45-50 mpg, I don't think so

When I lived in New England, I got about 57 mpg without really trying, lots of hills an valleys to glide down, at or above the speed limit. Down here in FL, my driving style hasn't changed, although the topography certainly has, and I manage to get around 50 mph without really trying. If I REALLY don't try, we're looking at 48ish...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Feb 6 2007, 02:44 PM) [snapback]386211[/snapback]</div>

It could be that 1000W sub-woofer.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Hobbs @ Feb 6 2007, 08:24 AM) [snapback]385979[/snapback]</div>

In Germany there is no speed limit on the highway (die Autobahn). In a recent test (in Auto Bild) they said that you could live with the maximum speed of a Prius being only 170 km/hr (105 mph), but that it was too noisy at this speed and the mileage wasn't that great then either. It's more like a city-car.

 

I think 45-50 is very attainable. During the summer, I routinely got 56-57 in the city (Denver), and 53-54 on the interstate (all over CO and back and forth to/from MT). I employ a pretty mild form of P&G and only when I will not interfere with traffic. I am pleased to say that I did manage 63 on one tank this summer.

Of course now, since it is cold, I am only getting about 42. I can accept this, as my annual average is still better than virtually any other car available. Most certainly better than the 1996 suburban that the prius replaced.

 

48 MPG

That's my license plate and that's what I get. Combined local streets and 70 MPH highway driving; 480 miles and 10 gallons of fuel a week.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Arnold @ Feb 10 2007, 11:27 AM) [snapback]388103[/snapback]</div>

Just because the Germans are speed-demons, does not mean the Prius is only a city car. Does everyone drive that fast on all the Gerrman freeways? Here in the U.S., and I presume in most of the world, speed limits are more reasonable and the Prius is great for both city and highway driving.

 

Just to emphasize my previous post, here are pics from my commute this afternoon, done with considerable P&G over routes I sought out for their favorable traffic, terrain, and speed limits. The total commute was 28.5 miles, a little over an hour. Temperatures started in the low 40s and dropped to 32 by the end of the ride. The first pic is the display from my ScanGauge at the end. Sorry for the blurring; it was dark and I turned off the flash to avoid glare. If you can't read it the SG reading is 70.1 MPG for the current trip. The second shot is the MFD at the end of the commute.

Note also the tank MPG, also achieved with substantial P&G.

 

I've only had my Prius for about a month and a half, but I've gotten 49-50 mpg on almost every tank. The last tank gave me 45.2, but the temp in Northwest ohio has been 0-20 degrees F for the last week or so!

As for the "Pulse and Glide" debate. I've chosen to alter my commute route so that I can employ this technique safely. I don't use it on the 2 lane highways, but I do us a modified version with my cruise control. Thursday night, I got 51 mpg for a 45 mile trip in single digit temps. This was on a 4 lane highway with posted speed limit of 65. The grill is blocked with pipe wrap, and that seems to make a great difference!

 

Just to emphasize my previous post, here are pics from my commute this afternoon, done with considerable P&G over routes I sought out for their favorable traffic, terrain, and speed limits. The total commute was 28.5 miles, a little over an hour. Temperatures started in the low 40s and dropped to 32 by the end of the ride. The first pic is the display from my ScanGauge at the end. Sorry for the blurring; it was dark and I turned off the flash to avoid glare. If you can't read it the SG reading is 70.1 MPG for the current trip. The second shot is the MFD at the end of the commute.

Note also the tank MPG, also achieved with substantial P&G.

 

Sorry about the duplicate post. Not sure exactly how it happened, other than to say it was related to uploading the pictures over a finicky dialup connection that decided to disconnect halfway through the first attempt.

 

Well, after 3 years and 36,000 miles I've learned a few things:

This car, more than any other, by a longshot, is very sensitive to weather and driving conditions.

. My experience shows, for instance, a 4 mpg difference between temperatures in the lower 30s and below and in the higher 40s and above. Above the higher 40s it's pretty consistant.

. My experience shows, for instance, that routine short distance drives (< 6 miles) pulls mileage down by 4 to 6 mpg.

. My experience where every city driving trip is uphill on a gentle slope in one in direction and then vice versa results in significantly poorer city mileage than mileage experienced on flat city streets or on the freeway.

. Driving in stormy weather takes a heavy toll in mileage.

