Why are MPG's all over the place?

That is what I was thinking too. Especially if it works like a thermostat is supposed to. I will check that tomorrow when it gets hot again. If it is 100 in the car, one would think if I set on 80+, it should blow cold until the temp is achieved. I suspect the reverse is true too.

--Mickey

 

And for those of you following my perils. I took a 60 mile each way trip today. On the way up there getting behind slower traffic, my average was up to 56. Really excited and impressed. I was driving 70 and then down to 60ish behind traffic(I think this is the highway sweet spot).

On the way home, I dropped down to to 52. I drove 68-70 almost the whole way with a handful of stop sign intersections. Had to re-accelerate which is where I lost my gains.

Off to Houston on Monday. Yet another real world test for me as I interstate for 70 miles and city for another 10-15 or so.

--Mickey

 

I live in Central Texas and it has been over 100 most every day this summer. We HAVE to run the AC every day and yes, find it cools off fairly quickly. The heat shield from Prius Chat works great! Our first tank only yielded 43 mpg, but we figured that the hour+ we spent with the car running while our salesman explained the workings of the car probably cost us a lot of mpg. The second tank we are on now is over 50mpg. I think your mpg will get better with each tank as the car gets broken in and the drivers get accustomed to it.

 

My wife gets around 35-40 in our 04 prius while I get 45-50. Don't know why. I think it's her driving style. She messes with the gas pedal a lot, even when cruising. I am very smooth with the pedal, so I think that makes the big difference. I would imagine the same probably applies to the 2010 as well.

 

Me too! (Her too!) Likewise!
What bothers me is the computer does not tell the truth about my MPG...

 

I am at a solid 51.7-51.8 through my round trip to Houston. Throughout this tank(350 miles so far), the MPG doesn't seem be as sensitive to the accelerations of getting on the highways and freeways.

--Mickey

 

Congratulations, and thanks for your updates! I think your mileage will continue to increase for a while as the car continues to break in, as you become more attuned to your driving, and depending on the the type of driving conditions you have.

This weekend, we drove roundtrip from here to the coast (I think about 300 feet difference in elevation, but a lot of rolling terrain on the way), with some town driving at each end of the trip. I ran mostly on 55- and 65-MPH interstate, with actual speed being 60-70+ and ended up with ~56 MPG on ~114 miles. This was with A/C on 100% of the time, and I'd say temps 85+.

A couple of places you may have considered me the slow guy on the road, but I never dropped below the speed limit, and usually passed more than I was passed. You don't have to "drive like grandpa" to get good mileage on the highway.

 

I have a thought and a question.

I tried starting out in EV mode from stop signs and red lights today. My goal was to use ZERO gas up until 25 MPH as to when EV would disengage. Now I didn't try this on the highway as I needed more acceleration that what was allowed. In the city it seemed reasonable as the acceleration was really needed due to traffic in front of me. What do you think of that as a solution?

My question is how do YOU accelerate to highway speeds? Do you stay in the ECO(I can't cause I will get run over) or do you just hurry up and accelerate to cruising speed? How much of the POWER zone do you use? Some or all? And then some? Just curious as to many of you posting seem to get really great mileage - ie more than advertised.

I am going average about 51 ish on this tank. I am really ok with this as 65 percent was highway driving and the rest semi-city.

If you think I should make a separate thread out of this - I can copy into a new one.

Thanks.

--Mickey

 

I'm going to qualify this right off the bat *I don't own a prius*

From numerous threads I've read here, the engine is most efficient under a load (solid acceleration...not "easy does it" nor "foot to the floor"). When getting on the highway, go ahead and get up to speed at a solid clip.

Once on the freeway, do your best to minimize your maximum speed. If you can drive 65 mph (speed limit) instead of 70 or 75 mph (what everyone else is doing) no one will run you over and you will get better gas mileage without feeling like someone has robbed all your testosterone. At highway speeds, every 5 mph makes a big difference is MPG's. You can get a good 10%+ increase in fuel mileage just from slowing down from 75 mph to 65 mph.

Most folks here will tell you not to bother with the EV mode (saved for moving the car in a parking lot or something like that). It drains your battery and then the engine will kick on to recharge it.

I'm very happy to read that your mileage is improving, because you will now be able to help out future posters who are concerned about their mileage when they first get their Prius.

 

Prius 2010:
First refueling: 420 mi 6.841 gal = 61.39 mpg
Second refueling: 478.2 mi 8.608 gal = 55.55 mpg
Third refueling: 447.0 mi 8.5 gal = 52.59 mpg
Current tank: 193.2 = 61.5 mpg MFD
I have been told that the Prius has a bladder fuel tank and that consistant tank filling doesn't happen until after many refills.
I notice a difference in fuels(even though i have used only 'name brand' fuel), more power output and better fuel mileage.
Frank

 

Sigh...the 2010 does NOT have a tank bladder

 

To me it would seem best to accelerate as quickly as possible without using the battery. Getting up to speed quickly (but not to quickly) and using more gas but for a shorter distance has proven better for fuel mileage in non-hybrids. This is most likely true in hybrids as well as long as you don't use the battery.

The battery is not as efficient as the engine due to conversion losses. Remember all of the energy used by the car comes from the gas it burns. Charging and using the battery is better than throwing the energy away in the form of heat but it is more efficient to use the gas to run the engine with the engine powering the car.

 

Are you kidding me? I can't get 50 MPG even if I get out and push...