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Loving 2022 prius prime, but expected higher mpg

Discussion in 'Prime Fuel Economy & EV Range' started by Emmy2022, Feb 7, 2023.

  1. Emmy2022

    Emmy2022 New Member

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    Hi all! I just bought my first ever prius - a 2022 Prius Prime XLE. I upgraded from a base model honda fit, so I’m loving my new car. I’m getting about 30miles of EV which is better than expected, BUT I was expecting higher mpg when in HV mode.

    I live in Austin TX, but I bought the car in my home town 500 miles away. On my way home - all highway going up to 85mph - I averaged 45 mpg. I understand that high speeds will hurt the fuel economy, but I’m sometimes getting about 45mpg on shorter (5-10 mile), slower (<55mph), no AC trips around town as well.

    I’m seeing high mpg trips too - around 65mpg - especially in slow moving highway traffic and with careful driving. I was expecting to be able to reliably get 50-55mpg without really trying (that is, driving like I normally do - not aggressively by any means, but keeping with traffic). I get that to max out the fuel economy I’ll need to drive more carefully and conservatively, but I didn’t think I’d need to change my driving to reach that 50-55mpg range.

    For my current tank of gas, I’m averaging 63mpg but that includes charging the car several times.

    Thoughts? Is it normal to see <50mpg if not driving conservatively? My next step is to go all HV for a tank of gas and calculate the fuel economy on my own. So far all the stats are according to the car.
     
  2. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    As normal as normal is these days at 85 and keeping up with traffic.
     
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  3. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    If you're scoring 45mpg while spending significant time at 85mph, you're kicking butt.
     
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  4. FuelMiser

    FuelMiser Senior Member

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    Yes, this would be normal MPG for HV operation per your statement. Plus, you will get lower MPG in colder weather since the ICE (gasoline) is used for heating the cabin. Your MPG will increase in warmer temps and with conservative driving.
     
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  5. Emmy2022

    Emmy2022 New Member

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    Thanks for the input everyone! That makes me feel so much better.

    If this is normal, I’m happy with it. Like I said, I’m really enjoying the car - it’s much more fuel efficient and stylish than my last car and that’s what I wanted.

    My last car started having a lot of problems out of blue, and I spent the last few months of driving it just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I think that made me hyper vigilant of any issues with the new car.

    Anyways - thanks again! Happy driving, y’all!
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    try some conservative longer trips just to be sure there's nothing wrong. the epa tests are fairly conservative
     
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  7. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    You are not going to get good fuel economy at 85 mph obviously, as the air drag increases with the square of the speed.

    You should get around the EPA highway value at 65 mph.

    You should get around 70 mpg at 55 mph.

    Try setting the A/C at 68 ℉ in the winter and at 78 ℉ in the summer. That will vastly improve the fuel economy.
     
  8. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    A higher tire pressure also helps. I use about 41/40 psi front/rear.
     
  9. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    If you are doing 500miles at 85mph, 45mpg is very good. Anything faster than 72mph, there is no EV, unless you are in a very long downhill.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  10. nicoj36

    nicoj36 Active Member

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    Try a bottle of chevron fuel cleaner.
     
  11. Downrange

    Downrange Active Member

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    I bought my 22 Prime last March, and have taken three 2600 mile R/T highway trips so far. In the warmer months I got 49 MPG (gas only) running 75-80 avg (GPS - the speedo is 2% high and inflates miles and MPG). Last trip in cold weather was around 44 MPG, but I was going a bit faster most of the way. My old '13 Prius only got about 38 MPG under best conditions. Oh, that last trip was with winter tires, too.
     
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  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Calculating your mpg is the best way to see your accurate mpg; Toyota has a propensity to exaggerate the dash displayed mpg (by a reliable ~7% on 3rd gen). It's good to track your tanks, see what helps/hinders mpg. Some tactics that will help:

    1. Keep the speed down; be the slow-and-steady right laner.
    2. Maintain a good following distance in traffic. This often allows you to avoid braking in minor slowdowns, which robs your momentum.
    3. Plan your trips, consolidate errands. Avoid short, impulse drives, especially if something's walking distance.
    4. Minimize AC use.
    5. NEVER sit parked with the car on. If you have to wait in the car, just shut it off, crack the windows.

    Set your display up to show the Hybrid System Indicator (HSI). This is 3rd gen, and a little simplistic, but explains the basics:

     
    #12 Mendel Leisk, Feb 15, 2023
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2023
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  13. PianoBench

    PianoBench Member

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    In comparison testing. Any PHV or even HEV that can score 48 MPG or better will be equal to an all electric vehicle. If driven the same and at the same speeds/acceleration. This is in terms of charging costs or for an HEV refueling costs.

    So if you drive a bit normal 65 MPH to 70MPH, you will be equal or less than the cost of an EV.

    Heck the standard Prius is often better performing than the PHEV if driven at speed. I regularly obtained 70 MPG while doing 70 MPH in the standard Prius. But I get worse in the Prime.

    This is likely because the Prine is heavier by about 300 lbs.
     
  14. captqc

    captqc Member

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    Really disappointed that I can’t hit 1000! :whistle::D
    3A14C810-C28C-40A2-912B-390CE40962ED.jpeg
     
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  15. McCarthy

    McCarthy Junior Member

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    MPG is not so much about the car and tech, its mainly about weight, drag, drafting and maintaining momentum.

    I could pull over 70 MPG out of my old 2011 VW Jetta Wagon with a 4 banger turbo diesel and no hybrid / EV tech. The record is 84 MPG in a VW Passat with the same engine.

    At constant speed, try to draft behind larger vehicles. You don't have to tailgate but 3 car lengths behind a larger truck will do wonders. Following a truck at 65 mph is the equivalent of going 45 to 50 without any drafting.

    Always look 2 blocks / lights a head. Time your arrival at every light. When you see green, make sure you will roll through in time by speeding up. When you see red from afar, coast and make sure you don't have to come to a complete stop.

    Accelerate with a raw egg under the pedal, unless you are going to piss off others.
     
    #15 McCarthy, Mar 29, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2023
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  16. Zed Ruhlen

    Zed Ruhlen Active Member

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    I think the telling statement is “keeping up with traffic”. Most drivers seem to accelerate fairly aggressively and not maintain steady speeds. Do you use the cruise control? My 2018 averages in the low 50s at 65-70 with cruise on.
     
  17. Tom Redinger

    Tom Redinger New Member

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    Speed is definitely an important factor with mpg in HV mode and more important in EV mode by my experience with my 2018 Prius Advanced. In HV mode I drive the speed limit, OR 65 whichever is less, and average 60 to 65 mpg depending on traffic, temperature, weather in general (rain). I did a test over 60 miles of flat interstate where I drove the speed limit of 70 and car-reported gas mileage dropped to 57 mpg. I'm able to use about 96% EV mode only in my local driving around Asheville, NC and normally get 5 to 6 miles per kWh--much better than the 4 miles per kWh suggested by EPA. (I have a PN-2000 watt meter I use every time I home charge to get ACTUAL kWh usage.) I stay off the "fast" highways in favor of lower speed rural roads so that normal around-town driving is usually 35 to 45 mph or less which I'm sure is a big part of why I get 5 to 6 miles per kWh rather than less. (I'm retired so a few minutes more to destination doesn't matter.) Cold weather--20s--can bring that figure down under 5 in spite of low speeds but that doesn't happen that often in Asheville.