This is my first post and I actually pick up my new Civic tomorrow morning. According to some of what I have seen here then I might be in one of the better locations to get better mileage. Unless too much heat is a bad thing too!

 

Welcome to the forums. And congratulations on choosing a great vehicle !!!

Too much heat is very bad too. Not as bad as the extreme low temps some of us have to go through. However in extreme heat there is still some latitude to manage one's FE especially if we manage the battery pack SoC properly and make smart use of the AC. Like the use of a block heater in winter, there are a far more tricks to help alleviate the FE impact due to high heat in the summer months. All in all, it is fun.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

I'll have to look into how to manage the AC. In the winter when it's in the 60s in no problem but in July when it's 112 outside; one certainly wants as much AC as possible.

 

Crepusculum: although using the AC does knock down mpg, take a quick look at the database and you'll see that you are completely right- the people with the best mileage and the best averages are all from Arizona and SoCal, Texas, warm places like that. So it can be done in the heat, and it is a lot easier than doing it in the cold. Aside from the 112 degree days, you are going to have smooth sailing. Or should I say driving? Good luck and welcome to the forum! Congrats on the new car.

 

You will notice that the #1 prius II driver is from PA. So those of us in the northern states shouldn't just throw in the towel.

Two word about excessive heat "Ice Vest" http://www.icevest.com/vests.html

 

I'm hoping this is right. Before we started hitting the 30's consistently in NC, I was getting 45-46 MPG being conscious of my driving habits, but not really trying hard to get good FE. Now, I've noticed 2 things: my FE along the the "sweet spots" on my commute (level roads or downhill runs) isn't as high and I'm not auto-stopping for about 1/2 of my commute while the car warms up. The combination of those 2 factors has my MPG down to about 41-42 for the past couple of tanks.

I would have expected that colder air would give better compression since the oxygen levels are more dense.

Unfortunately, my house doesn't have a garage, so parking inside overnight to keep the engine relatively warm isn't an option. I saw someone posting about getting an engine block heater... any other options or tips for cold weather driving?

 

Absolutely true- keep on plugging away. Not to mention our shining exceptions to the general trends, like the one you mention. By no means give up hope just because it is cold out there. But my point is still apt- people in warmer areas have an advantage, so they shouldn't be afraid to use it or worry too much about the A/C hit until they are in the 112 degree weather and need to make the appropriate adjustments. Arizona right now would be pretty ideal for hypermiling, I would imagine.

 

I"m not sure exactly what hypermilling is and everyone seems to mention it. But I picked up my vehicle yesterday evening and today was the first full day of use. I am pleased with it. My wife is none to happy about getting rid of my BMW for it, but she has her own and doesn't need to drive my new vehicle

It is nice outside now and I am running around without the A/C, but it is getting cold in the 50s at night so the heater is working nicely. In a couple days I'll be able to open my windows and enjoy the air.

So far so good

 

Think I'm going to pass on the goofy little ice vest for now

 

Heh.