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Speed demon MPG

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Fuel Economy' started by chayashida, Sep 19, 2006.

  1. chayashida

    chayashida Junior Member

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    Okay, okay, I'll admit it. I have a lead foot. I used to have a Mitsubishi Eclipse. I used to race it on road courses. I used to autocross it. At times, I have driven the Eclipse pretty fast. I once went fast enough in the Eclipse to hit fuel cutoff, at about 130 mph. When I drove on the roads and freeways, though, I would drive "normally." I would accelerate slowly from a standing start when the stoplight turns green or when I'm getting on the freeway. I would speed on the freeway, but I wouldn't weave between lanes.

    I have a Prius now, and have been driving it "normally." This past weekend, though, I had to get up north in a hurry. I was following the flow of traffic on the 5 North. For those of you not familiar with California freeways, Highway 5 is a straight and relatively boring freeway that goes from Los Angeles to Sacramento. The road is pretty smooth. There aren't any potholes. There are two lanes in each direction. The trucks stay in the righthand lane and go slower. Most of the cars in the lefthand lane speed.

    I ended up getting up north rather quickly. For the most part, I just stayed in the lefthand lane and kept up with traffic. I suspect I averaged between 85 and 90 mph. At one point, I was going 93 mph. I was sort of surprised. First of all, I didn't think that the Prius would go that fast, at least without laboring. Secondly, I was surprised how stable it was. Often cars will shake a bit at speed, but the Prius didn't really complain or let you know that you were going that fast. I suspect it's the low drag coefficient at work.

    Anyway, here's the part that I found amazing:

    383.6 mi
    10.652 gal
    36.01 mpg

    I was expecting much, much worse gas mileage. I normally get around 46 mpg with the Prius, and I was expecting something in the 20s due to the high speed.

    I doubt I'll be speeding much in the new car, but it's nice to know that if you do, the gas mileage won't suffer much for it.

    Hope you found this interesting.

    Chris
     
    #1 chayashida, Sep 19, 2006
  2. DocVijay

    DocVijay Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Chris Hayashida @ Sep 19 2006, 10:36 PM) [snapback]322052[/snapback]</div>
    I drive about 110 miles a day, and I usually drive as fast as traffic and good sense allows. Usually I average 80-85 for a good portion. I still get at least 42 mpg. Very impressive. In my last vehicle, I'd probably average 7 mpg at those speeds.
     
    #2 DocVijay, Sep 19, 2006
  3. berylrb

    berylrb Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Chris Hayashida @ Sep 19 2006, 09:36 PM) [snapback]322052[/snapback]</div>
    Hey Chris, did you slow down for the Grapevine?
     
    #3 berylrb, Sep 19, 2006
  4. chayashida

    chayashida Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(berylrb @ Sep 19 2006, 08:24 PM) [snapback]322077[/snapback]</div>
    Sort of. I think I probably started speeding on the way down the Grapevine. I was still doing 80 or so on the way up, but I think people start speeding up on the downhill stretch. Remember, I was going north.

    BTW, if you make a habit of driving the 5, look out for CHP on the downhill grade of the Grapevine. They tend to hang out there. Not that I know from personal experience. :D

    Chris
     
    #4 chayashida, Sep 20, 2006
  5. curtissac

    curtissac New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DocVijay @ Sep 19 2006, 09:43 PM) [snapback]322058[/snapback]</div>
    I'll do my long job run tomorrow, about 250 miles to get about 5 hours of work done. :blink:

    I tend to lock the cruise at 69 for most of the freeway driving if traffic allows, usually avoid the #1 lane. I have been getting 52-53 on these drives.

    My wife was was driving the Prius today to San Francisco. She and I were talking about something when she said, "Hey! I am going 82 miles per hours and the little graph says I am getting 53 mille per gallon." You see, I am always telling her that going over 70 is not very efficient. She was enjoying telling me about her apparent efficiency. I insisted she was going down hill, though she claimed not. She was westbound in Fairfield, which is generally, ever so slightly, downhill.

    Tonight I asked her which screen she was looking at when she saw these great numbers. The consumption screen. I offered a bet that if she had been looking at the energy screen, she would have seen the electric motor and batteries helping the car along, and if she had sustained that speed for a prolonged period, the batteries would probably go down to where the ICE would be doing all the work, and the mpg would have plummeted to more believable, sustainable numbers.

    Think I am right? I might try tomorrow traffic permitting.
     
    #5 curtissac, Sep 20, 2006
  6. TJandGENESIS

    TJandGENESIS Are We Having Fun Yet?

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    Man, I hope the cops aren't reading this thread...Might pull it over.
     
    #6 TJandGENESIS, Sep 20, 2006
  7. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    I am a Obstetrician and from time to time I have to do a "Banzai" run to the hospital. I can not tell you how little gas milage my previous Ford Explore's gave me on these runs but I can say that each one of these cost me 2 mpg. OK I drive the speed limit and a bit over for straight always, a bit of drift in the turns. Have I mentioned that the Prius does not do a 4 wheel drift? I am not as phrenic as I was in my youth. It is more important that I get there than I get there 4 second earlier. In any case the hurry to the hospital costs me, in many ways! These "runs" kill my mpg. What is a person to do?
     
    #7 hdrygas, Sep 21, 2006
  8. glenhead

    glenhead New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hdrygas @ Sep 20 2006, 11:38 PM) [snapback]322698[/snapback]</div>
    Tell those inconsiderate women to have their babies when you're already at the hospital!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
     
    #8 glenhead, Sep 21, 2006
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