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New to Prius: Can't achieve above 45 MPG

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by Jaybird124, Aug 3, 2013.

  1. Jaybird124

    Jaybird124 Junior Member

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    As the title says, I made a difficult decision of moving from my 335d Sport to a '13 Prius 3 (3 miles on the clock). Many thanks to the great info on PriusChat.

    I've had the Prius a few days and already put 350 miles on it (combination of highway/city).

    I was an excellent hypermiler in my 335, achieving 30MPG in town (35/40/45MPH zones) and 38 highway (78 MPH). I don't think this is half bad considering I was rolling on super sticky Michelin Pilot Super Sports.
    I had never driven I hybrid till I purchased this one a few days ago. Certainly there's a learning curve. That said, I would think I would be able to achieve high 40's/low 50's straight out of the box without trying. Engine Break-In should only account for a 5-10% change at best. Worth noting I'm religious about cruise control, even in town.
    I've watched Bob's video on pulse and glide. Helpful information. However, even he said in the video that an average driver should be able to get 48-50 without thinking about it.

    Thoughts?
     
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  2. g4_power

    g4_power Junior Member

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    Let the Prius glide, that's the best way to achieve high mpg. Gliding is mainly used at low speed (below 40 mph). But I also glide on the freeways as well. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go to youtube and search for "Prius Pulse and Glide"
     
  3. Jaybird124

    Jaybird124 Junior Member

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    I've been working on that. A lot of that I already did in my 335d.
    I do struggle with the pulse part. I would feather the throttle more on the 'pulse' in the diesel, but in the Prius anything less than half throttle and I'm holding up traffic as I try to get up to speed.
    It almost seems better to give 2/3 to 3/4 throttle to get up to speed, then glide, THEN to a feathered throttle. Thoughts?
    Does the low 40's come as a surprise? I don't think theres necessarily anything wrong with my car, but even if there was, I'd have a hard time proving it.
     
  4. g4_power

    g4_power Junior Member

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    Yes, 45 mpg is sort of a surprise. The only time my Prius ever got that low was the time I let my son drive. He was doing 75 mph on the freeway non-stop for 60 miles. During that trip, our elevation also increased by 500 ft, my GPS said that we did.

    I personally never have gotten that low once the Prius is warmed up.

    PS: Check your tire pressure. I set mine to 40 psi
     
  5. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Checking against my baseline, benchmark:
    [​IMG]
    At "78 mph" 45 MPG is right, there is no problem. To reduce your MPG at 78 mph requires aerodynamic modifications or if MPG is important, a lower speed.

    You might consider setting the cruise control to 65-70 mph and getting 50-55 MPG. Bring good music and enjoy the ride. If there are semi-trailer trucks on the route, use them as pacing vehicles and no one will notice 'the Prius stuck behind the truck.'

    Aerodynamic modifications are a little more involved than a single post reply. Testing reduced cooling drag, I've gotten about a 4% reduction, 52 MPG -> 54 MPG. Using more sophisticated modifications, I would not expect no more than a 10% improvement.

    Bob Wilson
     
  6. xpcman

    xpcman Senior Member

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    Worth noting I'm religious about cruise control, even in town



    Cruse control in city traffic is counter productive and possibly dangerous.
     
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  7. Jaybird124

    Jaybird124 Junior Member

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    Checking against my baseline, benchmark:
    At "78 mph" 45 MPH is right, there is no problem. To reduce your MPG at 78 mph requires aerodynamic modifications or if MPG is important, a lower speed.

    You might consider setting the cruise control to 65-70 mph and getting 50-55 MPG. Bring good music and enjoy the ride. If there are semi-trailer trucks on the route, use them as pacing vehicles and no one will notice 'the Prius stuck behind the truck.'


    Bob,

    You are right. The interstate fuel economy doesn't upset me that much. It's the city that is disappointing. That's supposed to be squarely in the Prii wheelhouse. I'm working my butt off to get 42-44MPG. I just went up to Starbucks. 6 mile drive (12 total). Two lights, 35/30/50 MPH zones. Cruise control used 60% of the time. While I'm sure my pulse and glide technique needs improvement, I was using it. And again, it's supposed to be able to get 50 MPG city in its sleep, with little effort.
     
  8. Jaybird124

    Jaybird124 Junior Member

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    On a 4 lane road with separated median, I'll take my chances. #livinonthewildside
     
  9. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Short trips pay a heavy 'warm-up' cost. Also, route planning is important. So let me suggest a couple of things:
    • Reset trip meter -> start car -> let it auto-stop . . . about 1-2 minutes :: this handles the initial catalytic converter warm-up, the inefficient "closed-loop" part of warm-up. You can use this time to fasten seat belt, check mirrors and seat, and tune radio/music.
    • Choose slowest route for first 1-2 miles :: this lets the engine coolant warm up under minimum load while cutting through the neighborhood which is often posted at 25 mph.
    • Drive on cruise control while monitoring the energy flow:
      • if energy flows from wheels to traction battery - shift into "N"
      • if in "N" and speed falls to cruise control speed - shift into "D" and hit "resume"
      • coming to a stop, be sure to shift into "D"
    If you would share a Google Map of the Starbucks route, we could go over options.

