A/C is *EVIL* 1111

Very true. I did make a Woodland to Lincoln trip which has a minimal elevation gain. The trip there was very early in the morning and was good for high 60s and the return trip was 71 or 72mpg. So similar to what you mentioned above except for 20miles of 60mph interstate driving. I seriously think I could do 70mpg tanks with those conditions. In the summer anyway. We all know winter would just make me cry. lol

 

I would think the average speed of 48 mph is the reason the mileage is so high. If the Prius is rated 50 mpg/55 mph highway, dropping 14% in speed would likely boost the mpg in direct ration and account for 56 mpg result. Add in the driver's hypermiler technique for the other 20%.

The average speed result is such an eye opener. It should be required on all vehicles. People think they do way more "highway" and "open road" driving than they actually do. Seeing their average at 20-30 mph makes them realize what their actual driving is really like. The $150K for the 150 mph autobahn burner suddenly looks like a waste.

 

More questions from you...less answers....and less acting like you are the end all be all on everything Prius related.

Palm....to...the...face

 

The 48 mph is an indication that F8L does a lot of freeway/highway driving with minimal amounts of city driving or driving in heavy traffic (slow and go or stop and go). The avg mph can be misleading as well. Justin could drive 80 mph for an hour (covering 80 miles) and sit in an awful traffic jam where he travels 2 miles in 1 hour, and would how an average mph of 41 mph and he would have awful MPG's to show for it (~40 mpg). Alternatively, he could drive 41 mph for 2 hours and have phenomenal MPG's to show for it (~75 mpg).

I wouldn't correlate the rated 50 mpg to the 55 mph highway (and following math) to a real result. Even the EPA highway test has several varying parameters within the test.

 

We've discussed, previously, my nice MPG's. In the end, you do all the same "tricks" I do, it's that you don't have all the environmental benefits I have. If you had my commute, I strongly suspect you and I would have very similar numbers. And given your further experience with the car (from your Gen II and Gen III driving) you could easily surpass me.

You are getting very nice numbers on your tank (A/C is evil), imagine how much nicer they would look with 8 miles of pulsing and gliding in them. Yummy!

Get your grill blocked in the winter and you'll keep your late Fall numbers!

 

It's funny, because I used to get better mpg numbers commuting home from work than going into work. Now that summer has arrived, I am getting slightly better numbers going to work. The temp is around low to mid 70s going to work and like a lot of areas we have been getting high temps to commute home in, so I have to use the A/C once in a while. Early September will probably be the best time for an overall mpg back and forth to work.

I know one thing, I will put my grill blocking in fairly early because it does make a difference.

 

I would say the reverse, average mph is the key vs the low and high points. That's why it always interesting to see as most people don't realize that even if they drive 90 mph on the freeway, they will likely have an average speed and time to destination as the 10 guys he passed going the speed limit.

Always variables, most in the anecdotes here vs. the EPA conditions which are more testing parameters than variables. The idea is the test paraments don't vary but are the same for each car. It is the EPA highway rating of 50 mpg/55 mph so a 48 mph would likely explain a 56 mpg rate. Getting the 60+ mpg after that would be various techniques.

 

Just grit your teeth and bear the heat once and see how you do.

David got me all motivated today so despite a temp of 106F I made my commute home with no A/C. I used my usual windows cracked method and it wasn't too bad. It was between 105-114F inside the car. Most of the trip is was closer to 105/108F. There was a huge fire in the area near my work so I couldn't use the solar roof ventilation system or crack my windows while parked. It was remarkably hotter inside the car than yesterday. Ugg.

The result was a 90mpg trip over the usual 49miles! I felt like I earned that one.


Current tank total

 

My hat is off to you, 90 mpg and hot as Hell on a 49 miles commute at 46 mph avg (calculated) ... that deserves a standing "O"! Those are PiP numbers. Are you sure you didn't have a gigantic magnet in the front of your car and just hitched along another vehicle?

On my current tank, I'm about 10 mpg less than you. Any tips on improving to that upper echelon? I know, shut down the A/C, but besides that?

 

Doesn't the air intake for solar roof go through the charcoal cabin air filter?

 

Ohh no no. The 90mpg trip was my downhill commute. See post #38 for the elevation map. I only got 58mpg on the uphill morning trip although temps are lower so rolling resistance is also higher.

I just use the usual techniques of gliding whenever possible. This includes overpasses where I would not be able to use the Drive With Load technique. I go up one side of the overpass at my steady state mph of 60mph then upon reaching the crest I lift off the gas and go into a glide down the other side and try to maintain 60mph or higher for as long as possible. In most cases I go up the overpass at about about 30-40mpg but I glide down the other side for an equal or greater distance. So the net effect is 60+mpg if the distances are equal.

Offramps are free mpg! - If traffic is light you should be starting a warp stealth glide long before a freeway/highway offramp then gliding to a stop. If you have to apply the brakes (I usually do) then do it softly so you can maximize regen then you can use that extra energy by starting off with EV-only power up to 15mph or maybe more depending on conditions.

In city/urban environments you should be doing a modified pulse and glide routine. Take off from a stop light or stop sign in EV power. Get up to 15mph or a little more then fire up the ICE and continue to accelerate but keep the HIS indicated at 3/4 or less in the Eco part of the bar (just below the power section). Get up to your desired speed, lift of the throttle then reapply just enough pressure to maintain speed. Anticipate the traffic signals so you can start a glide as early as possible. Glide to your next stop. Rinse and repeat. In a lot of cities this is totally possible but in some areas this technique would cause problems for other drivers and stress you out BUT you can employ some of these techniques in almost any city some of the time. So learn how to take advantage of every driving scenario and use the best technique to match the situation. That is why knowing as many techniques as possible can help your overall numbers. If you screw up or traffic causes you to lose mpg then you can make up for it by choosing an alternate route that allows you to do a little pulse and glide sessions which dramatically improves mpg in a short amount of time. I don't normally do this but if I have to make a trip with my girlfriend in the car my mpg plummets for that trip. So I may have to do a few miles of pulse and glide to make up for it.

Just remember that in the long run 58mpg and 68mpg are not all that different in terms of fuel or money saved. You know as well as I do that it's the high score that drives us so don't let lower numbers stress you out. It's just not worth it. 99% of the rest of the population can't touch even a 50mpg tank.