Care to share any your special Driving tips?

I would also add:

* What climate?
* Heavy traffic ? (on the highway it actually creates less wind drag)
* Elevation is a factor too.

 

i only have a sec... incubation is almost over... but my philosophy is this:

use the gas engine sparingly and to its greatest capacity.

aka step on it, get to speed, and lay off. i blow most sports cars off the line.

nice temps lately are getting me 50.5, still on the rise even at 220 miles on this tank

 

please define "average"

 

1. How fast do you accelerate to get to the speed limit? "baby it, or do you get on with it?"
Midway. My mpg during acceleration is typically in the 9-19 range.
2. Do you have an EV switch and do you use it, and if so how?
No EV switch
3. How far are your commutes?
15-20 miles, morning and evening.
4. At what speeds to you typically travel.
30-45 mph.
5. What is your terrain like?
Very flat, 1200 ft elevation, give or take. Phoenix Arizona means winter temps in the 40-70 degree F range, Summer temps are 100-115 deg F.
6. Are your commutes rural or city?
City surface streets
7. What Brand of Gas do you use? "and any special octane?"
Standard 87 Octane, usually Chevron.
8. Any modifications we need to know about?...like what type of gasoline additive or nitro do you use?
No
9. Is your car broke in?.. how many miles are on it?
I'm just under 10,000 miles. I think I saw a break-in increase around 3000 miles.
10. Do you typically drive alone, or are thier others in the car with you?
I drive alone during my commute.
11. What tire psi pressure do you run?
42-44 PSI, all four tires are OEM Integrities.
12. Do you run your oil at the full mark or 1/4 inch below?
At, or just below the full mark
13. Do you use synthetic oil or other than typical 5W/30? "and what brand"
Synthetic 5W/30. Usually Mobil-1. Both oil changes have been at Toyota, so far.
14. How long or how many years have you been working on your technique?
6-months.

In my opinion the biggest single contributor to good mileage is length of trip. I find that I don't even get back to my starting mileage each day until about 20 minutes into my commute. Any short trip I take is a killer, and can easily knock a mile per gallon off of my tank average, so I try to combine trips when possible. Second biggest contributor is keeping speeds in high mileage range (25-40 mph) with good pulse and glide techniques: glide as far as you can, traffic permitting, hopefully from 40 mph down to 28 or 29 mph if you can. After these two, the most influential elements for me are air temperature, weight in car, tire pressures. I don't think that changing acceleration methods makes any real difference.
--edit: For those reading this and comparing, keep in mind that Phoenix may be the optimal mileage grounds, and my commute may also be nearly optimal: Flat, warm weather, surface streets, commute over 10 miles. As of the time of this post, my summer mileage has been 50-55 mpg, my winter mileage 58-63 mpg. If I moved to somewhere cold and hilly, say...Colorado, and lived 5 miles from work, I'd expect my mileage to be more like... 45-47 maybe?
**add-on based on request in later post in-thread: my mileage numbers, as reported to greenhybrid.com are based on my pumped gas calculations. MFD mileage has been fairly consistently 1-3 mpg higher(!) No good idea why yet though.

 

1. How fast do you accelerate to get to the speed limit? "baby it, or do you get on with it?"

Slowly as possible. Typically try for over 25 seconds 0-60. Except when trying to use stealth, some harder acceleration is necessary for good stealth swichovers.

2. Do you have an EV switch and do you use it, and if so how?

Yes. Many posts here. But depends on conditions, except I use it daily at end of trips.
Has no real effect on daily mileage except in these special conditions like some traffic jams where it helps a lot. Sometimes gains me over 5 mpg.

3. How far are your commutes?

12 miles

4. At what speeds to you typically travel.....ie: over 60 or do you hang out and with flirt with grandma on the freeway?

35 mph on small roads, 55 on freeway. Up to 70 mph sometimes but only in warm weather and on a trip.. Never in winter.

5. What is your terrain like?

Flat and small hills.

6. Are your commutes rural or city?

Closer to city. Congested with traffic usually.
In commute stops at maybe 8 traffic lights.

7. What Brand of Gas do you use? "and any special octane?"

Any octane Shell. Usually regular. Exxon or Mobil sometimes.

8. Any modifications we need to know about?...like what type of gasoline additive or nitro do you use? biggrin.gif

None except block heater and radiator blocker for winter.
Canview to control what I am doing.
Minimum heat and AC usage.

9. Is your car broke in?.. how many miles are on it?

over 15,000 miles.

10. Do you typically drive alone, or are thier others in the car with you?

alone.

11. What tire psi pressure do you run?

42/40.

12. Do you run your oil at the full mark or 1/4 inch below?

At the full mark to 1/8 inch below.

13. Do you use synthetic oil or other than typical 5W/30? "and what brand"

Mobil 1 synthetic. 5W/30

14. How long or how many years have you been working on your technique?

1 year plus.


