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How long were your city trips? I've noticed that it can take anywhere from 5-15 minutes for the engine to sufficiently warm up, and during that time the ICE runs alot.

The only problem with the EV mod is that you won't be able to use it for all 30 miles :-p. it's typically used for *very* short trips (around the parking lot, for example). Do some searching through the forums here, and you'll find out lots of different methods for maximizing your MPG. The biggest problem you'll face is the northern climate (but your MPG's will still be better than the cars that are passing you on the highway)

 

Pulse and glide in the city. Let gaps open up in front of you,
get a good "burn" out of the engine, and then float along on
just enough electric to keep going for a while.
.
_H*

 

Hey..nice Car!.......Nice color too! :lol:

If you are in an area where you need to take off fast... go ahead and let the ICE "internal combustion engine" do the hard work... try to use EV when on the easy stuff when its ludicrius to have the ICE on.

Many on this site who actually do very well with mpg believe taking off fast and not wasting time to get up to the higher more effecient rpms, allows the ICE to get the best mpg.

EV is not as powerful as you may think and its better to only do light duty with it.. although it does give you more latitude than factory EV modes, you still are not gaining anything if you use battery that the ICE will have to work harder to make back up.
There is alot of efficiency loss in using the battery energy that was won with the ICE, just to have to charge it back again with the ICE.

Try to use your EV more when you collected it from necessary braking and coasting and you have a light job to do that the ICE is not really needed for...

Read up on the EV threads... there is a tremedous amount of talk and theorys on the best way to use it.

Unless you just want to play for fun, there are things that can hurt you or help you with EV.

 

Hi efrench...

Quote: "...everyone brags about how they get better City than Highway"

In 15,000 miles, I have consistently achieved better highway/freeway mileage than in the city. I also note that numerous other PriusChat folks also make similar comments. EPA's ratings are relatively unrelated to "real world" conditions. Overall, I run 40-45 MPG City, and 45-54 MPG freeway/highway. I drive "with the flow" highway, and look for opportunities to "coast" in the city - as when I see a signal changing to "red" and rather that keeping power until I get almost to the signal (as many drivers seem to do) let off on the power and let the Prius "do its thing" and see that graph go to ∞ (Infinity) MPG on the MFD.

Enjoy your Prius - it's a remarkable machine.

 

light duty jobs to the battery and heave for the ICE... use it the other way around and you'll pay in efficeincy....

The ICE likes to work if its gonna have to run, but when it has simple easy jobs it tends to be less efficeint and maybe the electric may be wiser.. if its just for a short period.

 

i get better city mileage... sometimes. it depends. traffic can easily create a 10-15 mpg swing.

also, on super slow acceleration. it didnt seem to help me. what did work for me is getting up to a speed that i could maintain. this almost always requires a greater than normal following distance and being very aware of what is going on up ahead of you. if you have to use your brakes AT ALL, you are not doing as well as you can be.

so if you see a light 5 blocks up ahead that you know takes forever to turn and there is already 5-6 cars sitting there, you already should be coasting. you already know you have to stop, so no sense in driving full speed until you are ½ a block away (like most people do). if people behind you get upset, let em!!. unless they plan on plowing a swath through the crowd sitting at the red light, they aint going anywhere anyways and you might as well FORCE them to save a little gas too.

i do it all the time and i feel good doing it. of course, multi-lane roads besides not having the problem of holding up traffic can usually give you more flexibility in your driving habits.