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Other than changing how you drive, what can be done to increase MPG's?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by harrysprius, Jul 26, 2017.

  1. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    It makes a huge difference how much of it is 35 mph commuting and how much is 65-85 freeway stuff or 0-60 slam on the brakes and floor it once a mile like I have to face much of the time. At a steady 55 mph, if I didn't have to stop, I'd be getting about 70 mpg in the PiP.
     
  2. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    What I would do is, I have a red plastic gaso can, and I know the exact weight in grams. Then I fill with exactly 1.5 gallons of gasoline, and get the weight and then density grams/cc. I have found the volume measurement on the pump to be quite accurate most of the time, so I stopped verifying that.

    Here in north VA I typically see 0.74 g/cc for RFG. So as an example if you saw something like 0.78 density, that would be 5% higher energy content/MPG than me, not to mention +3% for E0 ....you could easily see 8% better MPG than me in that scenario.

    But I do not do this measurement much, because where I live we have reformulated gasoline with no differences between grades and brands, and no E0.
     
  3. Paranormal Rob

    Paranormal Rob Active Member

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    20170729_170439.jpg

    81 degrees
    Cool breeze
    Windows down, ac off.

    I think the car and driver like this cooler air. Thats just for 5-6 miles but still....never saw it before.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  4. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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    There are many mileage variations based on the route, city versus freeway versus highway, hills, how you hit the lights, the weight in the car, the temperature, etc. Even tank to tank when the fuel shut off valve clicks shut at the pump, what the temperature is when you fill up, the mix of gas, etc.

    I've finally persuaded myself that driving even a half mile out of my way to save a penny on gas is not worth my doing. I fill up when my bladder tells me and/or when I see a good rate keeping in mind the direction crude oil prices are moving that week. Going up, fill up now. Down, fill up in 3 days. Learn where the low priced stations are. It can make a major difference.

    If you are operating out of RDU, then it is the major roads traffic flow that will most affect your MPG.

    MPG is not a major cost compared to depreciation.
     
  5. Paranormal Rob

    Paranormal Rob Active Member

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    It's a major cost when you drive 4000-5000 miles per month.



    I'm not concerned about depreciation, no plans on selling it. The plan is with tax deductions, I can get most or all of my taxes back from my day job, pay on the car with the refund. That, along with normal payments plus extra paid I could have it paid off in 2-3 years.

    However, I REALLY would like to have a new Tesla 3 as they will be more affordable even before the big rebate incentives.

    I also read today they are supposed to have a 210 mile range but they are getting up to 315.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  6. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    Thanks everyone for all of the insight. I know there's no magic wand. I was just wondering about what people have done I'll slow down a bit, but I won't go so slow as to get run over. It'll be at least the speed limit, and that might still get me run over. I was just looking for whatever experience I could find here. I have the tires a couple pounds high, synthetic hybrid mobil 1 oil, clean air filter, and don't carry anything in the car I don't need. I drive in eco mode almost exclusively, but I do turn it off merging on and off the interstate. I run the ac and heat as needed. I run good gas and put treatment in regularly. Again, just looking for insight, thanks for everyone that chimed in. I may try the grill blocking, but that about all I can really see to do. May go to the hypermiling sight, but I don't think there's much more to be done.
     
  7. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    There is still this persistent idea that ECO mode reduces the power of the car. It does not. It just makes you press the pedal farther to get the same power you'd get in normal or PWR. Max horse power remains at 134 hp in all modes for a Gen 3. If anything, since ECO reduces the air conditioning power, there may be more available for the drive train.
     
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  8. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

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    (1) Drive as if there is an egg between your right hoof and the GoPedal (and you lose points if you break the egg)
    (2) Try to avoid using the brakes, try to coast to a stop, look ahead and anticipate what is happening to the traffic ahead.
    …er, that's it! (well, there are other things such as tyre pressures, LRR tyres, removing all the unnecessary junk which you normally carry around in your car, keep the gas-tank only 1/8th full (why carry all that heavy gas around when you only use it a cupful at a time?)
    …er, um - yup, that's it, and yes this is getting silly! ;)
     
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  9. Paranormal Rob

    Paranormal Rob Active Member

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    I've found it easier to control and maintain speed in redlight and up to 45-55 areas in Standard mode. Sometimes on the Interstate I'll switch to Eco and mpg will still go up. Lately I've been experimenting standard on the interstate as well and mpg still goes up. It seems to stay in the throttle less too which helps, especially on inclines.

    That being said, I may have stumbled onto something over the weekend.

    Sunday I had my 40k service done at the dealership (on a 2013.. awesome) which included an oil/filter change.

    They had their top/bottom fuel system service which is similar to a BG type service, but its the Toyota version and they unhook from the gas tank and go in that way, instead of pouring a bottle in the tank like BG. That, along with the controlled spray thru the throttle body and cleaning the intake.

    I had recently ran 3 tanks of BP E0 87 octane and was up to almost 44mpg (from 42 on E10 87). However it was $2.99/ gallon.

    While getting service, I went on Puregas's website and copied all the area BP/Shell/Exxon 87 and 89 octane E0 contact info.

    I found 2 BP in the area with 89 for $2.65 and $2.55 about 7 miles in opposite direction of where I live. There's a 3rd for $2.76 I haven't verified. 87 octanes were all $2.99-$3.19/gal

    I filled up with the BP E0 $2.65 because I was low and it was closer. After 150 miles of standard hwy and city driving, it shows 49.2 mpg, which is probably 47.2. Cooler temps probably help too.