Typical tank mpg winter = 48 mpg (temps 15 deg to 40 deg typ.)
Typical summer mpg = 55 mpg (temps over 50 deg F but under 85 deg so no AC)
Typical summer mpg with AC = 52 mpg (when it is really hot.)
Best tank ever = 59 mpg

 

Care to share any your special Driving tips?[/b]

1. How fast do you accelerate to get to the speed limit? "baby it, or do you get on with it?"

I usually accelerate quickly if there are cars behind me otherwise I'll baby it a bit.

2. Do you have an EV switch and do you use it, and if so how?

No EV switch

3. How far are your commutes?

I commute 80 miles a day

4. At what speeds to you typically travel.....ie: over 60 or do you hang out and with flirt with grandma on the freeway?

I probably average around 70 mph. I peak at 75

5. What is your terrain like?

I'm in Illinois so it is nice and flat

6. Are your commutes rural or city?

It is a city commute and almost all highway

7. What Brand of Gas do you use? "and any special octane?"

I'm with Evan, I use whatever is cheapest. I don't think it matters.

8. Any modifications we need to know about?...like what type of gasoline additive or nitro do you use?

Only additive is coffee on the way to work. That goes in my tank, not the Prius'

9. Is your car broke in?.. how many miles are on it?

I'm coming up on 15,000 miles

10. Do you typically drive alone, or are thier others in the car with you?

I'm alone

11. What tire psi pressure do you run?

42 F and 40 R. I think that's what it says on the door...

12. Do you run your oil at the full mark or 1/4 inch below?

I'm at full or slightly under

13. Do you use synthetic oil or other than typical 5W/30? "and what brand"

I've used Mobil 1 5W/30 since it first came out. Great stuff!

14. How long or how many years have you been working on your technique?

Are we still talking about driving?

I was getting 49 - 51 mpg in warmer weather and now I'm at 43 - 45 mpg. Better on Hwy too!

 

With the below conditions I usually get around 60-62 mpg on my work commute and on trips around 15 minutes, and 55 mpg on trips shorter than that (in warmer weather). Cold temps (below snowflake) it drops about 5 mpg. Combined, my wife and I get around 54-55 (current tank at 54.7) with her doing multiple less than 5 minutes trips on the days I don't drive to work.

1. How fast do you accelerate to get to the speed limit? "baby it, or do you get on with it?"

I usually try to get up to speed pretty quickly, but not floor it. I would say moderately fast. Between 10 & 20 mpg for the first 30 mph or so.

2. Do you have an EV switch and do you use it, and if so how?
No EV

3. How far are your commutes?
My commute to work is about 12-13 miles and takes 25 minutes. Around town it is usually a 10-15 minute drive to most of the places I go.

4. At what speeds to you typically travel.....ie: over 60 or do you hang out and with flirt with grandma on the freeway?
I usually drive the speed limit, which is 40-65. Most of the trip (10 miles is 40-45) with some on the highway (2 miles).

5. What is your terrain like?
Nice and flat. I can see stoplights from a long ways off usually.

6. Are your commutes rural or city?
Mostly city and I try to stay on the surface streets and off the interstate or loops.

7. What Brand of Gas do you use? "and any special octane?"
Whichever gas is cheapest. I think regular is 86 octane.

8. Any modifications we need to know about?...like what type of gasoline additive or nitro do you use? biggrin.gifNone


9. Is your car broke in?.. how many miles are on it?
Yes, a little over 30K

10. Do you typically drive alone, or are thier others in the car with you?
To work, alone. Around town, with wife.

11. What tire psi pressure do you run?
42 front/40 rear

12. Do you run your oil at the full mark or 1/4 inch below?
Full mark

13. Do you use synthetic oil or other than typical 5W/30? "and what brand"
5w-30 or 10w-30, I think Quaker State. Whatever oil the dealership uses. I have been requesting 5w-30, but receipts still says 10w.

14. How long or how many years have you been working on your technique?
Hard to say. The first probably 8 months, I tried to just get up to speed and use the cruise control. About 6 months ago, I tried to avoid the cruise control and go all natural. It seem like natural gave a 3-5mpg boost. I pretty much always tried to coast up to lights and use the electric only when going at low speeds like in parking lots or on the last 1/4 mile to house. My main things have been to try and learn the lights so I know when I will make a light and when I won't. With the flat elevation, sometimes, I can get a good 1/4 of a mile of coasting up to a light and never completely lose my momentum.

Climate and traffic (I try to avoid 5pm traffic--although there are a lot of people that love to speed up to the light and hit their brakes) are generally both conducive to good MPG. The summers are warm 100 degrees for a month or two and can have several months of 30 degrees, but most of the time it is between 55 and 85. I only use the heater when absolutely necessary (i.e. to save my wife from freezing to death or to keep the windows unfogged) and hardly ever use the A/C (only to save my marriage). It really is ideal conditions, except for maybe a slightly longer commute (on colder days).

