New PiP Owners...More data please!!!

And the the next sentence after the one about the Prius is that what hybrid buyers do in general, which would include the Volt:

That article cites CNW Marketing for that tidbit, who are the same bunch who authored a report that a Hummer is greener than a Prius over its lifetime. Not a credible source.

Anyhow, I couldn't get the actual JD Power & Associates report, but their press release on the report states:

2012 Avoider Study | J.D. Power Autos

My conclusion is that all those posts/articles got it wrong. The first and second reason for both cars is gas mileage and environmental impact. The third reason for the Volt is image, while for the Prius it is reliability.

I was just responding to a request for sources.. and found a few.

I too don't put much stock in CNW research.. but there were other articles about it besides. them back in 2007 as well. (I would not be surprised if they made up stuff based on other people's studies) But here is another article, this one cites more JD Power
The Prius Rules Hybrids

There were also a number of academic articles on the "signaling" that goes into motivations.. I can dig for them if people really want more references.


And when they survey hybrids.. with 1M prius owners and 10K volt.. chances are high the sampling for "hybrids" does not get many volts. Only if they look for volts.

Also note the more recent survey is what is called an avoider's survey so its not measuring the same group. The 2012 Avoider Study is based on responses from approximately 24,045 owners who registered a new vehicle in May 2011.

In May 2011 there were only 241 volts sold out of the total 1,061,841 cars sold. I wonder how many responses when into that study?

Could you please discuss the news stories and Volt sales figures in another thread? I don't want to upset you folks, but could we get back to the topic of mileage data?

It's a little frustrating to gather and report this stuff, only to have it buried beneath a string of posts of news stories. Thanks!

Which early models had a traction battery charger port in the front?

The Volt has always qualified for the $7500 tax credit. More recently enhanced emissions controls it now also qualifies for CARB rebates and HOV lane stickers.

This morning's commute:
38.7 miles
77 MPG (metered)
4.1 EV remaining, or about 40% of the meter
This data isn't quite complete, because I drove about half a mile to Starbucks on EV mode, and shut the car off, but that's about it.

Conditions were cool and rainy, which kept freeway speeds low. This helped to keep MPG high. If my employer let me recharge, I'd have 999 MPG for my lunchtime drive, and another 77 MPG or better for the drive home (because I'd deplete all the EV charge). My hope is to hold mileage close to 70 MPG by the end of the day. I set today on the trip odometer when I left home with my fully-charged battery, so that's what I'll go by.

When I refuel, I can use that to calibrate the accuracy of the car's MPG estimates, but for now, the most accurate reports I can give would be to charge the car fully and then report miles driven and reported MPG at the end of a day and the end of a charge. It should be obvious to anyone that mileage will swing wildly on this car, with people who drive 10 miles a day getting around 1,000 MPG, falling rapidly towards 50 MPG as miles increase beyond that.

77 MPG with 8 or 9 EV miles used is awesome!

Arithmetic works out to 60 mpg in a Prius.

Efficient driving and some EV displacement = nice numbers.

If I used 8 EV miles, it works out to 61.4 MPG:

77 MPG = 38.7 miles/Gallons
~ 0.5 Gallons consumed

gasMPG = (38.7 miles - 8 EV miles)/0.5 Gallons
gasMPG = 61.4 (metered)

Early data, to be sure, but it appears to be noticeably better than a standard Prius. Time will tell. I'm likely to get bored with all the hypermiling techniques, and my old 70MPH habits will return, and we'll see how close to my old 48 MPG (actual) I return to. I think what's happening is that I'm stretching out the EV miles by using it for a lot of gliding. I always switch off EV mode over 40 MPH.

Thanks, keep us posted. I suspect synergy is going on. Bigger battery is keeping the ICE at ideal efficiency more often and ICE is keeping the rate of electricity draw lower (than EV).

Mileage on tonight's drive wasn't so great, as I had run errands during lunch and depleted much EV:
Drive Home: 37.7 mi/59 MPG
Daily mileage: 84.2 Mi/67 MPG
Tank mileage: 325.6 Mi/69 MPG (so far)

It is really nice to be able to charge at work because it gives me the opportunity to go out for lunch on pure EV and still have time to get a full charge before leaving work to go home.

Ellininating the gas used on these short trips (that would simple ruin good MPGs in a regular Prius) is very satisfying.

59 MPG with a few EV miles left is still very good. You used 0.64 gallons for the 37.7 miles.

I have had the car for 8 days, 4 bars remaining for fuel.
Looking at the attachment, I just figured out why my timer was not working. When I snapped this, it was 10 AM, not PM.....

This Morning's Commute. NO EV Mode at all:

37.1 miles
73 MPG
33 MPH average speed

I think the Hybrid mileage on this car is underrated. This morning's commute was in clear, perfect weather over mostly flat ground. There were three traffic jams, and I used Stealth mode, keeping the HSI bar below 50%, to get through them as much as possible. Using Stealth takes much more effort with this car than with the 2010 Gen III. Even at low speeds, like 10 or 20 MPH, with plenty of battery strength remaining, the ICE will often start long before the centerline of the HSI. Plus, on the Gen III 2010, the gas pedal seems to have a detent or pause at the 50% point (although this may be the transmission, just a feeling that lets you hold the throttle at the 50% point on the HSI indicator, without the ICE kicking in). But with this car, the HSI flutters as it gets to the center, and it wants to start up the ICE in these conditions. I am beginning to think this is a software error.

Most of the commute was at 74 MPG, but as I reached the high traffic conditions, the battery depleted more. For almost the entire drive, it was at 10 MI, which is virtually full. (I believe that, at full, it reads 11.1 miles).

You drove in HV mode and got 73 MPG and 7.9 EV miles left? Wow, you'll have plenty left for lunch and the commute back home.

Rebound, why not just hit EV in the jams to keep ICE off?

Scientific curiosity, I suppose. Once I saw that I was averaging 74 MPG in hybrid mode, I wanted to see what was possible. I've driven this exact commute for two full years in a 2010 Prius, and the very best mileage I ever got was about 62 MPG for the trip, maybe 65, but this car, and it's fresh Lithium, is clearly better. Maybe lithium depletion will change this with time.

That was my reason for *NOT* plugging in last night.

I wanted to do my ordinary commute as if it was still the 2010 rather than a PHV.

Without any EV available, the 70 mph highway route starting with a cold engine resulted in a morning commute of 59 MPG.

Today's Stats:
Drive Home: 38.1 mi, 83 mpg
Daily Total: 77.2 mi, 80 mpg
Current tank: 404 mi, 71 mpg

Today I took some co-workers out to lunch, all EV ( of course), and used up about 4 EV miles. But, WOW, a daily total of 77.2 miles and 80 MPG!! I use HV (hybrid) mode and did my best to use up as much glide electricity as possible in HV mode, which, I think, makes it last much longer. I hypermiled as best as I could; I drove quite slowly today.

Next week, I think I'll try running at a straight 70 MPH, if traffic permits.