    So hopefully as it uses gas, the car will be lighter and hopefully do better, as long as I do get stupid with acceleration and stuff.

    To be continued.....

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  10. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    I am teaching the kids to drive now, and I teach them to drive like there is a glass of water sitting on the dash. If you were to spill it you loose. Of course emergency's are the exception. As far as driving around with 1/8 of a tank....not going to go that far. I agree in theory, but I'm not stopping for gas every day.
     
  11. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    I have tried it both ways, eco or normal, and I get a couple more MPG's from Eco. I still may flip power on when merging onto the interstate either way. Anyone have a similar response?
     
  12. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Once in a great while, I'll hit PWR mode just for the fin of it. But I spend 99.999% of my time in ECO. If the car is really hot, and I'm concerned about the battery health or the comfort of passengers, I sometimes take it out of ECO for a while to cool it down faster.
     
  13. Paranormal Rob

    Paranormal Rob Active Member

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    I've also read regardless which mode, if we're going on an uphill interstate ramp or steep incline it helps to floor it, let the battery assist and take a few seconds to get up to speed instead of going slow.

    I think that works because I've seen my mpg drop about .5-1 mpg or so, but it goes back to what it was in 1-2 miles after

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  14. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    I have a long slow hill for the first mile or two of my commute every morning, then I try and get my miles back for the rest of the trip. I'll try that and see how it works. At least on the way home I get a little boost right at the end.
     
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  15. MelonPrius

    MelonPrius Senior Member

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    If the hill is in the beginning part of your commute, I'd advise against driving the car hard then.
     
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  16. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    I have about a mile to the interstate, then a long relatively steep grade for a couple miles, beginning where I have to merge into the 70MPH zone. It's steep enough that it's hard to even get up to speed without coming out of "eco" on the display. Actually it's nearly impossible. Only way it happens is if there is NO traffic behind me, and then it takes just about to the top of the grade before I even get there. If I have to get up to speed faster to merge it's a bit easier to maintain it, just hard to get there. I try and stay in the "eco" area as much as possible, but sometimes you have to go around someone when you have the chance and sometimes I have to just get up to speed because of all the stop and go and traffic behind me. Nashville traffic sucks! Have I said that already? Have I said it enough? Can it be said enough?
     
  17. PriusNeckBeard

    PriusNeckBeard Active Member

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    Summary:
    It seems hardly worth using eco mode...but read on for a method it can help some.

    Little savings:

    If you want to save money or gas, optimizing the prius saves very little.
    2 mpg is only about 4% of what we use (50mpg).

    User data doesn't support it:
    Also, priuschat-wide, there is no consistency - some eco people do well, some pwr-mode people do well....

    Other reasons to avoid ECO mode:
    For myself, the savings in gas and money are so tiny, that just leave it in PWR mode all the time.
    Much more responsive - I don't have to worry about switching to pwr mode when entering a busy street from a parking lot, entering on ramp, pissing off other drivers with slow-to-respond prius ways, etc.
    I also appreciated the ability to quickly change lanes, as well as accelerate quickly when there's someone behind me bearing down on me! Also, if there's ever an emergency and I need to respond very quickly to a situation....I'd much rather be in PWR> !

    Still, ECO mode can help - here's how:
    If using ECO is worth all the down sides, do this:
    Use power mode when you start the car - PWR mode responds more quickly...so it gets you out of the 0-20 mph (inefficient range) sooner.
    Above 20 mph, switch to eco mode. with the pedal less responsive, variations in foot pressure will not make the prius' speed go up and down by tiny amounts so much. There's a product being developed that similarly removes these tiny variations. Apparently you save gas, like 2 mpg, I think.

    Also, in eco mode, you may be less likely to drive very fast (i.e. the most inefficient ranges). That can save a bit.

    Presumed method:
    Start the car - change to PWR mode.
    Hit 20 mph - change to ECO mode.
    Stop at stopsign or traffic light - Change back to PWR mode before you get going.
    Hit 20 mph - Switch back to ECO.

    I encourage you to use PWR for safety and ease.
    If you use ECO, you may save a little money.

    - PNB
     
  18. MelonPrius

    MelonPrius Senior Member

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    This concept has worked well for me- although I understand there are some that strongly disagree. I tried the eggshell under the gas pedal strategy and it killed my mpg because I spent a high amount of time in slow acceleration mode- which results in poor FE during that time. In addition, it's both aggravating to myself as a driver and others that share the road with me.

    I use PWR up to about 35 mph, or close to the desired speed when I can ease up on the gas and glide at 99 mpg on the instantaneous monitor.
     
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  19. Paranormal Rob

    Paranormal Rob Active Member

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    Same here except standard mode if its redlight to redlight. Then Eco as soon as I reach speed on the Interstate or for those long 35-55 mph secondary roads.

    On mine to the left is that green/red pedal position with the middle green line-I discovered any time, regardless of mode if its 2 dashes past the green like or below, mpg goes up, even on the interstate. As soon as it reaches the 3rd green dash above the green line and up, it goes down.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  20. Lesliepholmes

    Lesliepholmes Junior Member

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    I'm not the OP but I like lyft better bc of their business practices and driver pay. PM me if you'd like my code to sign up. We both get a bonus ;)