Quote:
Originally Posted by radiantthought
Fuelly and Fueleconomy.gov both don't bear this out. I'm looking on there and the max-hypermilers for both generations are getting a hair over 70mpg (disregarding some weird 120-ish readings which I'm guessing are plug-in prii, or other expensive battery mods). Obviously the averages agree with your second conclusion (higher for gen3) but it's your other claim which I'm curious about. Do you have any data to back it up?
|
The data can be found right from Wayne Gerdes.
Once heated up the Gen II under ideal conditions can average right around 100mpg using a prius specific P&G technique (some can get higher, no plug needed). Few people really do that in their prius, especially not over the coarse of their whole trip and warmup kills fuel economy massively. The Gen III does not respond as well to the P&G technique and averages less when driven in that way (you won't average 120mpg over a trip in a gen III unless you are going downhill with the wind), but driven normally (or lightly) it provides better fuel economy than the Gen II.
So if you have skills and your driving conditions would allow for it yes the Gen II can outshine a Gen III, simple physics.
But to do it you would probably average around 30mph pulsing up to the upper limit and gliding down.
So I guess it depends on if you are a purist or not.
For any average driver Gen III is a bit better for a hypermiler the additional cost of ownership is likely not worthwhile.
Cheers
Ryan