I have just had my Prius for a few weeks and I am trying to learn everything I can about it. The one screen that I find somewhat puzzling is the consumption screen. Usually I just look at the bottom portion to see the MPG/miles since the last fill up. However, I would like to be able to interpret the graphs on that screen quickly - right now I am not sure what they are telling me. Can someone give me a "tutorial" of that screen? Thanks! Mary Lou :?
Honestly, they tell you very little unless you are going a constant speed without stopping over many minutes...then it shows a nice average MPG over that period of time. Other than that every 5 minute bar shows your average mpg over that time period...which means nothing unless you didn't change your speed. For instance. If you are stuck in traffic and you creep along in electric only mode for 5 minutes that 5 minute bar will peak out at 99.9mpg. During the next 5 minutes you may creap along for 3 minutes in electric, but then the ICE spins up to recharge your drained battery, then you get a little traffic surge and accelerate forward a hundred yards or so. Suddenly that bar pops up showing an average of 20mpg!! Did you really use that much more fuel? no Can you average the two bars? not really. The time factor is what makes it quirky. Still, it's an interesting thing to watch for trends with. You can usually tell, over a familiar route, if you're driving well or not by the average height of those bars and how they compare day to day.
Mary Lou, My mother in law has the same name! I knew it was not her because she lives in Columbus, and does not drive a Prius! Welcome from an old Ohio boy.
How about the little kw symbols? I tell everybody that is when the HV is charged. Am I right? Even I sometimes have trouble with the Owners Manual :lol: Comments Evan? :roll:
Rick, you're partially correct. The regen symbols indicate how much power was recovered by regenerative coasting or braking, but doesn't include power from the ICE/generator.