    Bob Wilson
     
  10. g4_power

    g4_power Junior Member

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    This morning I drove my first 10 miles of the day and I got 62 mpg. I had to deal with stop signs and lights. Speed limits were 15/35/45. Do you have the "ECO" mode turned on? I don't use cruise control. I know your trip was only 6 miles but you should still get over 50 mpg
     
  11. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Are you on the original tank of gas?

    Prius chat get's these type of early owner posts rather frequently.

    You can try all the suggestions in regards to maintenance and driving style application and they may help...or they WILL help.

    But my suggestion is simply don't panic. Learn how to read, and reset your gauges. Make MPG calculations based on actual pump/ mileage data.

    And wait until your sample size of feedback is more than 1 tank and less than a 1000 miles driven.

    Once you driven a few tanks...and have some real mileage on the vehicle, and you are sure of the mileage you are getting, THEN you can determine if you really should be concerned.

    I do a lot of short trip....to work. So I know I pay a penalty. I'm still getting 45-50+ mpg, and I'm very happy with that. But my gas mileage is usually boosted on the weekends when I'm more likely to drive longer and further. So I guess my repeated point is you just need a bigger sample size of driving.

    If I had just got my Prius, and was judging from MPG initially from my short trips, I'd probably be upset. But it's really full tanks, and multiple tanks that will give you a better idea of what your real overall MPG average is.
     
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  12. Jaybird124

    Jaybird124 Junior Member

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    I appreciate it brother. I agree that I'll get a better assessment once the car is broken in. It's just hard seeing 35-42 MPG on in town trips with a warmed up car.
    This was a difficult decision to begin with. The Prius is a fine car for sure, but I'm a dyed in the wool BMW guy. I've loved owning them for many years.
    My wife drives 23k miles per year, so we made the move based on fuel economy calculations and resulted savings. So I sacrificed my diesel and will drive her 128. She will commute in the Prius during the week. Anywho, that's why I've been sensitive to FE.

    Worth noting I always have been adamant about using 'top tier' gas stations for my cars. Especially ones with high fuel turnover. I'm on my second tank of gas in the Prius. 577 miles on the clock.
     
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sounds like a lemon, i've never gotten less than 50, short or long trips unless the temps are well below freezing. how does your wife do, same thing?
     
  14. Jaybird124

    Jaybird124 Junior Member

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    I'm not sure how it could lead to any action if its not throwing codes, emitting noises, or producing any defined behavior. In other words, Toyota isn't going to replace it or even know what to fix, just because I'm getting 10 MPG lower than average.
     
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    agreed. hopefully, some here will be able to help you figure it out. try filling out the 'why are my mpg's so low' survey, it might give us a clue. all the best!(y)
     
  16. Jaybird124

    Jaybird124 Junior Member

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    I will after I give the car more time.

    Thanks again to PriusChat for all the great information leading up to this point. I'll post some pictures once I get the car waxed. Just got it tinted yesterday.
     
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  17. jhinsc

    jhinsc Senior Member

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    I'm glad I didn't give in and buy the Jetta/Passat diesel before I bought the v. The torque of the diesel is so alluring when accelerating or pulling away from a standstill that I likely couldn't resist it, and there would go my mileage. At least around town....
     
  18. rdgrimes

    rdgrimes Senior Member

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    Have you ever mashed on the pedal at a stop light in your v? With a full battery, there's considerable torque available.
     
  19. Jaybird124

    Jaybird124 Junior Member

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    25 miles in town. In ECO mode, avg. 42MPG - 22MPH. Fail.
     
  20. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    I've been thinking about this too:
    You have no problem:
    • 42 MPG / 30 MPG = 140% better than your last car
    The Prius is beating the pants off of what you used to drive but you are complaining like my wife. When my wife is unhappy with something, she poses the question:

    "Why didn't you do <something she is unhappy about.>​

    The whole premise of this thread started with questioning why your Prius . . . in your hands . . . is not achieving performance similar to what the rest of us think is trivial . . . and not just us. From Fuelly - Track and Compare Your MPG:
    • 48.2 MPG average - 204 cars, 2013 Prius
    • 48.4 MPG average - 470 cars, 2012 Prius
    • 48.4 MPG average - 308 cars, 2011 Prius
    But you gave a valuable clue, ". . . excellent hypermiler . . ." so I'm going to suggest return to:


    They have a vested interest in seeing that "hypermiling" works. You've come here and even though claiming great skills and getting 140% of your earlier MPG, you are still disappointed. I don't know about anyone else but I am pretty sure I can't help you achieve what an EPA government bureaucrat can accomplish seven days a week and twice on Sunday. In short, I am sure there is no dialog going on and the clues suggests you came here, like my wife's style of criticism, to ask a rhetorical question . . . not diagnose the 'nut behind the wheel.'

    This is enough noise in the world that we sometimes have to mute the radio. In this case, turn off following the thread. Of course some of our Prius brethren may speak a variant that you understand . . . or not. I just have something else to do.

    GOOD LUCK!
    Bob Wilson