Is stop and go freeway driving the optimal mpg?

Same here. I obtain my best mileage while driving on the freeways when traffic is heavy and it takes me half an hour to forty minutes to travel a distance of ten to twelve miles (most often on the 101 southbound/Ventura eastbound).

 

My guess is that you are benefiting from a warmed up engine and slow speed.

 

Because those traffic patterns almost force you to pulse-n-glide,
which is well known to be the optimal use of the HSD for fuel
economy. If you extend the methodology into as much of your normal
driving as possible, per the numerous articles that have been posted
here and elsewhere, you'll realize those benefits more often and
your overall average will go up.
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_H*

 

It depends on what average speed the stop and go traffic is moving along at.

I find that I get better mpgs when there is enough congestion on the freeway to slow traffic to 20-40mph with few sudden stops/slowdowns (I try to stay in electric mode and coast as often as possible in the slow lane when traffic is like this).

Stop and go traffic in which you actually stop & sit for a period of time (5-20 seconds) in between the go's and never quite get much speed up before you have to brake and sit again eats away at my mpgs and the battery level. I opt to take surface streets when I encounted truly stopped up traffic.

This is what my optimal freeway traffic journey looks like on the mfd:



I like that!!

 

I find this true for "slow-and-go" where there are few complete stops but heavy traffic. In the summer, with A/C on, this doesn't work as well.

Very heavy stop and go traffic only gives good MPG for a short time. Eventually, the battery depletes and the engine comes on every time I move and shuts off immediately. This isnt' very efficient.

 

I find my battery being depleted often when I'm cralling to stop lights, what is the best way to get mpgs in this situation? When everyone is inching up and I just always see the battery draining.

 

The battery will drain in those situations, which is exactly what it should do. The alternative is to run the engine, which is what a conventional car does in the same situation. That isn't very efficient.

In stop and go, your Prius runs from the battery until the battery is low or the engine needs heat. At that point the engine runs until the battery has some charge and the engine is hot. Repeat as necessary.

Stop and go is not efficient, even for your Prius, but your Prius is less inefficient than a conventional car.

What's the best way to get MPGs in stop and go? Find another route. If you have to drive that route, just drive and your Prius will take care of it.

Tom

 

Or if you can change your work times - that can help. I start my driving day well over an hour before the sun comes up. The I-5 and I-405 junction (near where I live) is over 20 lanes across (north and south bound). Two hours after I pass through, it's often grid locked. When I pass through I'm lucky to even see 2 or 3 cars - all the way to the horizon. Timing can be everything.

oh! almost forgot
ZOMBIE THREAD - it was dead for over a half decade ... & now it's alive!

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