Hi all, I have a 12-15 minute commute to work (6 miles) and have the option of a few different routes--with two the most direct: One contains four hills--with "hills" being relative here in Central FL--and the other contains a great deal of stoplights but two smaller hills. The speed limit both ways is between 35-45 MPH. Is there any consensus as to which is better for mileage? My Prius is only one week old, and I've been using the route with the hills for the past week--the car's getting roughly 50 MPG thusfar...but I poke on the hills. Which would you use to keep mileage high? Thanks!
My guess would be that it's better to avoid the stoplights. But why don't you try the other route for a week to see how it turns out?
I would go with hills because in traffic lights, there is a chance you will need to come to a complete stop. For the hills, you can coast/stealth down the hills. Perfect to pulse and glide.
My experience is hills are actually better than flat land. If there is no traffic behind you use the technique of accelerating down the hills and allowing the speed to drop going up the hills. Watch the instant MPG bar and keep it as high as you can while going up and down the hills. Don't use CC. If there are cars behind you you can use CC and in my experience you're still better off on the hills than flat land. Throw in a few traffic signals and you're even worse off on the flat land. Go for the hills. John
So many variables to consider. Here's a few: What is the speed limit on the hills? What is the average speed limit on each route? Are either of the roads 2 lane roads? 4 lane roads? How likely are you to be able to time the traffic lights? Does one route typically have more/less traffic than the other? Have you modified your vehicle with the EV functionality? Do you have a Scangauge or similar device? How far to the first traffic light from your starting point in each direction (to/from work)? Are the "hills" relatively symetrical or do they have a short steep side and a long significantly less steep side? Is one route more/less protected from wind and weather than the other? Your best bet is to spend a few tank full on each route and compare the results.
What Danny Hamilton said, and... There is even the possibility that you'll get better FE using one route going and the other returning! Yeah, there's no simple answer, you are 'on the ground' and have got the best handle on the situation. We can only guess. Although it's a big up-front cost, with a ScanGuage you'd know for sure in a couple of days. And forever thereafter you'd be able to make high MPGs on any route, new or old. The ScanGuage is the only plug-n-play mod that will in time pay for itself, and more. It puts you in the high-FE driver's seat. Right now, this string is discussing getting 70+ MPG at <40 MPH using the ScanGuage to hold RPMs at 1184. The SG is paying off big time in this case: http://priuschat.com/forums/fuel-ec...s-pretty-well-me.html?highlight=new+technique
Yeah I was wondering about that. But I haven't spent much time in Florida so I thought maybe there was a secret hilly place.
Be careful now. I have visited friends In Brookville, FL, about 60 miles north of Tampa, and maybe 10 miles inland from the Gulf "Sun" Coast. There were indeed some hummocky gently rounded protuberances from the flat and level that in the absence of the real thing could be considered hills, or maybe hillocks. Cute little things, some with a ramshackle house trailer tucked back in the trees. Scenic in a tawdry sort of way. Though I didn't have a Prius at thie time, my recollection is that it might be a very good location for P&G-ing. As I recall most of the traffic off-rush, such as it was, were older folks weaving along at 40 MPH. Perfect! -- except for the random red-neck pick-up bombing through with beer cans flying out the windows.
Have you driven on the eastern shore yet with your Prius? I've done some bike rides around Easton, Salisbury and Assoteague (the place with the ponies - that's Assoteague, right?), and it's pancake flat. I haven't been back there since I got the Prius but I bet you could get some good gliding in, especially since the roads have so little traffic.
Like you, I haven't been over to the Eastern Shore since my purchase in Dec 07. I usually get over in the autumn for small boat related events at St. Mikes. For the most part, south of the Bay Bridge it is seriously flat. Time was, some 15 years ago, I used to travel from Norfolk to Easton quite often. Four lane divided highway in open country, dead flat. Little traffic except around holidays -- New Yorkers. Deceptive driving safety-wise. I once described the highway as "A 60 MPH road through a 20 MPH world." Saw too many horrific accidents. Booze? My daily commute is on urban streets, secondary roads, and a short highway hop in commuter traffic. I drive for max MPG without causing undue disruption. I don't have much chance to do any proper P&G. I do a mixed bag of the other tricks and now see 60 MPG daily. Maxed one morning half-trip at 66 MPG but am having difficulty finding the "magic" again. Is it strange to resent weekends because you can't get your daily FE fixes on a know route? Somebody help me! I'm hypermiling and I can't give it up!
