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After 6 Prius-driving years, an "Aha!" moment: 57.8 MPG in real-world conditions

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Jack Kelly, Jun 30, 2007.

  1. Jack Kelly

    Jack Kelly New Member

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    It was a leisurely 204-mi. drive in N CA: about 1/3 freeway (speeds to 70), 1/3 heavily-travelled state roads (with lotsa sporadic gridlock) and 1/3 wine-country, miscellaneous backroads.

    After filling at beginning of trip, left wife in car with AC on for half an hour while haggling in store, causing ICE to run. MFD read 8 MPG to start. I almost reset it so as not to get in a bad mood getting impatient to "overcome" it to a more normal reading. But didn't.

    Inadvertently left screen most of day on Page 2, so I didn't even notice accumulated MPG.

    NEVER made one conscious effort to stretch MPG. NO P&G, no soft-topping hills, nada.

    Turned MFD back to Page 1 at 140 mi., noticed over 53 MPG. From then on, an assortment of gridlocks and propitious coasts downhill. I could see everything was in my favor, but still I resisted stretching it. Drove SO mad commenting on steadily-climbing MPG readout.

    Long story short: readout clicked to 58.7 just as I coasted to a stop in garage.

    Average speed overall was probably 45-50 MPH, temp 73-83.

    Best ever for real-world driving, topped only by 65 MPG when deliberately milking rolling hills for 100 mi. a couple of years ago.
     
    #1 Jack Kelly, Jun 30, 2007
  2. wbuttler

    wbuttler New Member

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    Congrats
    the real world is what counts and your mileage is excellent!
    Froley
     
    #2 wbuttler, Jun 30, 2007
  3. jimmylozza

    jimmylozza New Member

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    I get 3-5 better MPG with the Consumption and Energy screens off. Go figure. :)
     
    #3 jimmylozza, Jun 30, 2007
  4. gamiller

    gamiller New Member

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    #4 gamiller, Jun 30, 2007
  5. Jack Kelly

    Jack Kelly New Member

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    Blind luck. Really.
     
    #5 Jack Kelly, Jun 30, 2007
  6. barbaram

    barbaram Active Member

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    Lucky you!

    hopefully you'll have many more such days!
     
    #6 barbaram, Jun 30, 2007
  7. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Well in the limited experience I've had so far with Pearl, she gets the best mileage around 70 - 75 km/hr, around your average speed. I've seen consistent 3.8 l/100 km at that speed, and if I could drive all day around that speed I'd probably average close to that (level ground, little wind, etc). That's about 62 MPG US. So that could be why you got such a good tank. Of course we are not always that patient! Boring scenery, 4 lane divided highway, out of time, and a speed limit of 110 km/hr will find me doing an indicated 117 km/hr. At that speed I get the "horrendous" mileage of 5.5 l/100 km (gasp!). That's 43 MPG US.

    Note, as the hypermilers state, you will get the best mileage when the ICE is running, but you're not going too fast (not yet beyond the "knee" of the aerodynamic drag graph). Drag increases exponentially as speed increases, but as long as you stay around or below the knee you will not loose too much energy. The knee, for those not familiar with the term, is where the line takes a sudden turn upwards in drag losses. ;) For the Prius, so far that appears to be between 70 and 80 km/hr. That's 44-50 MPH.
     
    #7 David Beale, Jun 30, 2007
  8. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Jack,

    Have you ever noticed that you get much worse milage driving Westbound on I-80 from Sacramento to Winters vs Eastbound? I seem to get much worse milage and I think there may be a near constant headwind that causes it.
     
    #8 F8L, Jun 30, 2007
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