2016 Prius 20% improvement in MPG?

US EPA ratings are far more realistic than European and especially Japans fuel efficiency rating !

 

At what point, mpg speaking, will further gains be uninteresting? at 15,000 miles per year (100,000 miles takes 6.66 yrs (350 wks) to achieve)
100,000 miles at 50 mpg = 2,000 gallons or ~ 200 fill-ups or once per 1.75 weeks
100,000 miles at 57 mpg = 1,750 gallons or ~175 fill-ups or once per 2.00 weeks % mpg increase over 50 mpg = 14%
100,000 miles at 67 mpg = 1,500 gallons or ~150 fill-ups or once per 2.33 weeks % mpg increase over 57 mpg = 18%
100,000 miles at 80 mpg = 1,250 gallons or ~125 fill-ups or once per 2.80 weeks % mpg increase over 67 mpg = 19%
100,000 miles at 100 mpg = 1,000 gallons or ~100 fill-ups or once per 3.50 weeks % mpg increase over 50 mpg = 25%

Of course, 100 mpg would be awesome, but to think we could have 4 more generations above Gen III with each next generation achieving hefty increases in mpg will require something other than gasoline. Filling up once per month is really nice. After gen IV, I don't see further gains without significant use of the electric motor, powered by either a battery or fuel cell.

food for thought.

 

I it is hard to disagree with hard numbers, though some will try.

Per "C" counter I am burning ~50gal/mo (46-49 to be precise). 20% bump in MPG would save 8.5gal/mo. Even with prices going back up to $5/gal this would cost $42.5/mo. Not enough to cover new car payment. If indeed Gen4 is rated at 55MPG and Eco at 60MPG with current prices we are looking at <$10/mo diff btw Gen3 vs 4 and Gen4 vs Eco.

 

Does the current Prius get listed with the 17" wheels separate from the 15" wheels? We -know- the mileage is different between the two. I haven't seen two listings for them.

 

Not in the US.

 

Nor Canada.

 

So is Toyota in trouble? Is the VW fiasco going to cause whomever to look more closely at the "self testing" done to date? Toyota listed the -best- mileage of the models offered as the mileage of -all- the models. Less dishonest than VW, but still not really telling the truth?

 

The current mpg ratings are not that far off the mark, a LOT closer to reality. What's it: roughly a 5/4 bump in the liters per 100 km, compared to the old method:




Ours has the 17" rims, and Michelin Pilot HX MXM4, and these are the last few tanks. We're trying, but not nuts about it:

 

No, because everybody uses the best figures for the CAFE/window sticker here.

 

No they use their best highway rating in ads.

 

Guys.. Nikkei News already reported the full details of the Eco model:
Google Translate

Basically the Eco model is nothing but a stripped, barebone, cheap entry-level Prius, with a 50kg lower weight (1310kg vs 1360kg) than the regular Prius by having a smaller fuel tank (38L vs 43L), a smaller washer tank (2.0L vs 4.8L), less speakers (4 vs 6), no rear stabilizer and no tonneau cover. It's rated at 40km/L in the JC08 cycle while the regular Prius gets 37km/L. The 3th-gen Prius currently does 32.6km/L in JC08, which means the fuel economy of the Prius Eco is a (40 - 32.6) / 32.6 =~ 22.7% improvement over the current Prius in the JC08 cycle.

A better summary of each model grade can be found here:
Google Translate

A 20% improvement in the EPA rating, from 50mpg to 60mpg, therefore, may not be that far-fetched, IMHO.

 

No way removing 50kg alone takes you from 37km/L to 40km/L. If it did, every person that got in the car would reduce your mileage by 10%!

 

Well the Eco model will also be missing the LED fog lights, smart entry, synthetic leather steering wheel and rear seat center armrest found on the regular model. But you're right that 50kg alone should not give a 3km/L boost. I suspect that the Eco model will get even smaller and thinner wheels, for example.

 

weight won't change things much, but i like the idea of a stripped down version for those on a budget, and to fend off competition.

 

Don't hold your breath. Prius C/Aqua is rated 37km/L on JC08 but barely even to Gen3 on EPA.

JC08 does not account for engine warm up and rates fuel economy for speeds under 60km/h or 38mph. If you keep speed under 40mph, 68-72MPG is a norm in C, but in regular extra-urban cycle it barely matches Gen3. Most of the improvements at lower speed is due to lower weight. Also JC08 does not stress battery, so lower capacity battery (what is mainly culprit of C) and lower brake recovery does not come into effect.

I would expect that on EPA test cycle difference btw Gen4 and Eco will be less than 1MPG.

EDIT: does this mean that Eco is equivalent of Prius One when Gen3 was released??

 

I hate to say "i've said that". One thing is increasing FE using technology, other thing is stripping barebone. ECOnomic.

Changing the stock 17" Dunlop Fast response with the TOYO Nanoenergy 2 A-class on my Auris, i've got about 12% improvement in FE, and similar figures has been achieved on a german car magazine testing, and validated by some few owners of Prius 2 and 3 and Auris ( all with different Toyo Nano2 sizes) on our forum.
So, really look for tires and the mystery disappear...

As for the 15"-17" different FE (un)declared by Toyota: unlike in US, in EU we have differentiated official figures: about 6% better FE for the quite conventional Auris-Prius 15" tyres. Choose a low rolling resistance tyre, and 10% improvement for a 15" RR relative to a conventional 17", is not even a good number, a 15" A-class should give much more.

So, can i say i'm really unimpressed by claims of 10% FE improvement?

 

you can say it, but in actuality, 10% is very impressive, considering where toyota mpg's are compared to the rest of the world.