46.3 is all I can muster

I wonder if the guys in the Chicagoland Prius Club could help out...

 

I'm getting 59mpg (for the first time) this week because my wife is not driving. She has a lead foot and keeps the AC on. I just P & G and try to get the motor to do the work as much as possible. I've avoided some cold start short hops.

~buttster

 

MY new 07 got 45 MPG at the pump and 47 on the car computer. I'm happy with that for now.

 

Does it sound normal....maybe? Can you do better....YES! Your roads sound ideal for great MPG. Tire inflation is important, go above the Toyota recommended MINIMUM pressure on your door placard, PriusChat is filled with recommendations. Next you need to learn to glide, no arrows anywhere on your MFD, again PriusChat has info scattered about on how to get there. Then you can learn to modify your driving style to use your new tools; gliding to stops instead of your foot on the gas, using stealth only if you have to, maximise regen braking with lots of traffic around.

Please do come out to our ChicagoPriusGroup meet-up on May 20th. Everyone shares their experiences and you can take away anything from tips to lessons for driving for MPG. And you'll get to see and touch a real Prius hybrid battery.

Wayne

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(splashback @ May 3 2007, 08:46 AM) [snapback]434646[/snapback]</div>

I'm getting 41 mpg now as the weather begins to warm up. Mainly very short trips about town and occassionally something a bit longer, say 30 miles round-trip over rolling countryside in Central New York. Just got back this morning from having my 06 Prius get an oil change and a tire pressure check-up. Service center manager said my mileage should begin to improve a) with warmer weather, and B) now that the vheicle is at 6,000, which is a standard "break-in" point. With gas at $3+ for 87 octane and likely headed to $4 by July 4, getting 40+ mpg in any vehicle, but especially a Prius, is nothing to complain about. To be sure, those who post they are getting 50, 60, 70 mpg appear to be the exception, not the rule. Don't fret about mpg, drive safely, and have a lot of fun in this small, funky car.

 

I don't think Toyota specifies that as a "minimum" at all.

Those values are *the* specified values, period.

Too many people here want the world to be different than it actually is...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chuck_k @ May 3 2007, 08:22 PM) [snapback]434866[/snapback]</div>

Indeed. There's a thread where people have reported unsafe handling because of over inflating. Toyota has determined the correct pressure for your car given it's weight distribution. The only safe reason to put more air in your tires is if you're carrying more weight, as indicated in the owners manual. The tire manufacturer will tell you the maximum pressure for your tires, but not the correct pressure for your particular car. Tiresafety.com (pdf) will tell you the same thing, see question 4. Some cars handle over inflation better than others, seems some Prii don't take it very well.

Oh, btw: I manage about 46 mpg / 5.0 l/100 km as well, lots of highway (motorway?) driving and I'm happy with it. It's as economical as a two-seater Smart city car. The car I would have bought instead of the Prius would have used at least 50% more fuel (Seat Leon, 5-door hatchback based on the new VW Golf/Rabbit platform, with a 150 bhp FSI engine and 6-speed automatic).

 

I own a 2007 Prius and living in West Los Angeles and frwy commuting to the West San Fernando during the week along with surface street driving in both places, my combined city/hwy MPG is always between 50 - 55. Granted I need to use the tricks of the trade by first not being a lead foot, coasting/stealth, pluse/glide etc. I plan on purchasing the 3rd generation as soon as it becomes available hopefully this September.

 

What route do you take to work? If you can find a route where the stops are a mile apart then you should be able to get 65+ 5 minute segments or more with good light karma.

Anticipatory driving is the key, knowing stop light patterns so you don't pulse up to speed and have to immediately brake. You want to roll with no arrows as much as you can, don't go on pure electric except for your last one or two minutes (battery recharges on next cold start up). Let gaps form and take advantage of them in front and behind you: pulse into ones in front of you, and glide into the ones behind you so that you aren't upsetting other drivers with the hypermiling techniques.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(splashback @ May 3 2007, 05:46 AM) [snapback]434646[/snapback]</div>

How many miles do you drive in those 45 minutes?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(splashback @ May 3 2007, 07:46 AM) [snapback]434646[/snapback]</div>

You can see what a lot of other people get at www.greenhybrid.com.

