Best commute to work MPG ever....

Looks like I got very lucky with a tankful of Esso's finest* premium unleaded fuel recently.

* Finest doesn't mean super unleaded here. It means I got the perfect blend of standard unleaded fuel without any ethanol in it at all - methinks!

Yesterday afternoon, arrived home with 402 miles on the odometer from my last refuelling, 65.6mpg on the MFD, and an indicated half tank left! That was achieved despite using the climate control on my journeys home in the afternoons. (Gotta keep that HV Battery Cool in the summer months).

While cleaning the MFD with a cloth just before taking a photo, I accidentally reset the MPG / Odometer reading! Yes, I was gutted.

However, I did get the surprise of my life after my commute to work this morning;



Yes, there before my very eyes, was a reading of 72.9mpg for my 16 mile trip to work from home, between 6.20am and 7.00am

This, literally, is the best MPG I've ever recorded from home to work. The previous one, was 70mpg.

No, I wasn't consciously hypermiling, and I certainly wasn't holding up traffic. In fact, on the average speed cams portion of my journey, I was travelling at GPS speed, which IS faster than most cars were travelling at. I did judiciously use my Cruise Control in the ASC zones, otherwise, it was a pretty normal commute.

I'd like to underline that I was in the overtaking lane for most of the journey, passing other vehicles, not crawling along eyes glued to the MFD. This proves you can more than keep up with the the UK traffic in a Prius, and still get amazing fuel economy!

I'll admit to using momentum and gravity when going through two underpasses and one overpass, to keep my MPG up; you'd be surprised how much fuel that saves when you can do it without being a nuisance to other road users - which I always avoid being!

You CAN use many hyper mile techniques while still travelling so fast you could well get a speeding fine. The Prius isn't "slow", no matter what anyone says. Oh, and my standing starts were quick too - as in get up to the speed you need, then feather that throttle and maintain your speed effortlessly, while the MPGs rise

Me? I'm thoroughly impressed with my 2008 Tspirit Prius, and the huge amounts of money it's saved me on fuel bills so far, over 3 years of ownership in the UK.

Believe me when I say getting at least 550 miles out of each 44 litre tank of fuel without really trying is exhilarating!


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Thank you, everyone. It's worth mentioning that on the arduous commute back home in the afternoon, my MPG had dropped down to 68.4mpg, but considering I literally drove home in rush hour traffic where one has to be slightly more aggressive to make good time and get into the lane you want from a standing start (something the Prius excels at), I'm still pretty much surprised.

Oh, and I did use "life support" (a.k.a. Climate Control) all the way home too! Don't normally use it in the mornings, unless there's a rare for the UK heat wave.



That's the MPG on arrival back home.

I'm of the opinion that this tank of fuel has no ethanol in it - the whole underground tank at the fuel station was probably filled with this particular blend.

I do suspect this happens occasionally. Why, I'm not sure - but I'm not complaining


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I'm afraid everything isn't breaking on everyone's Gen 2 Prius. My UK 2008 Tspirit is just fine so far. Mostly routine maintenance. London isn't dry and arid, like Nevada for example so yes, I've already replaced all 4 brake discs on the wheels, as they were pitted and scored.

All 4 x tyres are about 9 months old.

Underside damage to transmission gaiters caused by debris on the road, and that's pretty much it. Main work has been recalls, otherwise it's just standard servicing, really.

I do expect my HV battery to last at least another 4 years comfortably, as the vehicle is in use everyday.

At least for 66% to 75% of the year, the climate in the UK is cool enough. The HV battery doesn't get toasted while standing outside in the street.

And even when it does get hot (only one day at 35c in London this year......all others 25c and usually below that at 14c to 23c average during summer), proper use of the A/C ensures the HV battery should last longer. It's greatest enemy is high levels of heat, followed by prolonged standing around for weeks without being used, then getting the odd short journey. Methinks.

On the 19th July 2016, London was hit with a 35c heatwave. I used my A/C on really powerful settings for the first time ever. Set to 17c, third fan blower setting. It was factually ice cold on board, despite the relentless solar rays streaming through the windows. Two trips to Heathrow airport on that day, through pockets of heavy traffic, but "The Spaceship" performed flawlessly.

I concede that 2003 to 2005 models in certain geographical locations might be developing bigger problems, but unsurprisingly, quite a few Prii of that vintage often end up in the hands of people who don't take good care of them....(for example, running them into the ground like budget jalopies - seen a few in London).

However, a lot of Gen 2 Prii are doing just fine. Mine definitely is

p.s. Old things do normally break down eventually, I know. Gen 2 Prii do way better than most other vehicles of similar vintage


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Thank you, Chuck.
This is a regular part of my piloting skills for my Prius. I could have never achieved such figures without it. It is something I have now programmed myself to do automatically without even thinking.

Under 42mph (UK), I exploit every steep downhill gradient that way. I skilfully turn off both propulsion motors and let gravity and momentum whizz me down a hill, then utilise regenerative braking to slow down if need be, or otherwise let the momentum propel me up another gradient, sometimes with a bit of power applied in both cases. It's like using the gravity of a planetary body to gain momentum as you swing around it.

I wonder if the Gen 4 retains this wonderful function designed into its accelerator?


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Absolutely true!


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