first taste of driving Prius in below zero

Wow that's cold! It's good to know the mpg is still in the 30s in that kind of weather.


iPhone ?

 

Time for major grill block, if you have not yet done it!

 

With all the electrical power than can be generated by the two MG units, it's a shame the don't make a 1000-1500W or so electric heater an option. It would use a little extra fuel but I would gladly pay the price if I lived in East Snowshow Montana or the GWN.

Instant defrost heat and cabin comfort in short order. It would only take roughly 1/4 gallon of fuel an hour to generate that much electricity. That would be partially (not much) offset by the fact that the engine would warm up faster with the extra load so would be out of warm-up mode sooner.

 

I'll say it again, Block your grill. The car will be much more comfortable for you.H

 

Electric heat isn't an option; it comes standard with all Prius. Perhaps you would like to have bigger electric heaters.

Tom

 

What do you mean block the grill? How do you do this?

Thanks

 

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...62556-2010-prius-grill-blocking-strategy.html

Here you go... Some one else know same to gen II too?

 

You may want to consider installing an Engine Block Heater as well. Plug it in (or turn it on, or set an electric timer) a few hours before your typical morning commute. You'll get heat from the engine sooner, and your MPG will improve.

 

Hi All,

ChuckyJean is driving a 2005 . So, the 2010 Grill Blocking stategies do not apply. Block everything up, except for a small sliver on left hand side of the driver's side of the lower grill for below zero short trip driving.

I remember my Saturn SL2 got about 20 mpg in -5 to +5 days. That was down about 40 percent for sumertime no-a/c mileage. 50 / 1.4 is 35.7 mpg, so that is a very similar difference.

 

Tom, do you know the parameters which will trigger the electric heating elements? I was looking for it a few days ago, found some information, but could not force the heaters to come on. I do remember last year smelling them once but I can't figure out how to trigger them at will.

 

Max heat will force them to run. Otherwise it's some combination of inside and outside factors which I can never remember.

Tom

 

I've got a 2005 Prius, and since it got cold here in St. Louis (15-30 deg.), my MPG has been around 29-34 MPG. Is that normal for cold weather?
Larry C
[email protected]

 

For short trips (3 miles), that is. The emissions-system requires heat for cleansing. Running the engine is how it gets that heat.

Driving further, you'll notice MPG goes up. My commute with the Iconic model (gen-2) throughout the winter here in Minnesota average low to mid 40's. Being 33 miles round-trip contributed to that.

Think about the other hybrids that don't bother to deliver a PZEV emission-rating. They favor MPG rather than being cleaner, yet Prius trumps them on efficiency anyway...
.

 

My last tank got a brutal 32 mpg (US). I have lots of short trips, but yeah, cold well below freezing is murder on the Prius gas mileage. I average around 42 mpg (US) during the summer but boy does it go down in the cold.... block the grille and use the block-heater. That's about the best you can do.

 

It's nice to own a car where 32 mpg is brutally low.

 

20 degrees, defrost and heat on and making all short trips of 4 miles or less for 150 miles we got 36 MPG. Our old Detroit ride got 12 in this weather. We suffered the 4 buck a gallon gas with that beast before the Prius. Never again!

 

Ya know, I've had the Prius so long that that is an embarrassing number. There's no way I could own a gas pig anymore (as my main vehicle.... I still have a Hemi Dodge Ram for summer camper towing).