New car , first Toyota, first hybrid - help!

You should avoid steady high speeds in the first 600 miles. The battery rarely exceeds 3/4 full and if it does it tries to get back to 3/4 full. On the rare occasions when looks "FULL" you will not be able to do regenerative braking (no where to put it) and will do engine braking instead.

 

New owners tend to fight the system, doing exactly what they shouldn't with the belief that will result in higher MPG. Things like trying to stay in EV as long as possible hurt efficiency. It's counter-intuitive, but that's the way it works.

The best thing to do is shut off the displays. Just drive it for awhile and see what happens.

Read through the forum in the meantime too. You'll learn about what to be aware of when you do start watching later.

 

that's only 3600 miles/ year?

 

close enough...

 

I am not sure how any hybrid can pay off the higher cost unless you drive it. I do nine,times that,much driving and a Prius makes sense. At 3,600 miles a year, I would get a Versa.

 

Short trips are low MPG because it takes the system about 5 minutes to warm up.
Air conditioning if on tends to bring batt charge down, so in summer one sees less full battery than in winter.

 

Use the force, Luke.

 

Maybe this will help you: Better Gas Mileage in a Toyota Prius - HybridCars.com

 

you're still operating on your first tank, which includes dealer abuse. you'll do much better after you refill and reset your trip meter. let's see, 75 miles/week, you should be refilling around august first. all the best!

 

Just remember that the warm- up stage gives the poorest fuel economy. 3 miles would just warm the cooling system. If you drive with a very light foot for this stage you will do better. For shorter distances like that a PIP would have been a good choice or a bike. H

 

You will make 3 tanks!!

 

You'll never get optimal mileage with a commute that short. The hybrid system won't be warmed up sufficiently to do you any good. Also, try inflating your tires to 40psi front/38psi rear. It's an easy modification -- and can be just as easily undone if you don't like the way the car rides with the higher pressures.

 

But note that it is still doing better than a traditional non-hybrid in the same service, which is saddled with the same warm-up issues.

Trips that short are ideal of plug-in vehicles, and human powered transport.

 

I don't know how fast the battery pack looses a charge over time, but I know if you don't drive long, it has little chance to build up a charge. If you drove 40-50 miles a day, you'd definitely see that battery icon fill and discharge as you drive. A lot of my commute home is largely downhill, so I'm near full when I get on the last turn towards home.

 

Try force charging, before drive off.


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