Hey guys, I'm really new to the game here. Read through a few of the FAQ and guides and they were super helpful. Just wondering if anyone has any tips for this car specifically on a long road trip and if its recommended to use cruise control for fuel economy. Also, does anyone use the b-mode/eco mode on a long trip? Thanks so much, love the forum.
My C seems to get better MPG at around 70 MPH then if you go slower, so I would say keep it at 65 - 70 MPH. Use A/C as well as it helps keep you and the batteries comfortable, as well as makes the car have less drag. I never use B mode, just brake early and it does the same. I leave it in ECO mode all the time.
welcome! don't use b mode unless going down a long steep hill to save friction brakes. if you don't know that much, just drive it, and keep reading when you get back. have a great trip!
Welcome! My wife and I flew from Los Angeles to Michigan one way and drove our " new to us" 2012 Prius plug in back down to LA....we clocked 2850 + miles averaging 56 MPG on Eco mode. Since we had no way to charge the batteries we drove it like a regular hybrid all the way, using cruise control @ 75-80 MPH whenever possible......any slower and we would have been passed up by more semi trucks! Great experience! Enjoy the road trip....and don't worry too much about fuel consumption.... You are bound to get 50+'MPG without too much effort. Good luck and safe travels. Enjoy!
Take a good audio book and enjoy the trip! Don't be surprised if your mileage suffers slightly at interstate speeds, and check the oil before and after the trip.
Check the oil and tyre pressures, as well as the washer fluid they're the main things that I check before a journey Enjoy
Just to echo: you rarely if EVER need to use B on the shifter. It's not a "mode", it's basically a last resort technique to avoid overloading the regular brakes, on extremely long downhill sections, when the hybrid battery may become fully charged. In that scenario, the car will (well "may", I've yet to see it happen) quit using the hybrid motor as a generator (and a brake), and use only the regular brakes. But really, this takes a ski hill descent, or something similar. Normally, just leave it in D, no need to shift it anywhere else. Regarding ECO mode, personally I find it overrated, and don't like the excessive gas pedal travel. What JC91006's alluding to, re avoiding cruise use: it's good to vary rpm/load with a brand new engine, makes for more uniform wear patterns on the cylinder walls, bearings. There's a section in the Owners Manual I'm sure, regarding break-in. It's also a good idea to be extra gentle with the (brand new) brakes, for the first 100 or so miles. As much as safety allows, that is. It's actually a good idea to baby the brakes ALL the time, by various means, increased following distance, staying slower and in the right lane, whatever: it forces you to drive strategically, good for mpg.
This is incorrect. B-mode does not use any kind of brakes at all. It uses the friction and pumping losses of internal combustion engine to slow down the car from accelerating downhill. ICE spins fast without fuel, sounds like its revving up. This ability to slow down the car is of coarse limited, but is sufficient to prevent acceleration on long 6-8% grade - Alex
I think our differences are semantic, and yeah, I could have worded it better. How about: Normally, when you step on the brake it's a mix of the electric motor (acting as a generator) and friction brakes that slows the car. However, if you step on the brake when the battery's been charged to capacity, then it's the friction brakes only that slows the car. In the latter scenario, B-mode will take load off the brakes, employ engine braking.
Yes, it "spins fast." I saw up to 3900 RPM descending NC 215 from the Blue Ridge Parkway in "B". If you press the brake pedal lightly while in "B" with the battery full, the engine engine is spun faster than it would be without the brake. That's sufficient to "prevent acceleration" on steeper grades than 8%, with little heating of the friction brakes. The effect is much the same as shifting to lower gears to descend a steep mountain with a manual transmission. All of which is irrelevant if your trip won't involve any downhills nasty enough to justify using "B".