Edited: Put MPG on top.

 

I have been getting 50-51 according to the car computer for the past 2 weeks. My worst tank ever was 45 (first tank). I drive pretty normally, with most traffic in the LA area. I have 2 or 3 major hills on the 210 freeway. Whenever I see traffic slowing down, I begin to coast down and sometimes, dont even use the brakes in stop and go traffic, just idle along at whatever speed we are creeping along at. I seem to get the best mileage when I ignore the display, and just drive. One help I have on my 45 mile each way commute is that the last 2 miles are slight downhill in a 35 zone, which everybody does 50 in. It usually boost the mpg numbers on final approach to my house. Just drive and enjoy it. Even if you are moving along smartly, you're still doing better than most cars, mpg-wise. Don't obsess over the big numbers. My car has just over 3100 miles since new Jan 12. I'm usually on the road about 2 hours a day, at speeds from 0 to 80.

 

1. Acceleration to speed limit
Moderate to 44 mph.
2. EV Switch
none
3. Commute Distance
45 km (30 mi)
4. Typical speed
66 mph on highway, 45 mph on older highway, 30 mph on surface streets
5. Terrain
100 m elevation, flat to slightly rolling
6. Rural or city?
one-third highway, two-thirds rural
7. Brand of gas
Valero (formerly Beacon)
8. Modifications
Engine block heater, Sirius Satellite radio
9. Broken in?
Just turned 21k mi
10. Drive alone?
95% of the time
11. Tire psi?
42/40
12. Oil at full mark or below?
Just below. I change my own oil, dealer always overfills.
13. Oil type
Mobil 1, synthetic
14. Years of working on technique?
15+, starting with a 1991 Toyota 4Runner
15. Climate
Semiarid, mesothermal (cool winters, warm summers, summer moisture deficit, Index of Moisture = 0.33 to 0.66). Lowest winter temperatures -3°C (27°F).

Significant fuel economy change at 12k mi. Winter mpg avg. 45 to 52. Summer mpg avg 60-62. Fuel economy tracked in detail using an Excel spreadsheet. Cumulative fuel economy = 50 mpg.

 

1. How fast do you accelerate to get to the speed limit? "baby it, or do you get on with it?"

"Get on with it." Merging on the highway, I usually step half way on gas. Gets to 60 to 65mph pretty fast.

2. Do you have an EV switch and do you use it, and if so how?

Nope, no EV.

3. How far are your commutes?

20 miles one way.

4. At what speeds to you typically travel.....ie: over 60 or do you hang out and with flirt with grandma on the freeway?

60 to 70 mph on high way (70%), and 30 to 40 on local (30%).

5. What is your terrain like?

Some hills, about a mile.

6. Are your commutes rural or city?

Rural.

7. What Brand of Gas do you use? "and any special octane?"

Usually Shell in NJ, since they don't add ethanol in NJ. NY gas is 10% ethanol, which gets worse mileage.

8. Any modifications we need to know about?...like what type of gasoline additive or nitro do you use?

CAN-View and mud flaps.

9. Is your car broke in?.. how many miles are on it?

I think so, 20k miles.

10. Do you typically drive alone, or are thier others in the car with you?

Alone.

11. What tire psi pressure do you run?

42/40

12. Do you run your oil at the full mark or 1/4 inch below?

Half way between full and empty marks.

13. Do you use synthetic oil or other than typical 5W/30? "and what brand"

Mobil 1 syn 5W30

14. How long or how many years have you been working on your technique?

Hm... since start driving this car, which is June 05. :lol:

15. Weather temp is very important, but not something we can alter or change.. feel free to add that if you want for good to know info.

As everybody already knows, temp is directly proportional to the mileage. Outside temp's been in the lower 30's. MPG's been around 45-46. If temp goes into 40's and 50's, I can easily get low 50MPG.

16. Whats your approx Elevation associated with your driving stats?

Elevation? I donno... :blink: This is a Prius, not an airplane!

 

OK I will add my bit:

Care to share any your special Driving tips?

1. How fast do you accelerate to get to the speed limit? "baby it, or do you get on with it?"

Well I push it a bit but now that I have the CAN View I keep it under 1.5 gal / hr. I will let you know if this is a good idea

2. Do you have an EV switch and do you use it, and if so how?

I have Costal EV Mod. I mainly use it in to circumstances. First and foremost at the end of a trip when I am parking it for long enough that I know it will cool off. Second when I am in a situation that I can not put the car in Stealth or Glide mode. I have not decided weather this is the speed, temperature, battery state including temp, or what? If I am at a slow enough speed, and I usually am, I turn on EV that lets me go into stealth.

