Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Hybrid Vehicles Toyota Prius Toyota Prius MPG-Real World Numbers
767 messages, Last post on Sep 28, 2009 at 9:21 AM
You are in the Toyota Prius Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
|
Replying to: pf_flyer (Nov 24, 2008 11:15 am) As to them being additive ... consider what your fuel economy might be in winter, in icy conditions ( poor traction ), into a headwind, on a short trip of less then 10 min. I'm certain that a Prius would be no more than 30-35 mpg for that trip. A 30 mpg midsized sedan might be in the mid/high teens. if these were your driving conditions for an entire tank or for the entire winter...... The key variable is the length of the trip. It's immediately noticeable on the hybrids that have a data-capturing MFD. The first 5 min of any trip is death on fuel economy. It's this first 5 min segment that has to be overcome in order to improve the total fuel economy. The values noted are not additive to the maximum value in every case but it's possible to construct a 20% or 30% or 50% reduction in fuel economy based on outside influences. |
|
|
I've been in all those conditions, I've been in multiple combinations of those conditions. I'm not arguing that on a 10 minute trip that my mileage, if I bothered to measure it for THAT 10 minutes, is not going to be low. But I've NEVER been close to a 30-50% reduction in mileage at a fillup on any vehicle. And I don't think I'd get close to that kind of reduction driving a Prius either. The instantaneous stuff is interesting, but I'm not sure it really means anything. If I'm stuck on an icy road into a headwind for a 10 minute trip (say for example, driving the 5 miles home from my car dealer after a wintertime service) there's not a lot that I can do about that, nor do I expect that for that VERY small segment of my travels that I'm getting optimal mileage. The only vehicle I've ever driven extensively with a mileage readout was a Volvo V70 we had as a one week rental on a vacation in CA. After the initial fascination, I chenged the display so I couldn't see the mileage readout as there were far more important things to watch out for on the freeways of Southern California! 
|
|
|
Replying to: pf_flyer (Nov 24, 2008 11:54 am) Cold day, snowy, short distance, many stops, strong headwind (looks like an Alberta Clipper maybe!), full load of passengers, winter fuel, and maybe tires down a few pounds... then I am looking at around 90% lower fuel economy, or around 4 mpg.  Uh... no, I don't think so. It might be as much as 40% less than optimal, maybe 50% if in addition to the above I don't do anything to try to save fuel, such as anticipating stops and using a light foot on the gas. But nothing close to 90%. Unless maybe I were also towing a 3000 pound trailer up a mountain. That might do it. Until the FE drops to zero when the engine blows up. 
|
|
|
Replying to: backy (Nov 24, 2008 1:00 pm) Here's two really simple examples. You're stuck in traffic in a snow storm not moving at all. Stay there too long and you'll run out of gas. Yes your fuel economy is ZERO! Anyone who's towed with a truck knows that towing someing will cut fuel economy roughly in half. In the Prius it is absolutely clear from the graphical MFD that if you drove an entire tank, or an entire month or all year making just 5 min trips from home to work and back that your fuel economy would be in the 25-35 mpg range at best instead of 48 as most drivers get. And the more bad factors that you add to the equation the works the worse is the total.
|
|
|
Replying to: kdhspyder (Nov 24, 2008 2:55 pm) I agree that if I sit with the engine running, FE is zero. But that isn't what we are talking about. Anyway, if all I used a car for was 5-minute trips to/from work, I'd look for something other than a Prius. A bike or moped, maybe.  Or a used compact that gets 25 mpg under even those conditions but cost a whole lot less than a Prius.
|
|
|
Just filled my Prius up for the first time over the weekend, and calculated 46.998 MPG. Computer est. was 49.5. Not to bad for my first tank. hoprfully things will only get better when the weather warms up.
|
|
|
|
|
a lady at work has one and she said her mileage has dropped to around half the usual(high 40's). i didn''t think much of it, but i saw someone posted about their prius which had dropped to around 28 mpg from high 40's this year also. neither experienced this last year, although it was quite a bit warmer in new england last winter.
|
|
|
Replying to: explorerx4 (Jan 31, 2009 2:18 pm) There is plenty of data and evidence available from really cold parts like Colo, Minn and Alberta. Sites such as PriusChat have responders from all over the world. Less than 40 mpg is next to impossible - except if the vehicle is driven only 10 miles or less each way and not driven at any other time in the depths of deepest winter. Short trips are the single worst negative effect on fuel economy....for all vehicles. It's just that before the Prius with it's MFD nobody had a graphical and numerical presentation of fuel economy in a vehicle. Almost everybody's prior 'data' was anecdotal at best. 'I got 36 mpg on this trip I took.....' It is possible to cut fuel economy in half but external conditions have to be so bad that just getting around is difficult. Combine ice, packed snow, strong winds, bitter temps, winter gas and short trips. Then 30 mpg might be a valid number iso 48 mpg. But under the same external conditions vehicles that 'normally' got 30 mpg are likely to be in the 18 mpg range. All due to external conditions. |
|
I just got a 2009 Prius. Great car, but I can't break 39.9 mpg. I've had it about 4 weeks, 1000 miles. I drive about 40 mins to work with 15 mins highway and the rest local roads. Do I have any hope of increasing mileage? I'm so depressed. 
|
|
|
Replying to: Tagit (Feb 17, 2009 5:16 pm) 1. What was your MPG on your previous car? 2. How many cars will give you 40MPG? I bet 40 looks much better now. Your MPG will improve with: 1. once the car (and driver) is broken in > 5K miles 2. warmer weather You may want to read this: link title Be patient, Gabe |
|
You are here:
Forums
Hybrid Vehicles Toyota Prius Toyota Prius MPG-Real World Numbers
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2010 Toyota Prius
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
