Hwy vs Stop and go

congrats and welcome!

you'll do far better on back roads because lower speed requires less energy. you won't get a lot back from regeneration, but you will get some.
use of hvac in different seasons/temps will hhurt a little either way, and rain causes friction, decreasing range.
all the best!

 

Welcome and congrats.

You will not make the round trip on only EV on the highway. You can make it on surface streets depending on speeds, how much you use your brakes, and how often the traffic lights or the car in front of you force you to brake hard. And the weather is a big factor.

 

Welcome. Test both options and let us know.

 

If you can time the lights properly, avoid stopping and restarting, keeping it around 45 mph - you should be able to make the round trip.

Wet roads and rain will have a huge effect on MPG; it actually goes down with these cars.

 

When you drop from 65 to 55 MPH, does your Prius Prime switch to EV mode?

 

Normally, yes although it's not really "EV mode;" that's the mode you select with a push button. You're still in HV mode, but the ICE is off and it will say EV above the bar on the HSI display but it won't say "EV mode" by the speedometer. And the battery state of charge also has a say in it. On flat ground without a headwind, 60 mph seems to be about where it needs more power than the car wants to provide in EV when running in HV mode.