So I changed jobs a few months ago and now live, literally 1.5 miles from my house, as compared to 40 miles. No telling how long this will last, but it could be a while. Obviously I ride my bike a lot more, but in the winter I plan on taking the Prius or "toughing it out" and walking. Any advice on improving my MPGs for such a SHORT trip? I know it's probably a lost cause, but I thought maybe one of you guys experienced something similar. I notice that the EV does not usually kick in until I am in the parking lot at my job. lol. Another side question... Would the Prius Plug-in handle things differently? Or does it run on the same principle of "warming up". I assume I would just use a 1.5 charge for the trip and basically not use ANY gas. I love the Prius and now use it as an excuse to go on more road trips, and longer drives to go running up in the mountains. Just don't use it like I used to anymore. Oh, forgot to mention I usually average anywhere from 48-52 MPGs on those short trips to and back from work, but the weather has been warmer, and its starting to get cold... Thanks!
I had a situation similar to yours (my trips were a tad longer) when I lived in WA. I'd be lucky in my Gen 2 if I had a tank that broke 40 mpg and that was w/grille blocking (when cold enough) and better heater usage. If you can, you could try an engine block heater, but it might be worth it in terms of "payback". I had no place to plug in and didn't want to pay for an EBH.
For 1.5 miles in the dead of winter, I would cut a deal with a co-worker to stop by and pick me up on their way in and bum rides home after work when the weather was bad. I would even loan out the Prius to co-workers when they needed to take a road trip, in exchange for the daily rides during the winter.
At 15 miles a week mpg does it really matter? You will be using less gas in a week then you used in a day before. Walk/Bike as much as you can.
I agree with the above comment. Gas mileage almost doesn't matter when the trips are so short. Just drive it and don't tell anyone what you are getting. Better yet, turn off the consumption display entirely. A new car like the PIP would not save you money at this point.
I'm guessing you could drive to work on all electric with a PIP. I don't think I would invest in an engine block heater. I would invest in some foam pipe insulation (the black stuff) and do a 100% lower grill block for these short trips to help your engine heat up more quickly (preventing the cooling air from getting in. 1.5 miles shouldn't hurt a thing. You'll still get better mileage with your Prius on this short trip than a lot of folks in their trucks/SUV's/European Sports sedans would see on the highway, going downhill, with a tail wind.
Thanks for the advice everyone. I installed the foam insulation in the front upper grill last night and will probably block the entire lower grill some point this week. I am now getting 41 MPG to work in the mornings because of the cold. At least I won't have to use the heater... lol. I guess I will just look forward to my longer drives now. =)
