But unfortunately, the new EPA method is now as laughable for the Prius, as the old was form my last car - a Saturn SL2, but in the opposite direction.

Now what would be the difference there in Atlanta? More Air Conditioning use in the summer, and not as cold in the winter, so you should get a better result. The Air Conditioner in the Prius is more efficient than the Heater. Especially if one is in traffic before the Prius has time to warm up. In winter driving below 10 F in traffic the engine has to run to keep it and the cabin warm. In summer driving at 90 F, the engine can shut off and the Air Conditioning motor-compressor still run.

In spring, fall and most of winter there the Prius should easily get 50 mpg if you keep your max speed below 65 mph, and your min speed above 25 mph (except for traffic lights).

You can run out of gas ;-) Running the battery down severely shortens the life of it though. It isn't like the battery in your laptop, you don't want to cycle it. BTW: Here is going 55 mph on the way from Boston to Providence, RI via I-95

Go into the fuel efficiency forum, and read the sticky threads (at the top of the page), that will supply you with all the information you can handle for quite awhile.
The thing to keep in mind is that the battery is there to help you accelerate when you need it, which allows Toyota to put in a smaller, more efficient engine than they could otherwise. So actually the engine is more efficient to use in most cases. I know it doesn't make sense right away, but the gas engine is where all the battery power comes from anyway.

There are three scenarios to move your car:

1) gas engine charges battery which moves car:

Engine->generator->battery->motor->wheels

2) use regenerative brakes to charge battery which moves car

Engine->wheels->brakes->battery->motor->wheels

3) engine drives car directly

Engine->wheels

Fill up when the fuel gauge is down to 2 bars.
Best tip you will get.