. Installing better all weather tires than the originals results in a loss of at least 2 mpg.

This in contrast with my previous Audi A4 (turbo) which saw almost a consistant 27.5 mpg average all year long regardless of the above mentioned driving conditions. Consistant, but still not nearly, by a longshot, the mileage as experienced with the Prius, even in worst case conditions.

 

Drove the family up to Belleayre ski resort in NY last weekend (my son went with his friend and mother in their Explorer - ka-ching!). So in my car it was myself, my wife, my ten year old, all our skiing/snowboarding gear (sans mine, the knees are finally unwilling to allow this, shame) and clothing, games, etc. in the hatch, plus a hitch-mounted bike carrier with a skiing/snowboard attachment on the back; 2 snowboards and my wife's skis on the rack. Approximately 275 miles roundtrip (including the trip from the Inn to the mountain and back - less than 5 minutes). It was about 30 degrees F going up, 15 degrees F coming home. Moderate traffic, not much P&G opportunities overall, a lot of cruise control when possible, more coming home, traffic was heavier going up except for a huge traffic jam coming home, stuck at the Modena rest stop for ~20 minutes (must've been bad, had a helicopter parked in the gas station lot, rotors turning the whole time ).

Averaged 45 mpg for that trip. Haven't had the chance to drive this in the snow yet (although they're saying my area will get it's first major snowstorm this Tues night/Weds morn), but this trip really impressed me.

I am like an unpaid hybrid (well, Prius, really, it's my only experience with a hybrid) spokesperson - anybody who asks me about the car gets an earful covering all topics related - emissions, gas mileage, technology, looks, etc..

 

It all has to do with two things: the length of your typical trip and how much of the trip is at a constant speed.

If you typically drive 5 to 10 minutes at a time, then you will get crappy gas mileage, as the prius takes 5 minutes or more to warm up. Also you will get much better gas mileage if your trip consists of long stretches without stops where you can travel at a consistent speed.

My wife and I each have a prius. I commute 20 miles each way on suburban roads where I average about 40 MPH and only have to stop at about 8 traffic lights. I have several stretches were I travel 4 miles or more between stops. I get between 48 and 52 MPG in the summer and around 40 to 43 MPG in the winter.

My wife makes almost exclusively short trips, almost all under 10 minutes long. Since she doesn't travel on many major roads, she makes many stops for intersections and stop lights, and therefore doesn't spend as large of a percentage of her trips traveling at a constant speed like I do. She gets around 40 MPG in the summer and around 30 MPG in the winter.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marlin @ Feb 11 2007, 04:31 PM) [snapback]388635[/snapback]</div>

"Crappy," that is, compared to other trip types in a Prius, but still better than any other 4- or 5-passenger car.

The HCH and the Insight excepted, this "crappy" mileage in a Prius under the worst conditions, is still better than any other car under ideal conditions.

 

I made a poor choice in tire replacements from OEM to ZiEx and have seen a drop in MPG from mid 60's to mid 50's after seasonal changes are discounted.

I do lots of things to improve MPG, but rarely annoy others. Chief among them are *very* limited AC.

My version of P&G is to drive 35 - 42 mph on city streets. I make a real effort not to go above 42 mph in 40 mph zones, since the 2 KW penalty to spin the ICE for another coulple of mph speed is senseless.

Lastly, I anticipate lights and traffic.

Overall, not a big deal at all. I don't think I could get under 40 mpg, unless it was a short trip in the cold.

(US units)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ken Cooper @ Feb 11 2007, 12:00 PM) [snapback]388448[/snapback]</div>

I've found our other cars respond to external conditions just about as much as our Prius. The swing in MPG is larger on the Prius, but only because the Prius gets much better mileage. When figured as a percentage, it comes out about the same for us.

Tom

 

First year owning my car................

Temps in Illinois have been below freezing for my entire last tank. Just refilled this a.m. and logged 43.38 MPG. This tank comprised longer trips. My last two tanks with colder temps and shorter trips were logged at 39.37 and 46.3. The latter was realized w/ temps above freezing for the most part.

My Summer MPG ranged from 50.26 to 56.17.

No complaints here as my Altima averaged 26 MPG.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Hobbs @ Feb 6 2007, 08:24 AM) [snapback]385979[/snapback]</div>

My wife doesnt pulse/glide, she just gets in and drives and averages 47 on the hwy. & 53 in the city.