Other than changing how you drive, what can be done to increase MPG's?

Nah, Tires and pressure, what are you running?
Air and cabin filters, complete tune up, brake check and service if necessary.
Oil and oil level.

 

Use a block heater, year 'round, before first cold start of the day.

 

Beating the EPA - The Why’s and How to Hypermile

 

See my edits.

 

These should have essentially no impact on MPG.

Good for others reasons, just not for MPG.

 

I've never really tested. A couple of hours plugged in will raise engine coolant temp around 35~35C. It gets the engine off fast idle sooner, and shutting down sooner too. Biggest impact would be on short trips I'm sure.

Secondary benefit: I suspect it's good for engine longevity.

 

Grill block, in winter. Good thread here:

2010 Prius Grill Blocking strategy | PriusChat

 

A lot of Prius owners believe you should have the fronts 2 psi higher than the rears...

 

It seems pretty unlikely that a car designed for fuel efficiency would add a superfluous doo dad. I would expect that it would negatively affect the air flow at the rear of the vehicle.

Mechanically, I'd advice to make sure it's tuned up properly, using the right oil, LRR tires inflated above the pressure in the manual (mine are 44/42). Then, it's driving techniques as allowed by the schools of fish ... errrr ... cars that dart around the roads in tight packs.

What kind of mileage are you getting so far?

Edit to add: PS. I would partly disagree with Fuzzy. If the cabin filter is too dirty, it will make the A/C run longer to cool the cabin. Some people here have claimed a pretty significant impact on economy from the cabin filter. I'm not sure that it's a huge difference, though.

 

Combine trips.

 

And avoid short trips if practical, say something like driving 3 blocks to pick up the pizza: walk fer chrisakes. This is drifting off-topic, into technique, but hey.

Similarly: Amazon-shop stuff, instead of chasing all over town. If you can even find it.

 

That will have to be addressed you folks living in climates that actually need lots of AC. I live in a relatively low-AC climate.

As for the engine air filter, that should have no MPG impact on a traditional non-hybrid gasoline engine (Otto cycle) that is hypermiled, or never run at wide open throttle, unless it becomes so clogged that the driver must start pressing the pedal to the floor.

The answer becomes less definitive for Atkinson-type engines on Prius and others where the intake valves adjust for a smaller air charge volume, so the intake manifold needs less vacuum, so the throttle butterfly valve can open more. At the limit, as these engines reach more free-flowing diesel-like intake systems, a dirty and clogged air filter will become more of an MPG issue. But I don't believe Prius is very close to that point yet.

Clean free-flowing air filters are important to racers trying to achieve maximum engine power. Ordinary commuting on our streets and highways doesn't need that much power.

 

Removing the spoiler will increase drag; the effect of the wiper is probably minimal, but I removed mine anyway. The following will take you from stock Cd .25 to Cd .212:

-lower 1.5" (Tein H-tech springs)
-partial grill block
-solid wheel covers
-exterior mirror removal
-shark fin antenna
-rear wiper removal
-Coroplast paneling underneath

More on the above here. Don't mind the missing pictures; I'm in the process of re-hosting them.

 

This might be under the category of changing the way you drive... but staying in the slow lane and allowing more time for your commute will drive up your FE more than anything else I can think of.

 

Do you have a link or name of the mesh sun shield?

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