for the last 11 months winter avg was 28.3 but car was new

Summer saw low of 27.2 high of 28.8

last month raised to 29.9 and this last tank was 596.2 / 19.175 gal or 31.1 mpg with ZERO AC use.

I can barely sniff a 600 mile tank much less 700 or 800

last tank at 31 mpg = coasting where possible , long coasting to off ramps, accelerating at or below the first tick on the power guage , using EV upto 15-20 mph before ICE kicks in and using 100% gasoline not E10.

Dealership tested the car and A/F was at 99% and Iam using 0W-20 oil.


Trip to work consist of the following 1/2 mile neighborhood + 10 miles 70-75 mph tollroad + 4.5 miles of 40mph 4-lane main arteries.


any suggestions on how to get 35+ ????

 

I can see a lot of problems w/how you're driving. I have no NAH (my mom has one) but I do have a Prius and on priuschat, it's widely stated that using EV to accelerate not necessarily the most efficient. You're probably best off accelerating "briskly" using the ICE and then just being on EV to maintain/adjust your speed. However, if you have to go >42 mph, the ICE must run anyway.

"Coasting where possible" isn't necessarily a good thing either. Whenever you're off the gas and in D, you're doing regen. If you want to slow down gradually, that's fine. But if you're on a long stretch of road and traffic conditions and speed limits permit you to stay <42 mph the whole time, then you should do pulse and glide. Basically, you want to limit the losses (inefficiencies) due to regen, yet limit the drain on the HV battery and keep the ICE off. You will gradually lose speed though and will need to pulse back up.

I think you should be able to glide properly by looking at the power guage on the left and keeping it as close to 0 as possible and not into the blue.

Also, when the ICE is cold, do not use auto on the HVAC and if you use heat, turn the fan totally off until the ICE is warmed up or until you need to go above 42 mph anyway. The Prius (and I confirmed this on the NAH) seems to keep the ICE running to warm it up for the heater. At >42 mph, the ICE must run anyway.

Also, make sure you aren't driving in B mode.

You might want to look at my posts below and the links I reference:
https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...tml#post179569
https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...78/#post179899
https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...tml#post180118

The first post at http://priuschat.com/forums/fuel-eco...ead-first.html and the PDF it eventually leads to might also help.

 

Agree with Cwerdna's post. I accelerate briskly to speed, then I watch the gauge to "glide" and minimize fuel use.

I drive at fairly high speeds (80+ mph) on my 85 mile (one way) commute. Even with the high speeds, I glide when I can and I got over 35 mpg on my last tank.

I did notice that if I did a lot of in-town driving, my gas mileage drops to around 28 or 29 mpg. But that's likely due to the fact that I don't try to hypermile on the street. I just drive normally and keep up with traffic.

 

The OP can also take a look at http://priuschat.com/forums/knowledg...-2g-group.html. Search for the word "Hermance". (Sadly, he died in a plane crash in 2006.)

 

Iboom, I don't want to criticize your driving but I see a few issues with your commute. The 70-75 mph speed is one. I have done Many tests on speed and FE, check www.thespoils.8m.com and you will see that the FE drops dramatically with speed.
Also have your vehicle checked, I am not sure but I think our cars have 2 electric motors, maybe one is blown??? I would think there is a warning light for that, but who knows. The easiest thing to try is the reduced speed, dedicate one tank in which you don't exceed 60 mph and or 50 kw use. That speed difference may require that you allot an additional 15 minutes of drive time, so set your alarm clock for that.
Good luck

 

The OP claims he did have the dealer check something. Besides adjusting his driving habits as I suggested and reading the links I pointed out, he should get his alignment and tire pressure checked.

About for one motor being blown, if you knew how the power split device and the two motor generators worked, it'd be EXTREMELY unlikely the car would be drivable and that there'd be no warning lights if that happened. See:
http://eahart.com/prius/psd/
"Understanding the Prius" at http://prius.ecrostech.com/original/PriusFrames.htm
http://john1701a.com/prius/prius-psd_details.htm
http://privatenrg.com/#Planetary_Gear

 

must be a speed issue I talked with a Camery owner who gets 32-38 mpg. She mainly drives off hwy.

I live 1/2 block from the turnpike and driving 60 mph in a 75mph might get me killed

I will drop down to 65-70 and see how that effects things.

thanks for the links will be looking those over

 

FWIW, the trip computer on my mom's NAH with almost 5K miles on it read 37.1 mpg last night. She's terrible w/technology and cars so I don't even think she knows how to cycle to it (I usually leave it on outside temp for her) nor reset it despite me having told her more than once.

I have no idea how accurate the NAH's trip computer is vs. actual since she just flatly refuses to/doesn't bother to measure her gas mileage.

The times I've looked at it (I get to drive it between once every 1-4 weeks) I don't think I've seen it below 35 mpg.

She almost never drives on the highway and is retired so she's got no set commute. When I drive it in the highway, I'd say I go 65-75 mph.

 

I agree with thespoils. It's probably the speed. I'm averaging around 36mpg normally according to the trip computer, and my average speed is around 30-35mph due to my route to work.

I took a trip to Anaheim from Phoenix at an average speed of around 70-75mph and my FE was around 27mpg. I didn't mess with any of the pulse & glide tricks. I just set it on cruise.