Very happy with first commute mpg!

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#11

01-18-2008, 05:36 AM

nicst47

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Join Date: Nov 2007

Location: Rhode Island

Posts: 322

Re: Very happy with first commute mpg!

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicst47

On this cold, 15 degree Rhode Island morning, in a mix of secondary roads and stop-and-go traffic on Route 195 and Rt. 95, my 8 mile trip gave me 34.1 mpg.
I'm pretty happy, seeing that the car has about 25 miles on it so far.

35.5 mpg on the way, with more back roads for the last 5 minutes of the ride, mostly in E mode.

(Now to just figure out how to put the mpg signature up)

#12

01-18-2008, 06:41 AM

abward

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Join Date: Nov 2006

Location: NC

Posts: 166

Re: Very happy with first commute mpg!

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiedoziedike

Either you don't have a TCH or the one you are driving is defective. I have NEVER gotten a tank that was 4mpg lower hand calculated.

Mine has always been 1 to 2 mpg off, but this last tank was different, for some reason.

My point is, the MFD thingy is just an approximation.

#13

01-18-2008, 07:42 AM

chiedoziedike

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Join Date: Jan 2007

Location: Hamilton, NJ

Posts: 108

Re: Very happy with first commute mpg!

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocket08

SO today I tried a short experiment. I picked a gas station close to a downhill slope. After filling up, I turned onto the downhill and at EV mode all the way to the bottom of the road I watch my MPG readout of 99.9MPG!!! Woopsie doo!!!!! Has anyone seen this before?? I guess 100MPG has to be the absolute highest mpg for the TCH.

I also found out that to really do a 40MPG you will have to drive pretty slow. I tried so many ways to increase FE. After a 5.5 trip back home, my MPG readout showed 43.5mpg... Well I have to say, I now have a good feeling on how to get better MPG although I am not sure it fits my driving style. I am not your typical TCH owner - loves to drive real fast and aggresively too... I suppose my 18" rims doesn't help my FE either

I found myself doing 30mph on a 45mph road just to keep the FE high!!! I don't think I enjoyed driving that slow. To me it ain't worth it. I'll take 30MPG and be happy. Last night, a silver TCH drove circles around me and no matter how fast I droveto catch a glimpse of the driver, he kept driving even faster ahead of me... I am talking 90+miles per hour here. That's my kinda TCH owner

I don't think you have understood how to drive the TCH yet. It will take some time if you are willing to learn.

Driving at 30mph in a 45mph limit is just plain silly and suicidal imho. The TCH can go up to 42mph in EV mode, take advantage of that in a 45mph limit road. If you cannot maintain EV mode, try to stay at around 50mph, the TCH is pretty efficient there too (take a look at what the instant mpg meter tells you).

I DO NOT DRIVE SLOW. I only drive slow or coast when I see a red light in local streets.

I might have been the one speeding past you the other day....only thing is I drive faster than that (add about 20mph to your dear friend at 90mph) and mileage suffers too. My worst tanks have been on really long trips where I drive like a maniac (110mph) and I usually get around 27 - 29mpg

#14

01-18-2008, 08:54 AM

chestr

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Join Date: Oct 2006

Location: Boston

Posts: 319

Re: Very happy with first commute mpg!

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocket08

99.9 just means that's as high as the 2-digit (plus decimal) gauge goes. Technically if you drive a mile and never use any gas for the trip, that would be an "infinite" number of miles per gallon (divide by zero error, heh).

And there are plenty of people who get great mileage driving fast. Warm weather will make a difference, terrain will make a difference, and definitely whether you drive steadily with cruise control, or do a lot of accelerating and decelerating in traffic (which sounds like you're saying is your style?) will make a difference. Most people driving at 70 mph +/- are doing it in cruise control to get good fuel economy. I drove something like 500 miles on my previous tank, round trip from Boston to Maine, and got 40+ mpg doing the speed limit (approximately) on the interstates the whole way. There are people who consistently get 40+ driving 70-75 mph for most of their drive.

But as someone said, if you want to you'll definitely learn better how to improve your mileage. Figuring out how to take advantage of opportunities to coast, or try to stay in EV mode for the end of your drive on slower side streets (taking advantage of the full battery you probably have after a lot of highway driving), little things make a difference.