Best prius for hypermiling? G2, 3, C, V?

[Baltothewolf]

Also, my continuing argument about the 'lack of power' argument is, turbo. Any low power car can have a turbo that will not negatively affect FE unless your constantly slamming and jamming in it.

[Cobb]

At that, the prius 3 is a whale in relation to the prius 2 and the prius 2 is a whale in relation to the prius 1.

Kind of defy s physics how a car can get bigger, yet MORE fuel efficient?

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

Something to consider remembering, Toyota has continously INCREASED their EPA numbers by roughtly 10% with each new Prius generation.

[RedDevil]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

The CdA and efficiency have nothing to do with hybrid part 500 extra pounds does. Basically they should make a non-hybrid Prius for highway commuters. I think that is what the new 1.0l fiesta is going for. I bet in the hands of a hypermiler it goes 55mpg highway or more pure stock, then add some aeromods. They start about $17,000.

Fact check. The hybrid system in my Insight consists of the electric motor/generator connected to the crankshaft, a 27 kilogram hybrid battery, some cabling and some electronics. That is all. I doubt it weighs more than 100 pouns all combined.

Then, it does not need an alternator nor flywheel (the electric motor does that), it can do with smaller brakes, a smaller 12V battery, a smaller engine, a smaller fuel tank, you name it.
All in all it could be lighter, not heavier, than a non hybrid with like performance.

Weight is not an issue on true hybrids.

At my office I regularly park next to a 1.0L Fiesta Ecoboost.
I wonder how good my FE would be if mine were as small as that. But I'm glad it is not that small.
There is a hybrid of comparable size and weight: the first gen Insight, it too has a 3 cylinder 1 liter engine.

[Hersbird]

The 500 pounds I was talking about is what the Escape hybrid system adds, at one point that is what I was challenging although this seems to skip around all different types of hybirds. Anyway, I still don't see how the hybrid part of any of the current hybirds help steady state interstate. The Volt in theory should be good at this but it must not be optimized for highway as the best people seem to get is low to mid 40s mpg running on the ICM. Some locomotives are really good at this, maybe the volt needs a turbo diesel running the generator, maybe the generators are just not efficient enough. Someday a gas turbine-electric would be neat to see, those Chrysler turbine cars from the 50's were a bit aheady of their time LOL!

[Hersbird]

Thinking about it Chevy probably oversized their ICE so it can go 90 mph and zoom up hill and such. It should be just big enough to maintain 65-70mph with any hill climbing, acceleration, or passing coming from the battery. If you over work it, it would need some time parked in the diner lot to the rest area but overall he good for a 500 mile trip with a full charge at the start. Then it still could be all electric for normal commutes.

[user removed]

Originally Posted by Cobb

I had a prius 3 as a renal car for 2 weeks. I put about 2 thousand miles on it. I drove the hell out of the car and got no less than 49.9 mpg. Press the power mode button, then floor it when the way is clear. Once you pass 12 mph you will soil your pants and your passengers pants.

Comapred to say a 59 Vette with a 71 z 28 engine and tranny, in 73. 65 in first, 105 in second, 140 in third. Very close to the 67 383 Formula S cuda coupe?

Don't see a Prius making me loose my facilities.

regards
Mech

[RedDevil]

[hybrid vs. non-hybrid highway cruising]
What I see on the highway is that even cruising at a more or less constant speed the engine load differs quite a lot.
There's packs of trees blocking the side wind, then open space.
There is the odd canal or crossroad to bridge every mile or so.

I can see the assist needle jump up as the engine load jumps to 80-90% but the revs stay the same (CVT maxed out in top 'gear'). Then descending it starts to generate, then DFCO and give assist to maintain speed. The hybrid system does kick in even if you hardly notice why.

Even so on the highway it does not make a big difference to having the same engine setup but no hybrid support.
I got to find out as I once blew the fuse to the electronics that govern the battery monitoring system. So the system shut off the battery, and I had to do with just the ICE.
On the highway FE was normal, maybe slightly higher but no big difference.
But entering the highway was a drag. The engine really had to rev high to compensate for not having support. It wasted a lot more fuel than I was used to. Leaving the highway it wasted all its speed to brake dust; it hardly slowed down at all unless I used the brakes. It does DFCO but no generating of course.
In the city it was just wasting fuel and slow to get off the lights.
Despite my best efforts it used about 25% more than usual on my morning commute.

The point is, without hybrid support it is no fun to drive; you'd want a bigger engine.

[Vman455]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

The CdA and efficiency have nothing to do with hybrid part 500 extra pounds does. Basically they should make a non-hybrid Prius for highway commuters. I think that is what the new 1.0l fiesta is going for. I bet in the hands of a hypermiler it goes 55mpg highway or more pure stock, then add some aeromods. They start about $17,000.

I was referring to there being better choices for an interstate vehicle; since this comes down to CdA and engine efficiency, there really aren't any better choices than a Prius or 1st-gen Insight, hybrid or not, unless you go with an inherently more-efficient electric or manage to import an XL1. The Volt's failing is its higher aerodynamic drag; Chevy dropped the ball on that IMO. The Fiesta has frontal area almost as large as the current Prius (22.9 ft^2 versus 23.4), and a much higher Cd of (depending on version) .30-.32, as well as less-efficient engines--I'm not aware of any currently on the market that better the Prius' 38.5% efficiency--so it really doesn't equate to a Prius without the hybrid system.

[Hersbird]

What is the thermal efficiency of the 1.0 ecoboost? With turbo and direct injection I would bet it to be the same or better then the current Prius. Where is there a list even showing what the Prius has? My memory seems to think they were hoping the next Prius would be that high but maybe that was awhile ago I read that.

[Hersbird]

Reddevil, have you seen what the "flyover" part of the US looks like with it's interstate highway system. Sometimes I wonder if people on the coasts even have a grasp of what it's like. Here in Montana I can get on the onramp and after 30 minutes completely lose my mind trying to take it slow and save gas, and kick it up to 75 mph. 8 hours later like that with only a 10 min pitstop I still haven't even left the state. I don't know if the thin air is helping or hurting. Few other cars, pass a few, be passed by a few, don't get me wrong I love it, but I wonder what would be the ideal every other week commuter to the oil fields of North Dakota so many of my friends have to make. Thank God I only do those trips for fun and recreation 4-5 times a year.