3. How far are your commutes?
About 10 miles at 35 - 30 mph each way.

4. At what speeds to you typically travel.....ie: over 60 or do you hang out and with flirt with grandma on the freeway?
on the freeway I do the speed limit. I find it is better to go 1 or 2 over or under rather than the speed limit. I use cruse control on the freeway. For the rest I look for routs that are under 40 mph.

5. What is your terrain like?
Lots of hills. I avoid long ups and downs for rolling terrain.

6. Are your commutes rural or city?
Depends on if you live in New York City or Wolf Creek Montana ( any one read "A River Runs Through It") I call it Suburban. I would guess that a lot of people in big cities would call it rural but I do get into traffic close to work. I would never call it city.

7. What Brand of Gas do you use? "and any special octane?"
Union 76 and the same dealer for the most part.

8. Any modifications we need to know about?...like what type of gasoline additive or nitro do you use?
Block Heater. Radiator Blocker of my own design. No chemicals despite the fact that I am a Hippie, Better Living Through Chemistry. I do have the CAN View since January and had the ScanGage starting last summer. Knowing what the car is doing is a big help!

9. Is your car broke in?.. how many miles are on it?
25K+

10. Do you typically drive alone, or are thier others in the car with you?
Mostly alone some times with a Newf and or a wife.
11. What tire psi pressure do you run?
42/40

12. Do you run your oil at the full mark or 1/4 inch below?
Below

13. Do you use synthetic oil or other than typical 5W/30? "and what brand"
Mobile 1 5W/30

14. How long or how many years have you been working on your technique?
That is tough. For about the first year I mainly used cruse control everywhere. I have 2 numb feet as a result of back surgery ( and no I don't regret it, I had so much pain I could not work) and I never thought I could develope the sensitively on the gas to coast and glide. I hung around 50 to 51 mpg. In August I read about the 110 mpg marathon in Pittsburg. I felt challenged so I have been learning to feather the gas and my gas milage has gone way up. My life time average has gone up every month since. If I can do it with 2 numb feet anyone can do it. Oh P.S. I was always picked last for everything I am not an athlete.

15. Climate: Marine Climate or that is what I learned in school think England, Ireland they feel the effects of the Gulf stream turning down from the arctic. We have the Japanese Current same thing. Very moderate 60-80 Summer warm not hot low humidity. Winter moderate rare freezing temps in the high 30s to 40s. A few episodes of snow.

16. Traffic: At night but it is not bad on the routs I use.

17. Elevation well start at 257 ft and end at 217 according to the USGS. Lots of rolling hills in between. Basically sea level.

 

1. depends. if traffic is heavy, relatively slowly or whatever to maintain larger than normal following distance if will be in typical stop and go.

2. yes. i use it if moving car and for last ¼ mile or so of trip when i know i will be parked, like when going to work or home for the night

3. about 7.5 miles to work

4. speed limit. commute to work is mostly 35 mph. most freeway driving done at 60-65 mph unless south of olympia, then its 70 mph

5. rolling hills, valleys all kinds. no huge changes but very little that is flat for more than a few miles

6. mostly city but do take routes during times of day when traffic is likely to be low. and...

ahhhh heck with this.

this is the story. if you are going somewhere that is 50 miles away and it takes an hour to get there, your average speed will be 50 mph. barring moderate changes in elevation, the more time you spend going faster or slower than your average will hurt your mileage.

watch your instaneous mileage inidicator. notice what your mileage is when you accelerate. i dont care how fast or slow you do it. if you do it VERY slow, mileage will probably be 20-25 mpg. if you do it fast, its 10-15 mpg... see what i mean???

not a lot of difference there is there?? accelerate to 40 mph from 35 mph and see what happens ....same thing.

but drive 60 mph down the freeway.. what happen??? 50-60 mpg or more... how does that happen??? much more wind friction and all that crap right???

so that is the story. do what ever you need to do to maintain your speed as constant as possible.

obviously in any trip you will vary from your average speed a little or a lot. remember that EVERY second of variance KILLS

try it. accelerate to ANY speed from ANY speed and do it without letting instaneous mileage drop below 50 mpg... let me know how it goes...

 

For those who haven't stated it, I'd like to know if the mpg figures you're citing are those from actual calculations or from the MFD/trip computer.

 

From the MFD, but Ihave checked it over a full 10 or more tanks so I know it is accurate to 0.5%.
Tank fills I've gotton 70 mpg tanks but I know that is totally bogus. There is way too much variation in how much the tank holds.

Regarding Dave's technique: I agree varying speed is bad, at least when travelling over 42 mph.
This causes more battery charge and discharge which adds to the losses with no compensating benefits since engine has to keep turning anyways.

I do think some speed variance is ok due to hills though. I think holding a constant throttle where possible is better than cruise control.