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Worst mileage!

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by socal13, Dec 2, 2015.

  1. socal13

    socal13 livin in the foothills...

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    I probably get some of the worst mileage on Priuschat... 41 mpg on fuelly over about 20000 miles, sometimes under 40 on a tank! This is embarrassing when everyone brags about 50+. This is probably why: I live up in the hills and most of my driving is up and down the hill, short 2-3 mile trips, not much freeway driving on 17 inch oem Toyo tires. But I guess it would be a lot worse with most other cars (including my Avalon which gets about 25 mpg.)

    On another note, today's LA Times story states national average of gas being approx $2/gal when gas in the L.A. area is $2.75!! What a burn... literally!!
     
    #1 socal13, Dec 2, 2015
    bisco likes this.
  2. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    It's the short trips, and Gen4 might do better. Don't forget the auto makers have to tune to California specs, and I think Ca. wants low emissions (not high MPG) during warm up. Unlikely a different CARB car is better. Good case for Plug-in Prius.

    As far as gaso cost, in north Virginia we are around $2.20 but Ca. has at least 30 cents more state tax per gallon as well as "hidden" new carbon tax which could account for the difference. Me and you both have reformulated gaso which adds another 20-30 cents compared to the sub $2 areas.
     
    #2 wjtracy, Dec 2, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2015
  3. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    I think the worst MPG is rural mail carriers, constant starting and stopping with no steady state cruising. (My last fillup was at $1.649)
     
    #3 JimboPalmer, Dec 2, 2015
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    when i'm concerned about my mpg's, i reset a trip meter and go for a nice long drive at 30-40 mph in the flatlands.
     
    #4 bisco, Dec 2, 2015
  5. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    It's not the hill, it is the short trips. I get about 18mpg going up my mountain for 2-3 miles, but going down the engine is off. With the Prius, I put it in EV mode to go down the mountain to the shopping center right there. Engine never starts, completely "free" journey. Then on the way back up, it is all engine.

    I think one of the common members on the yahoo group board mentioned getting sub-20mpg in his rural mail route Prius but it was many times what any other carrier was getting.
     
    #5 2k1Toaster, Dec 2, 2015
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

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    The hills will kill the mpg. Combine that with short trips, and that's a recipe for poor mpg. However, poor is relative. 41mpg is still better than the rated highway mpg of compact cars so that's fantastic but of course, in the context of a 50mpg Prius, it's "poor" :).

    Just as I hate my winter mileage that's in the 40s, I step back and realise that I'm still getting better mpg in the middle of winter than compacts and subcompacts do in the summer.

    Also, once in a while, I'll cruise around the flat lands right after I refuel and marvel at the 60mpg that the Gen 3 is capable of. :)
     
    #6 Tideland Prius, Dec 2, 2015
  7. bubbatech

    bubbatech Member

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    I agree that it is the short trips. Warmup time burns a huge amount of fuel. I live on a mountain, but my trip to and from work is 18miles round trip, so I average 55-58mpg in the summer and 53-55 in the winter (which are mild here). Given your usage patterns, I suspect that an ordinary car would get mileage below its ratings as well. The better 4 cylinder otto cycle engines will get about 30mpg in the city, so in your situation, you would probably be getting in the low 20's. SO I think your mileage is quite good given the circumstances.
     
    #7 bubbatech, Dec 4, 2015
  8. sillylilwabbit

    sillylilwabbit Active Member

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    Are you able to regenerate/recharge battery while going down the mountain in EV mode?

    (Asking because I don't have a prius)



     
    #8 sillylilwabbit, Dec 4, 2015
  9. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Regeneration happens with gentle braking while not in N. Panic stops use the normal friction brakes, as does all braking in N.
    You can not ever charge the HV battery while in N. EV is fine.
     
    #9 JimboPalmer, Dec 4, 2015
    sillylilwabbit likes this.
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