Hey Prius owner. I read most of the threads on this forum and people always discuss about MPG on their car. Some reach 55-60MPG some people 60-70MPG. However they never included the MPH on their thread. you can reach 80MPG if you drive 20MPH with your EV mod or 40MPG with 75-80MPH . So please included you information when you try to tell people your MPG. 1: % of City/Highway 2: % EV / Normal / PWR mode 3: Average City MPH / Freeway MPH 4: then MPG This format can clearly introduce the newbie what they suppose to get and not because they Prius is lemon. Thanks
Unfortunately it's not just that simple, MPG depends on many factors: driver skill, "pedal feel", focus, route / terrain, etc. Over the 4 years I've had mine my milage has gone fom averaging mid 50's when I firts got it, to this summer consistantly around 70 / tank. Last summer I was thrilled to be averaging mid 60's, so it's a process of continous learning / practice. KAIZEN baby !!! :rockon:
I can offer a "ballpark"... On Saturday, I did a "down-and-back" from my home in Vernon Hills to my sister's in Champaign, IL. Traffic was about equal for both legs, as was weather/temperature. For the outbound trip, I was just loafing along, with the cruise control set at 70 mph for about 70% of the trip. I averaged about 51.x mpg. On the return leg, I wanted to get home. The cruise was set for 80 mph for about 60% of the trip and the rest of the time I was doing my best "Andretti" performance and I averaged 45 mpg. Certainly not scientific, but shows about a 10% decrease by driving like an asshat.
I agree that it's hard to tell you the information that you are seeking... I have just hit the 38,000 mile mark in mine, and even with the larger wheels on the Prius V, I have managed an average of 54.3 for my ownership... I live in the Chicago area, and commute 20 miles in each way daily to work, plus another 30-60 miles each of several days per week visiting some data centers in suburban areas. about 80% of my total driving is done in traffic. On the highway, I usually drive with traffic in the right lane, a few miles above the posted speeds. On city streets, like most, I am limited by the traffic, but most of my streets are urban, and therefore 30mph. Of course, when I drive to friends houses, in the countryside, I get 65+ mpg for those trips as the 45-55 mph back roads are great for maximizing your mileage...
Moved to fuel economy: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...83147-posting-in-correct-forum-sub-forum.html
As others pointed out, there are too many variables. So what I do are a series of controlled benchmarks, ~10 miles each way, at different speeds on flat land to generate an mph vs MPG chart: I also do hill climb tests: These represent the best to expect from the vehicle within the limits of experimental error. Performance less than this suggests a different test protocol or possibly a problem with the vehicle. For example, temperature has an effect due largely to air density effects. Quality of fuel is also important. But these charts give a clue about what to expect. Bob Wilson