Gen 4 Prius with 15" wheels - Combined (mpg)

[QuantumFireball]

On 9/26/2018 at 9:07 AM, altocumulus said:

I've usually experienced a general drop in average consumption of 5-10 mpg during the winter months - it'll be interesting to see how the phev copes with our winters.

I also need to find the 'sweet' spot in terms of mph - the last thing I need is tail-gators objecting to me trying to achieve good mpg at their expense 😄

With the heat pump and active grille shutter, you should fare a lot better than mine anyway. In the Gen 1 PHV, heating the cabin (outside of the electric seats) means running the ICE. I did find some improvement from blocking the lower grille (using foam pipe insulation and cable ties).

[altocumulus]

5 minutes ago, QuantumFireball said:

With the heat pump and active grille shutter, you should fare a lot better than mine anyway. In the Gen 1 PHV, heating the cabin (outside of the electric seats) means running the ICE. I did find some improvement from blocking the lower grille (using foam pipe insulation and cable ties).

I am hoping that will be the case!

[Ten Ninety]

The PHV heat pump setup works nicely in that it heats the cabin without starting the ICE, but it does take a big chunk out of the EV range when it's chilly outside. Although hardly comparable to a Scottish winter, I saw 3 degrees C one morning this week and with the heating on, the range plummeted. That's only a problem for me because I'm squeezing out maximum range to get to work - for shorter journeys it would work brilliantly.

I used to lose around 10mpg in winter in the Gen3 on my daily journey, with the lower grille blocked off. However, with the range reduction factored in, I reckon I'll lose about 60-80mpg in the PHV! I really do need to get a charging point installed at work...

[PeteB]

At least if you can get the required temperature whilst still plugged in it will help a bit as the Battery only has to maintain the temperature rather than warm the cabin up.

[QuantumFireball]

On 9/28/2018 at 7:44 PM, Ten Ninety said:

Although hardly comparable to a Scottish winter, I saw 3 degrees C one morning this week and with the heating on, the range plummeted. That's only a problem for me because I'm squeezing out maximum range to get to work - for shorter journeys it would work brilliantly.

I don't know if the way it estimates range the same way as the original PHV, but on mine it'll instantly knock 10% off the range if I just turn the fans on to the lowest speed (no aircon/heat). It did not do any calculations based on real HVAC load, it would just remove 10% if it was "on" in any way. So it might not be as bad as it looks.

[mujeeb]

On 9/21/2018 at 8:12 PM, Catlover said:

My Gen4 mpg has now dropped to 79.6mpg, that over almost 1200miles since getting the car close to end of July (2 months).   Finding it harder to get the figure up to 80mpg now, I reckon the drop in temperature has started to have an effect.  There again, my longest run recently has only been 40 mile return, rest of journeys have been shorter.

Hi,

I 've bought the prius gen4 brand new.... and I can't get over 70mpg  on average.

How do you drive ?

Do you WARM UP the engine in the morning? 

Unbelievable figures u ve got there

 

 

 

[altocumulus]

10 hours ago, mujeeb said:

Hi,

I 've bought the prius gen4 brand new.... and I can't get over 70mpg  on average.

How do you drive ?

Do you WARM UP the engine in the morning? 

Unbelievable figures u ve got there

 

 

 

What kind of roads do you journey on?

[Catlover]

Hi Mujeeb, now with just over 1650 miles since getting the car, it is still doing 79.6mpg.  Went as low as 79.3 on Sunday morning as I was doing a journey mostly taking in 3 M-Ways, but came up again to 79.5 when I was returning as it was more downhill.

No I don't warm up in the morning, never have done with cars.  I live on a small estate off the main road, which forms a square. If I have enough hybrid Battery in store I may choose EV to get me to the main road. Most journeys I turn right which is a hill, not steep but long, and I know it will go onto petrol there, so I just be careful on the throttle (so long as no cars behind me - its is a 50mph road). I let the car get to 40 by the top of the hill cause I know there is then a 40 limit, and the road starts going down.   And that's what I do, I use the features of the road to my advantage, reading the road well ahead and driving accordingly. I don't hold traffic up, neither do I "foot it" (well I did las night when car in front was driving 35 on a 50 road which was clear of traffic and good weather).  As much as possible I use "pulse and glide" technique,  if I see red lights I start to ease off throttle hoping they on green by the time I get there.

As long as there is Hybrid Battery power, I will get to the speed I want to almost certainly using petrol, but the I will "force" the car into EV by taking foot of throttle for a second or two, then continuing with gentle throttle pressure. Over time the speed my drop (unless downward of course) so sometime I know I will have to use petrol again.   My onboard computer is telling me I am driving 57% of the time on Battery.  Also my computer is telling me some journeys I am doing over 84mpg for that journey - even I am amazed, but I guess to be doing average of 79.6 I got to be doing journeys in the 80+mpg.

My normal journeys are not long. Perhaps the journey I did on Sunday, 37 miles each way, was the longest since I drove the car home from dealers in July (100 mile journey, over 90mpg - post on here somewhere).  Occasionally do a 35 mile return trip to where we used to live, 22 mile return twice per week, other then that more local. So no big long drives.

Knowing I am light on brakes and knowing when take foot off throttle there is some motor braking, I regularly (weekly) find a quiet safe piece of road and do some hard braking to try to keep brake parts moving, especially rear brakes. 

 

[altocumulus]

"I regularly (weekly) find a quiet safe piece of road and do some hard braking to try to keep brake parts moving, especially rear brakes.  "

 

That's the bit I keep forgetting to do - with our Gen2 it was a £100 each service to clean them! Never did learn that lesson on the Gen3, nor the RAV4 Hy, but hopefully now I have to pay my own servicing, I might remember 😄