New owner, picked up the v (Luxury Package) yesterday. I checked and didn't see what I was looking for in other threads (sorry if I missed it!) - but are there any tips/tricks for us newbies? Recommendations on anything? Thanks!
Most of the recommended tips and tricks for newbies is mentioned in the Newbie Forum, one of the stickies. But in my signature is a link to catgic's hypermiling tips. But a few things off the top of my head would be this: 1) You are in Canada, don't be discouraged if your L/KM or MPG looks low. Cold affects the performance of your car, as you well know, but more so for the battery that the hybrid uses, so you will be using the engine more than you think because of it. 2) Change the way you drive - If you never driven a hybrid, your first 3 weeks will be adapting how you drive. Read the 10 tips catgic points out, as your fuel economy gets better by changing HOW you drive. You quickly learn that by doing so, you aren't burning gas more than you want. 3) Keep reading the forums. There is always something new you might learn, even if you weren't looking at it at first.
Watch this video http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...max-mpg-driving-techniques-youtube-video.html Then read these threads: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...y/99492-why-mileage-gets-worse-in-winter.html http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-c...s-winter-mpg-prius-c-version.html#post1500739 http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...artphone-app-help-fuel-economy-questions.html
F8L beat me to linking the video. Let me give you my experience in my 2 tanks. Tank 1 driven like your average car moderate acceleration and steady speeds with temperatures between 20 and 40*F. This yielded 40.5 mpg or so. (I was happy with this result!) Tank 2 driven in Eco using the techniques in the video and temperatures becoming unseasonably warm in the 70sF yielded 52.4mpg. (this result I checked 3 times for errors not believing what I saw.) Temperatures and speed are definitely are a factor as is your city/highway driving ratio. We have 2 v in our garage. One is driven primarily on the freeway and has been in the low 40s where the other (mine) will take surface streets or freeway depending on the goals of the day and gets in the upper to mid 40s for same weather. The video will help you visualize the end goals. W
Thank you everyone. This is awesome. I'm not stressing over lower MsPG - I get it. I also have friends in the city that can't be paid to say anything bad about their Prius. Thank you!
Good luck Winnipegger and let us know how you do as you learn. I treat it like a video game trying to beat my high 'score' mpg. Since we live in cold weather we can't compare our stats to people in FL because it will only cause frustration to see them in 70 degree weather getting 50mpg easily while we struggle to hang onto 40mpg at 20 degrees with snow tires. W
Without the ECO button being depressed, but all the other techniques and conditions the same, I think you'd lose little or no mpg.
I completely agree! Without a downside other than maybe some extra travel time. My gas budget sure is happy. It's less than half this month so far for me alone. W
Interesting idea and something I will have to try. Oddly the accelerator is at a comfortable position on 55+mph drives. Not so much in power but I haven't tried 'normal' in this fashion. I don't mind Eco really and I think it may help keep the lead foot in check. W
Sorry but I don't understand this. Are you saying there is *no* real difference in ECO vs 'Standard'? Thanks!
What he means to say is that there is no noticeable difference. The thing is the Eco and Power Mode adjust how 'responsive' the throttle is. For instance, in Eco mode, it tends to favor as if you are wanting to throttle a little lighter than normal. Power mode will add a bit more throttle than normal. IE: If you were doing things like 'notches'. Like 1 notch at a time, then, Eco would be as if you were doing .5 notches for the same amount of 'pressing' on the throttle. Power would be 1.5 notches for the same amount of pressing. At least, that is how it has been described. EV Mode just tells the system to just stay on electric, provided you don't go above 50% on the HSI power indicator, you have sufficient battery power and not trying to go faster than 43 MPH.
Here's a graph that illustrates the difference in throttle between the modes: ECO vs Power Driving Modes: Force Output and Throttle Opening Graph | PriusChat
ECO does something to reduce AC impact on mileage, I've heard. Maybe some other items, eg: increase cruise control reaction time if speed drops? I stuck with ECO for maybe the first 6 months, then took it off one time when we were on vacation, and didn't really notice a change in mpg. What bugs me about ECO is the pedal travel: it almost makes me tromp harder on the gas, knowing what it takes to get a reaction. Yeah, I would suggest to try a tank without ECO. The gas pedal feel is much more linear, if that makes any sense.
