Confused: Why does estimated EV miles keep dropping?

Where on the east coast, what are the temps?
Stock tires or other?
I think most people have been very helpful, although their are always exceptions. Don't focus on the exceptions, but take the help that is freely offered.

Many have seen their estimated AER start climbing again. While temperature does affect the range, it is not the only factor. The more details you can list the better the help offered will be

 

babying is in the eye of the beholder. but if you can't go 10+ miles on flat ground at 30 mph with few stops in the weather we're having today? i would go back to the dealer. i have never gotten less than 10 miles under these types of conditions, even in the middle of winter. and for me, it would be 15-16 in today's 60+ degrees. if you have more stops, have to go up hill's, any highway, that's all gonna bring your ev miles down.

 

My experience with the hybrid battery mileage estimate. When I first picked up the car my average full charge readout was about 13.5 miles. I think thats about average with other owners probably set at the factory. Depending on how you drive the car that number can be manipulated over time. I have ranged between 8.5 to 18.3. I probably could have achieved a reading higher than 18.3 but I just got bored with driving the car like that. Overall it has not yielded the best MPG. Experiment using the Hybrid/EV button. Such as on trips over 3 miles, uphill driving, or accelerating over 40 MPH always hit the button and allow the ice to warm up. Use EV on flats and downhills. Accelerate and climb hills in HV mode. You will start to see the mileage go up after each charge. To go from 8.5 to over 18 took me approximately 3 to 4 weeks. I have driven the car like this 3 to 4 cycles and manipulated the EV range estimate.

 

I think that's the highest EV range estimate I've ever seen.. very nice.

 

A few things to try.
Set tire air presure to 40 psi front 38 psi rear.
Turn air cond system off, no heat or cold air. Set fan to off!
Now go find as flat as a road as you can one with a max speed of 25-35mph as few stop signs or lights as possible.
If the temp. out side is 45 degreesF or above, on a full charge, you should be able to get about 12-15 EV miles.
Hope this helps.

 

MrTransAm

Very nice 18.2 great job!
I have only gotten about 17.4 or so.

 

It's not just about babying the car. It's about driving style, location, speed, elevation, etc etc. If you drive an average commute, EPA says you will get between 6-11 miles EV. It's right on the sticker before you bought the car. The ones getting much higher than this is doing something atypical. I can only use myself as an example:

If I drive 55 mph on the freeway, I get 11 miles EV. Can you imagine how many people honk and high beam me in the morning when I go at that speed? So I experimented with going on side streets in the morning instead. I got some 14 - 15 miles EV. But that route added some 15 - 20 minutes to my commute. I guess if you live in Southern California where it is 60 degrees in the morning and your commute is all on local streets that go no faster than 35 mph, you can get that 15+ EV miles.

But for the average commute, it's going to be between 6-11 miles. It's on your EPA sticker so you can't say Toyota didn't tell you about it. What you can reasonably say is that 9.4 EV miles the worse it's going to get for you. We're 3 months away from summer. Patience.

 

No, west coasters in warmer weather aren't lying, and you on the east coast in colder weather don't have anything wrong with your battery.

Just use the car and watch the mileage as the weather warms up.

 

Mike G, pretend you don't have a PIP and try and think about why some Prius owners get 46mpg and others get 60mpg. The same reasons that apply to regular hybrids apply to your PIP as does the saying, your mileage may vary.

If you absolutely need over 11 miles EV then you should have got a Volt or CMAX Energi. They suffer EV range loss just like the PIP but at least you would be over 11 miles.

Try and learn how to drive more efficiently or wait until summer when temperatures are higher.

 

The biggest thing posters can provide when wanting help/complaining is to tell us these type of things:
- average speed during EV
- terrain (hills, up, down, both?)
- temperature
- lots of traffic stops?
- can you coast a lot? or will you get run off the road and honked at
- what is your gas mpg overall and on the same route as typical EV route?
- tire pressure

Just saying that you baby it doesn't mean much...babying it on a freeway with every one else going 70 mph is different than on a side street at 35 mph. The fact is, there are probably a few people out there with real battery problems. But to be able to do a realistic evaluation you have to compare to someone with a similar commute with similar driving patterns.


Mike

 

ok so maybe i spoke too soon..lol...Now that the weather is heating up i am noticing a difference in EV distance...starting to climb back towards 10 miles and making it further each day. Although i am giving it great effort by switching to Neutral downhill ALOT throughout my trip saving EV. Its become a game....closing in on 800 miles since last fill up and will go over 800 before i need to fill up. I know its not best practice to drain the gas to the end but just pushing my limits with my new toy.

 

You shouldn't shift to neutral going down Hill because it keeps you from re-gening power back into your battery. Leave it in Drive, let off on the accelerator and you will re-gen and increase your range.

HTCEVOV4G ? 2

 

well i used to coast down hill but wasnt able to keep up with traffic or maintain speed doing that. So now i play with the shifter as i get closer to car in front of me i will shift back into gear to regen.

 

You should practice gliding then. It is a lot safer than neutral and you will not suffer the slow down associated with regen coasting.

 

Are you shifting into B mode? B mode is an aggressive Battery regen mode. Drive will regen, but not as aggressively. I find that going down hill in Drive and slightly applying the brake I can regen as much, if not more, than B mode.

HTCEVOV4G ? 2

 

If you are unable to coast in neutral fast enough, then you will definitely benefit from gliding in D instead of neutral coast. Depress the gas pedal light enough so that the HSI meter is empty or slightly above. It's easier to do in ECO mode.

 

ok tell me the difference between driving in neutral and "gliding"? lol sorry still learning the Prius driving language.

 

neutral is gliding without control. gliding by adjusting pressure on the throttle allows you slow down, speed up, regen or glide without have to play with the shifter.

 

This is the best guide to driving efficiently in Prius. In regards to gliding, that's at 2:55.