Question on short commute

Short trips are no good for ANY gasoline engine in the MPG department. The Prius is no different... except that most people expect it to be stellar in ALL situations.

At 17 miles you'll at least get the car up to temp, and should do fine.

 

17 miles with proper driving technique i would guesstimate you could have mpg in the 50s.

 

My commute is 16-mile one way in Bay Area (50% H/ 50% C).
I have been getting around 45mpg consistantly. (-2 in winter, +2 in summer).
You should be able to get more mpg than I do since I am a bit lead-footed.
Remember that the Prius is at its best mpg if you could maintain around 40mph by
timing the signal light in your city-portion of commute.

 

I have about a 4 mile commute and still manage to eek out around 50 MPG with conservative driving technique and occasional longer trips (to downtown or something).

17 miles really isn't that short of a trip, IMO. My Prius starts getting close to optimal mileage after the first 5 minutes of driving.

 

I agree with Boulder Bum: That's not a short trip. Other than the traffic jam, you probably have very favorable conditions for a high-MPG trip if you learn and apply high-MPG techniques. My commutes are in the neighborhood of 12 miles, and by applying those techniques I can often do 70+ MPG in this warm weather. This morning's commute was especially good due to some luck with traffic: 82.2 MPG.

The traffic jam will hurt if it's an extended stop-and-crawl situation. But it would hurt any car's MPG, affecting non-hybrids the most as the engine runs continuously while sitting still.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimboK @ May 15 2007, 07:28 AM) [snapback]442303[/snapback]</div>

One thing that you can expect in extended traffic jams, is that after being in the traffic jam for for several minutes, you will notice that the engine comes on as soon as you release the gas pedal. This is because due to the A/C or to creeping slowly along, the battery has discharged to 3 bars on the Energy Screen. In this situation, the engine will still turn off when you come to a stop, but will turn on immediately when you take your foot off the gas pedal. It's a bit disconcerting when it first happens to you because it is different for the behaviour you typically see with the car, and there have been several posts on Prius Chat asking about it over the years. But it is perfectly normal.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LandCruiser @ May 14 2007, 11:39 PM) [snapback]442239[/snapback]</div>

Sounds like another job for the FIREENGINEER , Oh Wayne.

EBH install needed it sounds like.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priussoris @ May 15 2007, 06:53 AM) [snapback]442311[/snapback]</div>

Yes, yes...engine block heater will boost your first 5 minute bar a lot. I also have a 17+ mile commute in the morning and my first five minute bar this morning, starting with an engine temp of 138F, was 65MPG, tank now at 73.7MPG.

Your commute is not short and sounds like a good one for great MPG. As others have said extended traffic jams could bring down your MPG, but they don't have to. Minimal or no use of A/C with short stealth and long glides could get you several miles before the ICE thinks it has the right to take over.

Wayne

 

i have a 3 mile commute, and my average trip is now down to under 5 miles. i get about 44 mpg more or less (currently 43.6), with tires that haven't fully broken in yet.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ May 15 2007, 09:04 AM) [snapback]442378[/snapback]</div>

Same here. My 3 mile commute gets about 46 mpg in decent weather. When I was driving 8 miles (each way) I would get 43-46 in the winter, 50-53 in the summer (rolling hills, high speed about 45 mph). 17 miles is not a short commute by any means. The first 5 minutes is the killer for mpg (probably less in balmy California), after that it's fine.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LandCruiser @ May 15 2007, 12:39 AM) [snapback]442239[/snapback]</div>

Megan drives a 17 mile one-way commute nearly equal to yours (maybe 50% local, 50% freeway). The freeway (Lakeshore Drive to I-55 in our case) is usually emptry on her way there and a crawl on her way home. We're currently averaging 49 MPG without any hypermiling techniques (i.e., she nearly always runs the heat or AC, and it's been a seriously long time since I checked the tire pressure).

 

My commute is 13mi of 35mph back roads with LOTS of stop signs followed by 5 miles of 65mph freeway. 50mpg+ is a gimme under good conditions and I've been in the low 60s for the last couple of weeks. Depends on a lot of factors. The Prius is fully warmed and operating nominally after no more than 2.5mi.

I'm also going to say that 17mi isn't a short commute.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ May 15 2007, 09:04 AM) [snapback]442378[/snapback]</div>

Same here. Average trip is about three stop-and-go miles on mostly hilly roads, I'm getting about 43 MPG.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LandCruiser @ May 15 2007, 02:39 AM) [snapback]442239[/snapback]</div>

As others have mentioned, I think you will be doing pretty well depending on the nature of your local and freeway driving. My semi-daily commute of 12 miles (85% local avg speed of 38-45mph and 15% highway around 60mph) nets between 55mpg in the winter and up to 65mpg in the summer with minimal A/C use. I am assuming with the more mild temps in CA that you would get to the upper end of these figures.

 

17 miles is not a short trip, you'll be fine. My fiancee has been driving 2 miles to work and back. Last winter she was getting MPG as low as 29!!! 40 is a good day, even now.