Reached the 50mpg mark!!! Yeah!!!

Good job everyone keep up the good work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

We have 350 on the odo now. Best I've done is about high 50's myself over a fairly short trip but I was going _really_ slowly. It was a Sunday morning and I was driving on the left hand side of eco almost all the time.

 

I do.
sunnyside MS - Google Maps

But I carry so much in my car that I average 42 MPG.

 

I got 54.0 (displayed) on a highway trip yesterday, doing 73mph or so most of the way - sunny near 60F. Might have had a slight tail wind, but it was also uphill a bit too.

The return trip was a different story - foggy and 45F. Averaged 46 mpg (displayed), so my total trip hit 50mpg flat (displayed). Going to start another thread about that...

 

Actually saw over 70 MPG (displayed) yesterday, around town driving! Gotta love the warm weather!

 

I have a Gen II and a long highway trip usually nets me 54+ MPG with cruise set at 69 MPH for most of the way. I have done this on several trips from Akron, OH to Virginia Beach (without even having to stop for fuel) and many trips from Akron to Columbus or Cincinnati. If you can stand to set at 55 - 60 MPH especially when driving through city interstates you could easily see 60 MPG on clear days.

 

My commute has some flat sections (San Mateo Bridge), but the rest are hills, including a long one (the Dublin grade). My commute is about 85% highway 15% city/stop&go. Weather was varied (some clear days, some rainy days, some "cool" days (42-45F). I averaged 57 mpg (calculated).

The trick is slowing down.

You may not want to do what I do, but it works. I drive in the right hand lane....55 mph. I've been doing that for 4 years now. My old Integra was averaging 38 mpg on this same commute over a 2 year period. So my mpg's went up by nearly 20 with the new car.

Try slowing down 5 mph from your current speed. The overall difference in speed won't make a appreciable difference in your commute time, but your MPG's might increase by 2.

 

The biggest influences on mpg:

1) temperature
2) rain
3) tires (type and pressure)
4) distance
5) speed

As noted above, I got 54mpg displayed on a highway trip doing 74mph most of the way - but the weather was both warm and dry, my tires were firm (>40psi), and the distance was well beyond the warm-up range.

Speed is only one factor, but it is one of the only ones you can control - tire pressure is the other.

 

Driving technique matters a lot as well. Slow acceleration versus jack rabbit stops & starts not only improves your mileage, but affects your vehicle's longevity.

Example: The highest performing cars are Formula 1 racers. They use all sorts of ultr-expensive, super-durable metals, and yet, in the Indy 500, they are driven so hard in 500 miles that 1/3 of them experience mechanical failure. Drive hard enough, and your car won't last 500 miles. Mash the acceleror, stomp the brakes, and careen through every turn, and you'll wear any car out before its time.

 

4.1L/100km - wow, impressive. I am in Ontario/Toronto and have my Prius 2010 since last November. The lowest fuel consumption showing on the computer is 4.9L/100km. The actual consumption, according to my own calculation on every fill up, is actually about 5.15L/100km last week.

Are you using regular or premium gas? What tire pressure do you have on front and rear tires? I am wondering if these are the factors for higher fuel efficiency.

 

I can't imagine my 2010 will get the fuel efficiency as low as your 2007. May be I need a couple years for breaking in period in order to get your mileage. It's amazing you can get the consumption number so low. BTW, are you reporting the computer consumption number or from your actual calculation between fill ups?

 

I've only had my Prius for two weeks, but I've been able to get over 50 mpg on both my refills by simply paying attention to the Hybrid System indication, and trying to stay out of the 'power' area.

 

No kidding? 3.9L/100km:rockon:
How long did you have to break in the engine to achieve that? You seem to have the Gen2 which has a smaller ICE. Could that be the reason? I use the ECO mode about 60% and the factory default mode for 30% and Power mode for 10%. Highway driving is about 70%. The Gen3 seems to use less gas when it is in city stop and go traffic, am I right about this?

 

nice!

 

In the 2010 Prius [ 80F temps + 65mph highway + 44psi ] = 60.3 mpg for 563 miles

 

Fantastic!