Mileagae this winter is worse than ever

Well around here, we're having an exceptionally cold winter, so I went to grill blocking again. Give it a try.

 

I caved this winter, and use heat every day. 20 km one-way commute to the work, with a block heater and grill blocking... my nice 4.6 L/100 km average is being tarnished by 6.0+ tanks!

-Iain

 

If the battery is really cold, it won't let you draw much power from it, which is why the engine seems to kick on sooner. I bet if you drive it for a while or leave it parked in a warm garage, the "problem" will go away.

 

Here in MN it has been colder than usual and the snowfall events have quite often fallen immediately before rush hours.
The combination has affected hybrids, gas and EVs.
It is just that people who pay attention notice the change. Those driving EVs and hybrids are more likely to be paying attention.

 

Your change in heater use combined with the colder weather is year account for it entirely in my opinion.

 

Welcome to the club of (lower MPG's during winter)

 

My theory is it's a global balance. While your winter has been exceptionally cold. Our West Coast winter has been unusually dry and warm. My usual winter mileage drop is nearly non existent. So I guess my 10 mpg drop has been transferred to you.

Sucks for everyone because we're going to have one of the worst droughts in history come summer without the snowmelt.

iPhone ?

 

you probably need a new 12 volt battery.

 

My Prius is less than a year old. First winter.
No garage.
Forced to park outside.
No Grill Blocking.
I use the heater/defrost as needed.

My MPG have fallen this coldest part of the winter to the 37-40 ish zone.

I'm just considering this normal. And I'm happy.

Again...with a Prius in the coldest of weather, I'm still getting at it's worst, what most vehicles champion as being GREAT during ideal weather.

How am I going to complain about that?

This spring, summer...fall...if the MPG's don't return to the 50+ rate....then maybe I'll worry. Otherwise...I consider it good..and normal.

 

I drive about 50 miles each day.....northern suburbs of Chicago (hello polar vortex!).

With factoring in warming up your car....mpg is crap. After car is warmed up, and ready to drive, I reset one of the trip counters. This winter, I have been getting anywhere from 40-55mpg.
Summer...I have seen 72mpg during my daily commute


iPhone ?

 

My PIP is down to 73mpg for Jan from the high of 113mpg for August.
Average about 1300 mi/month.

 

Has anybody noticed, during the cold weather, the home heating bill has gone up ?

 

It's far more than RFG and heating the interior. See Why mileage gets worse in winter | PriusChat.

 

On the bright side, everyone in the "polar vortex" side of the country is getting worse fuel economy.

 

In my G2, even with a 99% grill block upper & lower, the use of a block heater AND LRR snow-tires, I struggle to get 43.5mpg right now. And every .1 of that 43.5mpg was a fight!!

Better than the 39.7mpg average I scored a few tanks ago though, when our daily temps were -15f with -40f windchills. It was like the block heater wasnt even making a difference.....