Hi Efusco:

___I have not read that the 04 Prius’ SOC was the same at the end as it was in the beginning in either the EPA City or Hwy tests anywhere that I have seen to date. I have read in more then one government testing report that possible future changes to the EPA test cycle will be to extend the driving cycles so as to uncover the Hybrid packs influence on the city cycle in particular. Just about any automobile in existence can beat the EPA cycles in both light city and especially hwy cruising yet the Prius is missing the mark in real world city driving in particular. You just don’t see anyone even coming close to 60 mpg in an all-urban environment. This is not just the std. disclosure YMMV due to … that has been labeled on every vehicle sold in the states for decades but in addition to that is the Prius’ pack is inflating EPA city estimates vs. actual real world city mileages. If you have a link where the SOC was listed as equal in the beginning as end of the EPA test cycles, I would like to see it also.

___As for instantaneous readouts, since the 04 Prius’ pack is good for ~ 3 - 6 miles from an initial full SOC and w/ the EV button installed, you could actually get infinite miles/gallon over that 3 - 6 mile distance before the pack was unable to provide propulsion. That is on the instantaneous as well as real world. No fuel consumed over a given distance … Over time and a longer distance however, the real world fuel economy numbers speak for themselves and 60 mpg hasn’t been breached by anyone other then a few either short distance hops or by using the techniques used by the Insighter’s for maximizing mileage for years. That thread on maximum mileage over at Priusonline was a good one where the (2) 04 Japanese Prius drivers were adding some very welcome information to the mix.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net