Loving 2022 prius prime, but expected higher mpg

As normal as normal is these days at 85 and keeping up with traffic.

 

If you're scoring 45mpg while spending significant time at 85mph, you're kicking butt.

 

Yes, this would be normal MPG for HV operation per your statement. Plus, you will get lower MPG in colder weather since the ICE (gasoline) is used for heating the cabin. Your MPG will increase in warmer temps and with conservative driving.

 

try some conservative longer trips just to be sure there's nothing wrong. the epa tests are fairly conservative

 

You are not going to get good fuel economy at 85 mph obviously, as the air drag increases with the square of the speed.

You should get around the EPA highway value at 65 mph.

You should get around 70 mpg at 55 mph.

Try setting the A/C at 68 ℉ in the winter and at 78 ℉ in the summer. That will vastly improve the fuel economy.

 

A higher tire pressure also helps. I use about 41/40 psi front/rear.

 

If you are doing 500miles at 85mph, 45mpg is very good. Anything faster than 72mph, there is no EV, unless you are in a very long downhill.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Try a bottle of chevron fuel cleaner.

 

I bought my 22 Prime last March, and have taken three 2600 mile R/T highway trips so far. In the warmer months I got 49 MPG (gas only) running 75-80 avg (GPS - the speedo is 2% high and inflates miles and MPG). Last trip in cold weather was around 44 MPG, but I was going a bit faster most of the way. My old '13 Prius only got about 38 MPG under best conditions. Oh, that last trip was with winter tires, too.

 

Calculating your mpg is the best way to see your accurate mpg; Toyota has a propensity to exaggerate the dash displayed mpg (by a reliable ~7% on 3rd gen). It's good to track your tanks, see what helps/hinders mpg. Some tactics that will help:

1. Keep the speed down; be the slow-and-steady right laner.
2. Maintain a good following distance in traffic. This often allows you to avoid braking in minor slowdowns, which robs your momentum.
3. Plan your trips, consolidate errands. Avoid short, impulse drives, especially if something's walking distance.
4. Minimize AC use.
5. NEVER sit parked with the car on. If you have to wait in the car, just shut it off, crack the windows.

Set your display up to show the Hybrid System Indicator (HSI). This is 3rd gen, and a little simplistic, but explains the basics:

 

In comparison testing. Any PHV or even HEV that can score 48 MPG or better will be equal to an all electric vehicle. If driven the same and at the same speeds/acceleration. This is in terms of charging costs or for an HEV refueling costs.

So if you drive a bit normal 65 MPH to 70MPH, you will be equal or less than the cost of an EV.

Heck the standard Prius is often better performing than the PHEV if driven at speed. I regularly obtained 70 MPG while doing 70 MPH in the standard Prius. But I get worse in the Prime.

This is likely because the Prine is heavier by about 300 lbs.

 

Really disappointed that I can’t hit 1000!

 

MPG is not so much about the car and tech, its mainly about weight, drag, drafting and maintaining momentum.

I could pull over 70 MPG out of my old 2011 VW Jetta Wagon with a 4 banger turbo diesel and no hybrid / EV tech. The record is 84 MPG in a VW Passat with the same engine.

At constant speed, try to draft behind larger vehicles. You don't have to tailgate but 3 car lengths behind a larger truck will do wonders. Following a truck at 65 mph is the equivalent of going 45 to 50 without any drafting.

Always look 2 blocks / lights a head. Time your arrival at every light. When you see green, make sure you will roll through in time by speeding up. When you see red from afar, coast and make sure you don't have to come to a complete stop.

Accelerate with a raw egg under the pedal, unless you are going to piss off others.

 

I think the telling statement is “keeping up with traffic”. Most drivers seem to accelerate fairly aggressively and not maintain steady speeds. Do you use the cruise control? My 2018 averages in the low 50s at 65-70 with cruise on.

 

Speed is definitely an important factor with mpg in HV mode and more important in EV mode by my experience with my 2018 Prius Advanced. In HV mode I drive the speed limit, OR 65 whichever is less, and average 60 to 65 mpg depending on traffic, temperature, weather in general (rain). I did a test over 60 miles of flat interstate where I drove the speed limit of 70 and car-reported gas mileage dropped to 57 mpg. I'm able to use about 96% EV mode only in my local driving around Asheville, NC and normally get 5 to 6 miles per kWh--much better than the 4 miles per kWh suggested by EPA. (I have a PN-2000 watt meter I use every time I home charge to get ACTUAL kWh usage.) I stay off the "fast" highways in favor of lower speed rural roads so that normal around-town driving is usually 35 to 45 mph or less which I'm sure is a big part of why I get 5 to 6 miles per kWh rather than less. (I'm retired so a few minutes more to destination doesn't matter.) Cold weather--20s--can bring that figure down under 5 in spite of low speeds but that doesn't happen that often in Asheville.