Couple of days of spring weather with daytime temperature moving from high 30's up to the low 60's -- and my mpg jumps from low 40's to low 50's. Seems to me that a plug-in Prius with the very humble objective of maintaining oil temperature would mean a huge increase in average year-round mpg, at least for those in northerly climes. Not that EPA seems to care about year-round averages.
I totally agree, for many people their most regular journey is a short-ish commute during which the Hybrid Synergy Drive is starting cold, and warming up to an efficient temperature only when its too late, you are already at work ! If a future plug-in was sophisticated enough to an engine (or oil, or coolant ?) heater that could switch on at a user settable time.......? Lex
Low 60s, Brrrrrrrr; that would be a cold snap for us in S. California and might change opinions about whether global warming is a bad thing. I hope FEMA is ready in case it plunges into the 50s around here too.
