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Highest MPG at which pulse and glide range?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by Extricator, Apr 18, 2024.

  1. Extricator

    Extricator Junior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Fort Myers, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Here are my mpgs on my 2012 Toyota Prius (not a plug-in or Prime):

    ~10,000 miles, 73.5 mpg.
    IMG_20240323_140504472~10.jpg

    924 miles, 77.7 mpg (on one full tank of gas).
    IMG_20240413_205655276~2.jpg

    Is there any way to improve the mpg without draining HV battery? Is there a P & G range that is most optimum?

    Currently, I accelerate to 40 mph at mid-line here (No EV light):
    IMG_20240413_205703272~3.jpg

    Then pulse to 45 mph here:
    IMG_20240413_205703272~21.jpg

    Then glide to 37 mph (if no one is behind me) or 33 mph (if no one is even on the road) here:
    IMG_20240413_205703272~5.jpg

    If someone is behind me, to maintain speed I will lessen gas throttle to midline or (with a decent tailwind) to here (No EV light):
    IMG_20240413_205703272~12.jpg

    The above P & G procedure is for all speeds except for the following:

    At lower speeds, accelerate to midline first, then immediately pulse to 5 mph above speed limit here (No EV light):
    IMG_20240413_205703272~12.jpg

    Then gliding to 3 (or 7) below speed limit here:
    IMG_20240413_205703272~5.jpg

    At entrance ramps to freeways, I accelerate to 45 mph here:
    IMG_20240413_205703272~9.jpg

    Then to 50 mph here:
    IMG_20240413_205703272~25.jpg

    Then to 54 mph here:
    IMG_20240413_205703272~21.jpg

    getting 62 mpg (+ or - wind speed).

    At 3/8 mile before exit ramps, I will gradually slow down to 45 mph here (No EV light):
    IMG_20240413_205703272~18.jpg

    Then at the exit ramp, glide or coast (depending on traffic or length of ramp).

    If headwinds are greater than 5 mph, I use a slower parallel road.

    I do not use Neutral.

    I do not drive from a cold start until the engine turns itself off.

    I always drive in the right lane.

    I do not use the A/C unless above 88°F or high humidity.

    I do not use the heater in winter until engine is warmed up.

    I do not turn off (power down) the Prius unless I know for sure I will not be driving again within 5 minutes (maximum 10 minutes).

    I keep tires inflated to 38 psi.

    If anyone has any advice to improve the above steps, I would greatly appreciate it.
     
    #1 Extricator, Apr 18, 2024
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2024
  2. Extricator

    Extricator Junior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Fort Myers, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Also, from a dead stop, I only use EV up to 12 mph, then immediately to midline.
     
  3. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    "Most optimum" for Prius MPG is simply incompatible with the vast majority of American traffic, and with any concept of the value of one's time, so is not well explored. I now say that the 'best MPG speed in a Prius' is just 'the slowest speed you can otherwise tolerate'.

    P&G returns the most savings if practiced at speeds at and below the ICE Auto-Off speed (the speed threshold above which the ICE is forced to spin to protect MG1 from over-speed), which varies by Prius design generation and plug-in status. For a non-plugin Gen3, I believe that is 46 mph. That threshold is closer to 40-42 for older generations, ~60 for Gen4 non-plugins, and 80-ish for newer plug-ins. Details vary, and there may be some on-off hysteresis around the threshold.

    Other long-ago explorations of Gen3 Liftback MPG, not including P&G, found it peaking at ~15 mph from one mathematical-model source in this forum, and between 10 and 20 mph according to another source. A charted MPG-vs-speed graph, tested at various speeds up to 80-ish mph, and capped to 100 MPG by that generation's fuel economy display (actually 99.9), exceeded that cap somewhere around 25 mph. Unfortunately the original graph has been lost by subsequent forum host migrations, though copies may still exist in later reposts.
     
    Extricator likes this.
  4. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Location:
    Wilkes Land
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    How is the ECO led blue color from the rest of the MDF white? I have a 2012 also and my MDF doesn’t have the blue eco led, refreshed model.
     
    Extricator likes this.
  5. Extricator

    Extricator Junior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Fort Myers, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Sorry for the apparent deception. I was using Google Photos' editing tools to overlay white shadings, red arrows, and the blue "eco" letters to represent how I actually drive, since I thought it would be harder to take an exact and stable photo while driving.
     
  6. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    The photo was manipulated in other words. So the mpg yielded is suspicious and most likely fabricated.
     
    ASRDogman likes this.
  7. Extricator

    Extricator Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2024
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    Location:
    Fort Myers, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    IMG_20240419_170614452~2.jpg

    I just took these pictures today, though it's dangerous to do while driving (but at least it was daytime, so I can see everyone everywhere at all times).

    IMG_20240419_164051438~3.jpg

    This is the borderline area without EV light.

    IMG_20240419_164138412~2.jpg

    and with EV light.

    IMG_20240419_164145880~3.jpg

    And this one is how I do minimum battery power while gliding.

    And these have even better gas mileage than those posted above.

    I am so disappointed in your lack of faith that these high mpgs are possible on a long term basis.
     
    Highwayman83 likes this.
  8. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Location:
    Wilkes Land
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Cover ups are never good, beyond the 5 seconds take back rule. Don’t blame anyone for trying.
     
  9. Extricator

    Extricator Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2024
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    Location:
    Fort Myers, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Finished today with 79.2 mpg driving 420.5 miles using 5.31 gallons of gas.

    IMG_20240420_000524840.jpg