First post....

I have not broken the 40 mpg barrier yet in our 2009 TCH (we have had it a year now....). I am frustrated with the way the car responds at less than 45 mph - not allowing it to stay in battery mode, sensitivity of the accelerator peddle when you are in battery mode, etc. Curious if anyone has come across any aftermarket controllers, etc., that let you have a little more control over the electric engine.....

Also, does anyone notice that if you stay at 50 mph, the car will eventually settle in to the 60 mph range and not move???? How can you replicate this at lower speeds ?? I seem to get better mileage if I'm sitting on 50 mph than at 30 or 40 mph!!!

 

J.D. welcome to the group. You will learn lots about you TCH in these forms. Jimmy

It all depends if the road is level, uphill or downhill. My findings are 38 to 42 mph on level roads, if little traffic or when in town using the cruise all the time. It's easier to accelerate up to these speeds rather than 50. At 38 the car will drop into the EV mode by itself. At 40/41 mph if your mpg shows 60 mph you can pull the cruise lever down once and it should go into the EV mode for a ways. If the indicator shows the engine with battery assistance, then don't try for EV. The EV mode itself really helps the gas mileage.

Any slight uphill, I found that 45 mph work best for the engine, sometimes with electric assistance. Something about 45 mph works well when the traction battery is low. It also works well into any headwind.

My best mpg results are while driving at 38 to 45 mph. I do occasionally drive 50 if there is traffic. The speed limit to town (8 miles) here is 55 and is on a level 4-lane highway. The AC does pull my car down about 2 or 3 mpg. I keep my michelin tires at 40 psi when cold or at night. I also use a known quality 87 octane gas like Chevron or Phillips 66. Here is a list of top brands to use.

76
Chevron
Conoco
Entec Stations
Kwik Trip/Kwik Star
MFA Oil Company
Phillips
QuikTrip
Shell
Somerset Refinery
Texaco
Tri-Par Oil Company

On trips, vacations and etc. I do drive at 60 mph using the cruise control.

 

There are many posts on the topic, way over my head (about the mechanics of the engine), but the ICE has to spin (not necessarily turn on and use gas) once it hits 40 MPH, so don't fret it, this is by design.
You can't stay in E-Mode over 40, however, even though it's not in E-mode, it doesn't necessarily mean you are burning gas. The ICE is spinning (what ever that means).
As to the 60MPH range, simply means you aren't using gas. As soon as you take the foot of the gas peddle, the engine shuts off. At highway speeds, this occurs regularly.
Don't wprry about all of this, it's a car. You wont balance the national budget or cure global warming if you keep the needle in E-mode. Further, you wont be able to retire on the difference between 38 and 40 MPG.

Do what I did (if you want).Pay attention to the dials and indicators for a week or two. Then ignore them. Just pay attention to the road, you'll be a lot happier. I don't calculate my mileage and if the engine turns on, my blood pressure doesn't rise. Trust me, it really doesn't matter one way or the other, so simply sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

Rburt, thanks - I didn't know the deal about the cruise lever... I am running about 35 psi in tires.... I have trouble finding gas anymore w/o ethanol.

Haroldo - good stuff. I am kinda where you are at. I used to really focus on the gauges and stuff and tried to optimize and hypermile, etc.... Really didn't change things too much. Most of the time now I just drive it (it's my wife's car anyway....) and it seems to work out. I get 35-38 on hwy driving whatever speed I drive and about 32-35 in town driving whatever speed I drive. It sucks with A/C on, but better than sweating !!!! It is a pisser however that you pay the extra dough to get the hybrid and can't get over 40 mpg. I really think Toyota could have designed and engineering their TCH better - no excuse that it can't get over 40 mpg consistently in town and especially on the hwy.

Thanks guys.

 

It's physics and weight.
Buy a lighter Prius and you'll regularly top 40, but the TCH is heavier

 

If you slow down on the freeway, it should be easier to get 40 MPG; especially with the warmer weather.

 

If you're "where I'm at", let me do a little quick math for you...
The difference between 37 MPG (your results) and 40 MPG (your expectation) over 12,000 miles (the average driver's annual total) is about 24 gallons of gas. At $3/gallon, we're talking under $75 bucks a year...
That amount wont get you a good seat at a sporting event.
It is about $6/month and that wont get you a tall latte and a muffin from Starbucks.
If you're really "where I'm at" you wont fret the minutia...
Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Life's way too short.
You may not realize it yet, but you will.
Remember to buckle up an don't drink and drive.

 

I realize it alright - got 2 kids and they are growing up WAY to fast. I can't see past the end of my nose anymore and I take more pills in the morning than I care to count. Regarding the comment about slowing down on the highway to achieve 40 mpg - that is well and good, but then I'd be riding fast in an ambulance because some nutzo ran over me. Then I would not be "where Haroldo is at" and I would not be enjoying the ride...... So I'll skip the tall latte and a muffin from Starbucks and drive a little faster while drinking my dollar coffee from the donut store. ....and who the hell drives only 12,000 miles a year any more - I have over 20,000 miles on our TCH in about a year.

 

haroldo, you got me wanting to figure my yearly gas cost. AlphaRat, I do only 10,000 miles a year, but i'm retired.

I went to 4-cylinder gas powered cars starting in '87. The EPA sticker shows 35 mpg highway. I manged to get around 40 combined. At 10,000 miles that saves $93.50 per year.

I bought the '07 TCH and was expecting 40 mpg/city. After a year averaged 50 mpg and sometimes above. That's a 50 gallon savings per year or $129.50.

No way I could get that living in a busy city.

 

I'm in NJ and my daily commute is about 8 miles each way
Car is about 18 months old and I got 19500 miles, so I'm averaging around 12000.