I Beat the EPA--Post 'em here

I've beat the city EPA once. It was last November, basically about a week after I arrived in Pensacola for school. Going anywhere from here on a long weekend has reduced the smugness factor greatly, though.

 

just took a 900 miles trip down I95. The car only had 130 miles on it. I was happy with my 46.6 mpg for the trip. Since the car is not broken in yet, I would not maintain a steady speed for long periods. I would spend most time with the cruise set between 63 to 68, but would accasionally cruise for 5 minute at 80 or above and also drop down to 55mph. The car is so quiet and handles well at 85, better than the 05 freestar it replace and my wifes 03 cr-v. Hope to improve on the 46.6 on the way back next month.,,, the temp was 23 when i left and never went above 36.

 

My 2007 Prius with 25K miles (Northern CA, 37 PSI, 70 miles driving a day 90% Freeway). I used to get between 54 to 58 mpg; lately, I only get 48 to 50 mpg.

When I got between 54 to 58 mpg, my eyes almost all time on the MDF consumption screen (my left foot was adjusting on gas pedal to get max mpg). Lately I did not pay attention to the MDF, so I only get between 48 to 50 mpg. I think that was the main reason to get poor mpg beside current weather.

 

Best I've ever gotten is 61.9 MPG going about 50 from San Francisco to Seattle on the Pacific Coast Highway.

 

Re. tbirds' note relative to the modest 46.6 when touching up to 80± and "using the cruise control" I've recently observed similar.... As a new (3,000 mi. only) owner of an 08, I'm still quite uninformed but am enjoying enormously driving with my toes... Best yet on a 200 mile tank to tank was 62.7. Am averaging 50 to 52 on 100-mile± days. On a recent (1st) longer 700 mile trip, I was also looking at 46± after a couple of hours using cruise control. Stopped using it and in a bit I was looking once again at 52 to 53.... Conclusion, cruise control now joins my knowledge bank alongside "heater" as a no-brainer way to decrease your mpg averages... Old timers....please correct me if I'm wrong?

 

Probably depends on your terrain and speed. There are numerous anecdotal reports scattered around PC that suggest CC is best for highway speeds on terrain that's level or nearly so. I have verified that in a controlled test.

On hilly terrain, reports suggest that CC's aggressiveness in speed management forces the ICE into inefficiently high ranges. My own experience seems to bear this out, but I'd like to run the same test on a hilly highway.

Meanwhile, I use CC only on the highway and only when it doesn't force the ICE above 2400 RPM.

 

A couple of months ago my 12 month rolling average finally hit 55.5 MPG. I was running pretty close for the first 3 years but the ScanGauge addition helped me keep that ICE off just a bit more.


Here's the same data graphed for outdoor temperature:


All the data is on my web site - Paul's Prius Home

 

After about 1 week and almost 800 miles, my average fuel economy is just short of 55mpg.

 

about 60,3mpg

 

Hills? Not a problem. I've been averaging between 43 and 48 on each tank on my 2 month old Prius, according to how many of my little 3 mile commutes I had on the tank as opposed to short trips. I had a feeling I could beat my best (48) on a mountain trip this past Saturday; so I reset the MFD computer before departing. I did some serious climbing, curves, downhills, etc, in western NC. On my 160 mile daytrip the trip computer told me I had averaged 53 mpg! I'm just real pleased with this incredible car.

 

Hello,
I bought my used 2004 Prius in August; my lifetime average since has been ~ 51 mpg. Over the winter in GA it's dropped slightly, to just better than 49. My best average was 64 MPG the first week of November! I drive about 30 miles per day in 30-45 mph traffic. I coast a lot, try to slip into 'stealth' mode, and accelerate at a moderate pace from a stop to achieve coasting/ tapping quickly. I'm a reformed speeder; I had 3 Saabs previous to the Prius and thought they had decent gas mileage (my oldest saab averaged 38 MPG on the interstate at 85-90 mph). Now that I can see a constant reminder of how faster speeds eat up gas, I've slowed down. Now I drive 61 in 55's and 68 in 65/ 70 zones. I maximize cruise as often as possible too, at virtually any speed over 30. I love my Prius and couldn't be happier with the switch. I just bought 2 new Michelin Primacy MXV4's today for the back and look forward to seeing how that impacts mileage.

Best,
KLS

2004 white prius

 

I just made it through my 3rd tank and have already broke the 50mpg mark. It has been a little warmer in the last 2 weeks but not much so maybe that has something to do with it. I went 500.7 miles and was able to shove exactly 10 gallons in. I think I'll be able to make 60mpg in the summer . TIRE PRESSURE-TIRE PRESSURE-TIRE PRESSURE.

 

To the last 2 prior post'ers ~ Welcome rookie & klsmith, keep it up & your mpg's will keep going up. A week ago or so, I got my best winter mpg's. I normally don't block the grill unless we're up north during winter. Down in southern CA, it can get up in the 70's in the afternoon, easy, even though it may be in the low 40's in the morning. Just for grins I block half of it. These were the results for the last tank, finished off last week of February:



The last pip hadn't started blinking yet, but I was heading into our home area where they charge 20 / 30 cents/gallon extra, so I wimped out. Still, blocking only half the grill gives an extra 5 mpg over my normal winter drives.

 

On a one day jaunt of 497 miles shuttling from Hatfield PA to JFK Airport New York to York PA and back to Hatfield PA, I had a MFD displayed average of 51.8 MPG on 4-March-2008.

Day started out great (about 60F) and until I hit York PA was getting an average of 53 MPG, but ended in torrential downpour on the way back from York resulting in an end average of 51.8.

And all this with only 950 miles on the Odometer when I started.

Grinning from ear to ear and have never been happier cruising at 66 MPH all the way. Wifey though thinks that I've gotten old (Just hit 40 in Jan).

 

My personal best on one gas tank was 59.3 ....still trying to beat that one haha.

 

I'm less than halfway through my second tank and my MPG has been steadily rising. My average MPG for my first tank ws 48. I've been over 50 since my first fill-up. WOW!

This is after pulling into my garage tonight.

 

My wife is a Clinical Pyschologist

I love my new Prius. I've got about 800 miles on it and the touch-screen says 50.3 mpg. I've had it as high as 50.7. I too have changed my driving habits. The images on the screen showing constant fuel economy and where power is coming from (gas or electric motor), according to my wife, is a form of behavior modification. The shown mpg is for instant reward for driving at speeds that max mpg.

 

I reset my fuel and mileage monitor when I last filled up 7 days ago. I'm currently at 52.3 mpg @ 424 miles (which means I'm close to empty, 2 pips). Lifetime should be right around 49 mpg

 

Approx 12K miles to date. Averaging 48-50mpg without any ultra-mpg driving.

 

I did not log this data so it may be of, but going from las vegas to alberque to see my sister. I was getting about 46.7 half way out..by the time I arrived I was at 50mpg, stayed a week drove maybe 150 miles in alberque. When I came back to vegas with some judicious driving on the way back I had about 52.5 mpg..which quickly nosed dived to 45.5 in a few days. I think the higher elevation had alot to do with better mpg in alberque...or it was just the long flat ride for most of the trip out there..

right now my mpg is almost at 44 coming out of winter, i have been a bit of a lead foot lately though..and also alot more short trips, like 2mi each..so hopefully i'll be back up to 47 or so in a few weeks. I dont get to anal about the mpg display, i just drive it.