 

Be patient. Kepp trying. Read the threads suggesting hypermile'ing techniques. See you after your first 600+ mile tank!

 

If you're doing a lot of 0 to 50 accelerating that is probably your biggest hit, I've been on those roads a few times but don't recall the terrain. Perhaps try to find a route that takes an hour, with slightly lower speed limits. A 45 mph road is tough for me as I haven't figured out the best technique.

Last night I had a good run with 5 bars in a row right at 70 mpg, on a road with 30-40 mph limits stopping around every 3/4 mile to a mile. I didn't have good light karma but I was able to get in an accelerate to speed then glide to the next light pattern.

 

I took our 2007 in for its first oil change this week. The service manager asked "how is it doing". I said great, no problems. I did mention however that the salesman told us that we could expect AT LEAST what the sticker said, 60 city, 51 highway. He just rolled his eyes and asked what I was geting. I said around 54 highway, 47 city. He told me that I was getting among the highest MPG that he has heard of at this dealership. He also said that as the car gets more milage I will do better. My wife and I are really happy with what we are getting now and hope to improve it with hints from the Prius Chat.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lowlander @ May 3 2007, 01:49 PM) [snapback]434888[/snapback]</div>

Going under the posted tire pressure for the car is far more dangerous than going above (as long as you don't go over the tire's recommended PSI level). Apparently some people's experiences vary when going to 40/38 and above, but also many people here have had no problems at those levels. As noted, Toyota recommends increasing the tire pressure above the value posted in the door for certain situations, so the car can handle it. Part of the reason of having a lower value (35/33 psi) is for riding comfort. I run about 39/36 and haven't noticed any problems. I think it improves snow traction and lengthens tire life.

I'm also in the Chicago area and get about 48 mpg, but that's on a short commute where a good portion of the time is spent warming up the engine, plus we're just coming out of winter. By summer's end I should be over 50 mpg lifetime average. Your commute should be better than mine, but it depends on how fast people are accelerating out of the lights and if the lights are timed, etc. I would second FireEngineer's recommendations, including coming to the May 20th meetup. Anticipating traffic flow is key, along with allowing a bigger buffer space in front of your car for reasonable slowdowns (don't worry about the occasional person changing into your lane), good tire pressure, and drive without using the battery as much as possible. FireEngineer could drive your route and easily get over 50 mpg I'm sure, but he's spent a lot of time perfecting the best way to drive a Prius in Chicago traffic.

 

I can only manage about the same, though it's a 20-min 8-mile, hilly trip each way and have only done it for 5 days. The A/C is set to low fan and 75 degrees, because I find road noise annoying.

I don't think there's much pulsing and gliding one can do in hilly conditions with traffic around. It's still 3 times better than the 3lt V6 94 Camry I just sold.

I hope it gets better after break-in period and 42/40 tire inflation.

 

i wish we were getting close to that. my wife drives an 07 touring. only 3500 mi on it right now. she uses it everyday for short trips with our toddlers around town. she doesn't try to drive for mileage. she just drives it like she used to drive her matrix. now that it's getting warmer the a/c is often on as well. right now the computer is showing 36.6 mpg. pretty bad compared to a lot of people here but it beats the 15mpg we used to get on our honda odyssey.

does 36.6 mpg sound about right for those conditions?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(alleyooptroop @ May 6 2007, 09:22 AM) [snapback]436271[/snapback]</div>

Short trips are real mpg killers, as the ICE needs to warm up during the first 10 minutes or so. A little planning of your short trips can help: if at all possible, go to the farthest destination first and then work your way back home with a warm engine.