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Typical MPG for Prime?

Discussion in 'Prime Fuel Economy & EV Range' started by IABoy987, Aug 21, 2022.

  1. IABoy987

    IABoy987 Member

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    I just spent a delightful 15-20 minutes reading various MPG threads here and looking at graphs, but at the end I haven't found a more or less MPG answer.
    I realize there are SO many factors: head//tail winds, speed, stop & go, terrain, AC/heater running, tire pressures, driving styles etc.

    We are planning to take several long trips and wondered conservatively how far down the road we get on a tank of gas, though we refill when there are two or three "clicks" left on the gas gauge margin of safety.
     
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i think you can expect to average 60 at the pump, with careful driving.

    you've had yours for 4 years? what do you average?
     
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  3. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    If you are asking HV only MPG on PP, then typical MPG is similar to Gen4 or slightly better. Anywhere from 45mpg to 65mpg on gas only is certainly easily attenable. I have seen some getting above 80mpg on a PP, but that would be in the hypermiler realm, IMHO.

    You can easily estimate your own HV-only mpg by checking the DTE right after a fill-up. Divide that number by 9.3, it will give you a rough estimate of your HV-only gas mileage from the recent full tank.

    See this thread for more explanation:
    What is your DTE after fill-up?
     
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  4. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    It depends on your cruising speed, acceleration, ambient temperature, ambient humidity, elevation, elevation change, etc. Less-dense air (warmer, less humid, and/or at higher elevation) will increase mpg greatly due to less drag force. Slower driving also results in less drag force and higher mpg. If you brake too fast, you use friction brakes and don't take full advantage of regenerative braking, which reduces mpg. Accelerating too quickly is also not efficient.

    However, the EPA values are typically underestimated. Also note that the multifunction display (MFD) overestimates the fuel economy by 5 mpg.

    I typically get around 65 mpg actual (not MFD), but I drive gently. Most will see around 60 mpg actual. I can get up to 75 mpg if I drive even more gently. In freeway stop-and-go traffic in warm weather, 110 mpg actual is typical.
     
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  5. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

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    I could swear Toyota advertised 650 per tank.
     
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  6. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Actually, it was 640 miles of range was what was advertised. That's the "range" from the full tank of gas and a full charge in the traction battery using the EPA-rated 54mpg and 25miles EV range.

    54mpg x 11.4gal tank capacity = 615.6miles
    25miles of EV range
    640miles = 615miles (HV) + 25miles (EV)

    Disclaimer: Your actual mileage may vary. And I would not want to try driving my PP all the way to completely empty...
     
    #6 Salamander_King, Aug 21, 2022
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2022
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  7. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    My latest DTE was 702 miles. I believe the DTE computer assumes that there will be one gallon of fuel left in the 11.4-gallon tank for buffer purposes, so this corresponds to 67.5 mpg actual.

    [​IMG]
     
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  8. dbstoo

    dbstoo Senior Member

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    To be conservative, I'd say that you should ALWAYS be able to count on 500 miles from a tank of gas. That includes driving over mountain ranges (up and down again) and long high speed stretches with unpredictable winds.

    If you drop the speed to 65 MPH you can stretch the range a bit. If you stop for gas every 6 hours or so you should never be in danger of running out of gas.
     
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  9. prius16

    prius16 Active Member

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    Don't forget headlights. :)
    I see them make a noticeable difference, especially when I use the high beams for any length of time.
    Imho, the headlight do produce a clean beam/light. But, imho, it's narrow for my needs. We have a lot of deer, turkeys, coyotes, etc near where I live. So, I need to see off to the side, in both directions.

    As for how well the Prime does verses the Hybrid, in general, it seems a little better.
    Also see:

    Code:
    
    https://www.reddit.com/r/prius/comments/tyqq8t/i_thought_a_pic_of_an_even_324000_miles_on_my_19/
    
    .
     
