2009 Prius Base - $19k

[Matt Herring]

Ooooh...nice article Pale. Looks like I'll be adding IGN to my SGII display and will be P&G from 65 mph down to 50-55 mph and trying to keep it at 14 IGN along the way...nice 65-80 mpg runs from those guys! I should note this will be not using neutral while doing it...I'm convinced 62+ mph in neutral is a hazard to the MG1 in the Prius engine...not a good idea.

Got solid documentation from this guy...

There is plenty of documentation, in particular at Graham's Toyota Prius (Graham's Toyota Prius), Graham Davies paper.
In the Prius trans-axle, the fixed gearing means that the rotational speeds of the ICE, MG1 and MG2 are in constant relationship to each other, according to the following equation:

MG1 = 3.6 x ICE - 2.6 x MG2.

In addition, MG2, the main traction motor is related to the road speed of the car by the following equation:

MG2 = 59.1 x V (mph) ... where V is the road speed in MPH. (It varies slightly as the rolling radius varies with tire pressure)

So when the ICE is off (=0), MG1 = -2.6 x MG2.

Thus at 62 mph, MG2 = 59.1 x 62 = 3664.2 rpm.
So MG1 = -2.6 x 3664.2 = - 9527 rpm (rounding the fraction), which is close to its' published limit speed of 10,000 rpm.

Note too that it is also rotating backwards and acting as a generator.

[PaleMelanesian]

While you're in the reading mood, try some of the articles here as well:
Articles - CleanMPG Forums

[Matt Herring]

Here's some updated photos of my grill block after adding the extra two slots in the bottom grill. Now running full upper and 3 slots of lower. Water temps have been around 180-195 in 60-90 degree weather.

[SVOboy]

Looks like a good block, are you coming to the greengranprix?

[Matt Herring]

Sorry bro...work this Saturday...something has to pay for the new Prius! Too bad the event isn't a week later since I'll traveling to Towanda, PA Thursday night and returning on the weekend from a wedding (drive close to Watkins Glen, NY on the way...let me know if you forget anything there...I can probably pick it up for you)!

But if you're going take some pix of the cool cars!

[SVOboy]

Yep, lots of pictures and video and junk

[Matt Herring]

Pic is of my commute to work of 11 miles and additional 4 miles out of the way to go to the bank. The low bar in the 20-25 minute range is a result of sitting in the drive up window to process my transaction. It should be noted my mpg did not drop in that 5 minute window because I was over min temp and gas engine did not need to run to power up to temp. For some reason the Prius in-car mpg still factors stopped idle time as 0.0 mpg (even though not using any fuel), hence, the lower mpg bar in that 5 minute span.

I've been tinkering with dead band, EV mode and neutral coast and saw some good numbers today (in 70 degree weather). This 15.5 mile trip was 66.4 on the SGII and I have my in-car mpg up to 61.7 (up from 56.9 mpg in-car at this point in my last tank). SGII is reporting approx. 4 mpg higher than last tank.

I took a vid of my driving in dead band...what's the best way to post it?

[Matt Herring]

Figured out how to post vid to you tube...here's me in the Prius in dead band and EV mode...none of this was in neutral coast...all dead band and EV mode...taken with my phone camera so excuse the shaky and grainy video...

YouTube - priusdeadband

[Matt Herring]

So maybe my words were a little too sharp over at priuschat.com and maybe they were a little too sharp considering the person I was rebutting...but my ecomodder.com posting training is to blame...don't just throw out stats without doing your homework!!! Show me a source!!!

This was a thread detailing the slipping sales of the Prius (March 2009 vs. April 2009 vs. March/April 2008). The founder of priuschat.com "Danny" stated that this April, sales of the Prius were down dramatically from last April sales "before gasoline prices really even started going up."

His post and my response are below...I'm probably on borrowed time over there...

Danny
Admin/Founder
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Brevard, NC
Posts: 4,976
My Car: 2006 Prius
Model:
Package: #8
Thanks: 16
Thanked 70 Times in 30 Posts
Friends: 30

Quote:
Last month I told you about the sales slide the Prius saw in March, and today the April numbers were released and actually look WORSE. Toyota sold 8,385 Prius units in April, down from 8,924 units last month. Last April was when sales really started to kick into gear (before gas really even started going up), but this April sales were off a staggering 61% compared to April 2008. 2009 Prius sales are down almost 50% compared to 2008.


Matt Herring
Member
Matt Herring's Avatar
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: North Andover, MA
Posts: 34
My Car: 2009 Prius
Model: N/A
Package: No Package

Default Re: April Not Any Better For Prius Sales
"Quote: Last month I told you about the sales slide the Prius saw in March, and today the April numbers were released and actually look WORSE. Toyota sold 8,385 Prius units in April, down from 8,924 units last month. Last April was when sales really started to kick into gear (before gas really even started going up), but this April sales were off a staggering 61% compared to April 2008. 2009 Prius sales are down almost 50% compared to 2008.
Read the Full Story"

The statement that last April "sales really started to kick into gear (before gas really even started going up)" is completely false.

Tell me about it...but give me a source to prove it. Below are links to current US average gallon gas cost, last March and last April. Yep, we're in a recession and people are not buying cars as much as they did last year...but...gas had already started going "up" last March and April and it's hasn't even approached those levels with today's prices. As gas approaches $3 a gallon people (and about the same time the Gen 3 Prius comes out...good timing) people will start thinking about buying a hybrid. At $4 a gallon we'll see lines in the parking lots to buy them.

Current US average gallon of gas cost...$2.04
Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update

Last March US average gallon of gas cost...$3.16
U.S. gas prices?March 3, 2008: Consumer Reports Cars Blog

Last April US average gallon of gas cost...$3.39
Average gas prices?April 14, 2008: Consumer Reports Cars Blog

[Matt Herring]

In my never-ending addiction to statistics and tracking things...here's my current tank stats...

Previous tank was 56.5 mpg actual fill numbers...

Previous tank in-car mpg vs. current tank in-car mpg:
At 100 miles (56.3 vs. 59.3)
At 200 miles (56.9 vs. 59.4)
At 300 miles (57.0 vs. 61.3)
At 400 miles (56.9 vs. 61.7)
At 500 miles (57.9 vs. TBA)

I'm down to 3 pips on my gas guage and have a 700 mile trip coming up next weekend so expected fill date is Weds or Thurs...dare I say "can't wait to see what I finish at!?!"

I've been doing alot of reading about the gas tank "bladder" in the Prius. It seems it is difficult to get 100% accurate fill numbers (especially in the winter) because the bladder shrinks in size due to the environment it is in (cold or hot). I'll keep an eye on this as I compare in-car mpg vs. SGII mpg vs. actual fill mpg.

Got my ecomodder.com sig attached to my priuschat.com account so all posts over there end with the ecomodder.com 90 day mpg and % over EPA! I also began tracking my mpg on myhybridcar.com and I use their sig as well on my posts at priuschat.com because it displays lifetime mpg. So...I have 2 sigs...90 day and % over epa from ecomodder.com and lifetime mpg from myhybridcar.com!