55.5 mpg, woo hoo!
By: snolan
Published On: 4/18/2008 7:14:06 PM
Just rubbing it in a little, for the past 137 miles (since I last filled up) I have averaged 55.5 miles per gallon in the 2006 Prius. It helps enormously that the weather has been calm enough to run with no heater and no air conditioning.
Comments
I routinely get 50 mpg (Lowell - 4/19/2008 8:33:26 AM)
on long highway trips in my Prius. For whatever reason, I get lower mileage in the city, maybe 40 mpg. Still not too shabby, though!
Yeah - you've mentioned that before (snolan - 4/21/2008 10:17:33 AM)
What is really strange is that I see the opposite. When I have highway trips my mileage drops to 44-48 mpg... but around town and between home, work, and dance lessons (all stop and go) I get 10% better mileage...
I don't really understand why, but it may be because I go to fast on the highways.
It's Better Because... (Matt H - 4/21/2008 2:04:52 PM)
in the city frequent braking recharges the battery.
I've heard my lower city mileage (Lowell - 4/21/2008 2:08:05 PM)
figures from other Prius owners as well. Very strange, maybe I need to get a second opinion from a different Toyota dealership/repair shop.
Possibly the rate of acceleration? (snolan - 4/21/2008 9:00:41 PM)
I have been reading a little and some people say they notice that their mileage is better if they have an extremely light foot when accelerating up to 20 or 25 mph, then getting heavy until they reach desired speed. It seems they think that under 20mph, you can do most acceleration electric only...
I know that a lot of my stop and go is in heavy traffic, and no one can race off the line. Just staying off the bumper of the car in front of me means accelerating very slowly most days. It could be that I am electric only for heavy stop and go traffic.
Once I break out of traffic and can accelerate up to 55 or 65, I know I am burning gas because I can see the mpg drop on my monitor.
Just my experience.
Good luck.