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  10. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    I would neglect the headlights. ;) In fact, I keep my fog lights on because the small LED headlamps on the Prius Prime have poor visibility for other drivers. Keeping the fog lights on add great visibility for other drivers, despite being ornamental and not increasing fog or regular-weather visibility for the Prius Prime driver. My light switch is set at auto on/off.

    Headlights shave off about 0.3% from mpg, which is pretty negligible. The Prius burns about 200 Wh per mile. If the headlights are about 20 W, with a 30-mph average speed, the headlights burn (20 W)/(30 mi/h) = 0.67 Wh/mi. So, (0.67 Wh/mi)/(200 Wh/mi) ~ 0.3%.

    Dismal mpg on that Reddit Prius—57.2 mpg MFD = 52.2 mpg actual (5 mpg less than MFD) minus any EV mpg if vehicle being charged.
     
    #10 Gokhan, Aug 21, 2022
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2022
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  11. IABoy987

    IABoy987 Member

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    We have had the car for 2.5 years but almost all driving has been local and been just a few times where we have exhausted the gas tank as such, so our mileage has been almost all battery. On our long didtance trips we will keep the milage and gallons on a note pad and calculate how far we get.
     
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  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i do about the same. but the one time i ran thru a tank of gas in my pip without ever plugging in just to experiment, she returned 72mpg at the pump. but that was mostly back roads, and i drive like an ol' lady :cool:
     
  13. IABoy987

    IABoy987 Member

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    [QUOTE=", and i drive like an ol' lady :cool:"[/QUOTE]
    Welcome to the club. I drive straight ahead scanning the road for any problems in front, back or sides, and drive 5 or so miles under limit. The wife on the other hand, being an ex-New Jersey driver (they drive crazy there IMO, especially those rotaries or round abouts) , sees the road as a challenge driving above the limit, and changing lanes (she is still a safe driver so no problem there).
     
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  14. Louis19

    Louis19 Active Member

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    My latest trip was around 825 miles, mostly on highway with air con on at approx 68mph.Half on the journey on flat terrain and half on hills
    This amazing car returned 73 miles/gallon
     
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  15. MTN

    MTN Active Member

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    OP: Regarding "clicks" left for refueling - feel free to hit "0 miles" remaining and continue for 20-30 miles. Pretty sure you can get 50 miles "past 0" before you'd run your tank dry. Just take note of when you refuel at "0 miles" - you won't even get 10 gallon into the tank. That's been our experience.
    Toyota keeps a healthy reserve; which is great, but you also don't get to use anywhere near the advertised range or tank size!
     
  16. pghyndman

    pghyndman Active Member

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    On trips, being a thrifty Scotsman searching Gas Buddy for the best prices along my route, I like to keep my EV charge in reserve so as to have those extra miles in reserve should the ICE come to a sputtering halt. You might use the same technique to gauge the "accuracy" of the projected remaining gas range.
     
  17. Ovation

    Ovation Active Member

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    My experience is purely anecdotal but when my “yellow bar” is gone, I’ve never been able to put more than 36 litres in my tank. That means I still have 7 litres (according to the owner’s manual), or more. Assuming a 4.4 L/100km (I routinely do much better), that leaves me about 160km to go—or 100 miles for my American friends. My other vehicle (X-Terra) has about 20 miles, in ideal conditions. I’m far more relaxed in my Prime.
     
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  18. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    On my PP, I once have driven over 100 miles to the nearest gas station after the gas empty light came on.

    The car still took only 10.2 gal to fill the tank. Thus it still had over 1 gallon of gas left in the tank (11.4 gal tank). Screenshot_20220826-182228.jpeg
     
    #18 Salamander_King, Aug 26, 2022
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2022
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  19. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    That sounds about right.

    I also rely on the remaining charge to drive in the EV mode if the car completely runs out of gas—not to say that I would every want to experience it. I wonder if that happens, the car would still be drivable though.
     
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  20. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Bob has run out of gas on PP on purpose several times.
    [WARNING] Running out of gas

    If you have a charge in the traction battery, then you are fine as long as you don't run out of EV range before reaching a gas station.
    How to run out of gas
     
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