New Prius C owners please post

^I haven't been on the interstate once since ownership.

 

Hello all,

I am new to these forums, however I have been reading them frequently to gain information on the Prius c. I was wondering if anyone knows if the vehicle gets the same mpg as in cold start after idling for 8 hrs (after going to work and not using it till after work). Work for me is 4 miles away of which I have considered biking (and plan on it weather permitting). That leads me to my other question, what kind of mpg figures should I expect on such short trips? I would love to purchase a Prius c when funds are available for it.

 

A lot depends on your climate, the actual commute route and if you take any preventative measures to help increase mpg like grille blocking, engine block heater, hypermiling etc. On average I would expect low to mid 40s on such a short commute but the c may do a bit better.

 

Do you know if the commute back from work would produce better mpg's since it had already been "warmed up" 8 hrs previous? Or can I expect the same numbers? Also, though this may not be the place to post this question, out of curiosity has any Prius achieved 250,000 miles+ on the odometer with all of the same components (battery, engine, etc.)? I realize most people do not drive their vehicles past 150,000 (which is a shame in my opinion, they only return more on the investment the longer you keep it which is true of any car).

 

The mpg would likely be better because air temperatures are usually higher than during a morning commute. After the car has sat for a few hours you have lost any heat that you built up during your drive. The evening commute will usually be better because air temps are higher and the battery is more efficient, air is less dense, the engine starts off a bit warmer AND rolling resistance is reduced. If your commute is up hill, though, this could change your results such that your morning commute is better.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/29373-100-000-mile-club.html

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/57091-200-000-mile-club.html

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/79235-299-999-mile-club.html

 

My commute to work is 4 miles one way. I leave the garage in the AM once the C warms up and the ICE turns off (100F). All speeds between 25-40mph. I consistently get 55-60mpg depending on weather.

-M

 

Thanks for the links. Temperature aside, I have heard that the hybrid system itself takes time to "warm up" or start up. Is the outside temperature the main reason for the low mpg figures upon start up in the morning? If that is the case, driving a Prius c will be interesting in Bismarck during the winter months (temperatures do not go above freezing for 5 months, with averages of -10 F as the high in the coldest months). However, conversely, can I expect no “cold start†mpg’s in the summer months? This would all assume that weather is the direct cause of low mpg’s for short trips.

 

Temperature worsens performance overall, but the big hit is cold starts. You'll always suffer some "cold start" mpgs, but higher ambient temperatures help reduce the warm-up time, especially if the car sits out in the sun.

You can also improve warm-up by putting your car on an engine-block heater for a few hours before your trip.

 

About how long do you let the car idle to "warm up"? And, wouldn't doing so adversely affect mpg's? Though I guess you are averaging 60 none the less so I guess not.

 

It does indeed lower your MPG by allowing it to idle (it is not necessary to do this either). If he waits to reset the trip monitor once he starts driving, that 55-60 mpg reading is not telling the whole story.

 

Happening to me here in NJ the last few days. In the morning when I leave for work it's about 40-50 degrees and I wind up with about ~58mpg on the way in. The trip home has been 70-80 degrees and I'm seeing ~62mpg. Pretty significant difference, but I really can't complain about 58mpg!

 

Nope. No reset of trip. It takes about 90 seconds to reach 100c. Then the ICE turns off.

-M

 

Interesting, I'm guessing 4 miles is the threshold because 3 miles doesn't usually yield me above 50 (but I don't wait for the ICE to warm up either...I might experiment with it at the next opportunity).

 

Thank you for the responses! I am curious if anyone else has a similarly short commute to work that they can post their numbers on. And if they do, once implementing the warmup, see their numbers improve. As part of my first post, does the time between turning the car off for going to work and turning it on after create the same "cold start" circumstances?

 

^Yes, with minor variations depending on the aforementioned local climate conditions.

 

I bought a Prius C One on March 9th. I've put 1200 miles on it so far. I've filled the tank twice. The dealer filled the tank the first time.

The computer said I got 58 mpg with my first tank. When I calculate my mpg for the first tank full, I get 56 mpg.

On my second fill up, the computer said I got 62 mpg for the tank. When I calculate miles driven/gallons added, I get 60 mpg.

I drive 20 miles round trip to and from work in city conditions. Most of my driving is city conditions. I have driven a few highway trips of about ~100 miles round trip and have gotten 55 mpg - 65 mpg for the trip according to the computer.

The continuous feedback about fuel usage has made me aware of how stupid it is to accelerate toward a red light or stop sign only to have to brake hard to stop. As a result, I have dramatically changed my driving habits. I am getting better at predicting when to let off the gas to coast to a stop with minimal braking. I love driving it. I don't even think about gas prices any more. I am now buying about 8 gallons a month. That is less than half what I was buying with my '97 Honda Civic.

The forums claim that mpg will improve as the car gets broken in. If that is true, I will really feel like a genius for buying a C!

 

My first fill up's mileage was 47.3 mpg, but this was mostly highway/freeway miles at 55+ mph with only one trip to work which is also about 60/40 freeway/city miles. Coming from a full size pickup at 15 mpg on a good day, I'm not complaining one little bit. The next fill-up should show more commute miles and around town errand mileage which I think will give me higher numbers. I LOVE THIS CAR!!

 

I haven't had to fill up yet.

 

100mpg on a short trip already warmed up

 

Welcome to all the new C drivers. You'll catch on. I recently did a round trip from NYC to DC and my display showed about 62 mpg. So, even on the highway, you can get some good mileage.

Rules I follow:
1 Drive as if you have no brakes. (traffic permitting, of course). Don't accelerate into a stop, even if you are on battery.
2. On the highway, don't accelerate into a hill to keep up speed. Let the car slow a bit, and make it up on the downside. Don't use cruise control. Your mpg will go up considerably.