I Beat the EPA--Post 'em here

It's already spring here. The tank started in late February and was at 67 MPG until we had a cold snap and it went down into the 50s but then it warmed up and the tank got better every day until it finished at 60.3.

One interesting thing I discovered by looking back at the March 2005 MPG thread in the archives is that I posted my tank for the beginning of march at 60.2 MPG. That's pretty consistent, I guess. Then I left for Colorado and toasted my LMPG but good.

 

A rolling 12 month average is a great idea. By next month, the ski trip would drop off and my average would then be quite respectable. Keep up the good work.

 

My best tank ever. B) 56.6 mpg at 545 miles. I fill up when I get to one blip. Spring weather with no air conditioner use really makes a difference.

 

I took a pic showing trip milage time and temperature. I'm regularly traveling from South O.C. into San Diego and back. Hilly, and often sub-40 mph speeds. Probably 70% of the drive is about 60-65 mph. This trip was on the way home. Got the camera out for proof:

http://usera.imagecave.com/w4abj/IMG_0527a.JPG

Haven't read who's doing the 'best' but hey, I'm happy. Had all the software/hardware upgrades over the past year. Hasn't had any effect on milage. Anywho, this is about the best I do.

g hill

 

My last tank was a 67 mpg tank by calculation, best yet (link to database in my sig-block). MFD read 64 though so I suspect this to be a product of a slight underfill. Either way, I beat the EPA, 90-95% surface street commuting on this tank. My strategy is deadband pulse, then glide to 30, taking 30 and 35 mph streets to and from work to avoid the interstate traffic. 30-minute commute, 15 miles each way. Temps 60-75 degrees.

 

My wife would like to report that her last tank was 624 miles at 55 MPG.

The only difference between this tank and her usual 52 MPG is that she started increasing her speed on the downfills and letting the speed slowly bleed off on the uphills. She, like me now tries to keep her instant mileage reading as high as possible on uphills without impeding traffic. She just delights in getting to town at the same time as the other cars but with an improvement in her mileage.

 

Well I took delivery of my 2006 Prius Seaside Pearl with option package 8 last week and have driven just over 300 miles in some city and at least half on the highway at speeds between 65 - 70 MPH. I did put 40 pounds of air in the rear tires and 42 pounds of air in the front. The first day I drove the car with 7 miles on the odometer, it started clocking mileage in the low 40's, as the weekend continued with a 140 mile trip mostly highway, my MPG continued to climb and is now at 48.3 on the very first tankful of gas. Once I reach 1,000 miles I plan to change the oil to synthetic which along with the car breaking in, should push me over the 50 MPG range. The steering on the car is very tight and it tends to cause a little swaying at 70 MPH in a heavy wind as we had yesterday. However I have purchased the stiffening plate and will install that this week. So far very pleased the overall performance. The car has plenty of pickup when needed.

UPDATE..After my very first tankfull of Gas the car took 9.1 gallons over 448 miles for a very respectable 49.3 MPG..

 

My last tank of 602 miles at 62.9 mpg (MFD) has pushed me over, and now I'm beating the EPA:

12 month rolling average: 23,430 miles, 389.942 gallons for an average of

60.0858589226 MPG

Now, if I can just convince my wife to only use use AC sparingly, I'll stay above EPA. At least my mother-in-law will not be here this summer to demand that the AC be run full blast all the time. B)

 

New high all city driving 61.32! My goal this summer is three consecutive tanks over 60! One down now can I back it up. Only 55 today does not look good. I should park it for the day but life has to go on.

 

I've got a general question. I just bought my 2005 Prius. It's a USED, but still new for me. My question is, I see there is this energy screen and consumption screen. Is there any way to find out how many miles I have before the tank will be empty? How long it's been since the engine is running etc?
Also does any one know how to use the navi while driving?
Thanks

 

I live in Houston and I keep getting better and better on my numbers. I am a combined highway and city driver. My most resent tank I got 51.4 mpg 576miles. I filled backup with 11gal. I am now adding A/C mgt per members post to this drive and alreay looks like I'm on track for my first 600+.

 

Working on my first 60mpg tank. I want to get 600+ miles, but it's hard as I am starting to get selective about where I drive. Don't want to jinx it! Besides, it's not official until I fill up and calculate.
[attachmentid=3443]
Sorry for the camera phone pic.

 

Somewhere I read that you should turn off the AC and use outside air circulating and it would increase the mileage. On a recent trip to Baltimore from Pensacola, FL, I averaged 47.8 mpg (at about 6000 miles on
car). Since the weather was cool, we shut off the AC. You could see the mpg kick up almost immediately.
It really works!

Placebow

 

[attachmentid=3496]I just added my first tank at greenhybrid.com. The last box started blinking at 540 mile, a gas station was just ahaead and I decided to fill it up. Filled it to the very top of the neck, 9.299 gallons. Calculated to 58.1 MPG combined driving This was the first tank for my car, which was purchased on May 5th. My Jeep Wrangler used to get 15 MPG on the same trip to work and back. Gotta love these hybrids!

 

I've had my Prius for almost four weeks; almost all of this tank was freeway driving so I guess this counts, seeing as the EPA says 50mpg for that kind of driving. Most of my driving is on the freeways so I doubt that I will be breaking the 60mpg barrier. I took this picture just after the light started flashing; the last 10 miles were mostly uphill so I lost a little on the mpg; I've also been using the AC for almost half of the driving as well. Not too bad for a newbie.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kevmac @ May 18 2006, 10:46 PM) [snapback]257829[/snapback]</div>

Congrats on your first tank breaking 600 miles. That is great. How many gallons was the fillup? What did your manual calculation come out to be?

Latest on my quest. Down to two bars about 510 miles.
[attachmentid=3521]

 

A new high! 62.24 calculated and 60.6 MFD. Here are the pictures. One more tank to get 3 in a row over 60! With that I will be able to say I beat the EPA!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(the fish @ May 19 2006, 07:42 PM) [snapback]258364[/snapback]</div>

Thanks, I haven't done any manual calculations; I guess I need to start doing that. I put that picture showing 604 miles on my laptop as my wallpaper today; yeah, that's a liitle odd but it is my first tank over 600 miles so I am a little stoked!

 

I'm official. Joined the 600 mile club today. Don't know if it is really a club ... heck, I am going to celebrate anyway. Dropped to one bar at 590 miles. Not blinking yet. The first pic is my attempt to get the gas guage and mfd in one shot.

[attachmentid=3541]
Sorry to waste your time.
[attachmentid=3542]

Still going...