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Re: [Phys-l] Hybrid mileage



At 12:16 -0800 01/05/2010, Robert Yeend wrote:

A colleague asked me why it is that she consistently gets 6-8 mpg less in the winter than summer with her Prius Hybrid. Her mechanic said that that was "normal," but gave no explanation. Nor can I. She said that she uses the heater in the winter about as much as the air conditioner in the summer.

I too had the same problem with my Prius (2002 model) before I smashed it up last winter. I suspect that most of the difference was due to the ethanol content in the gasoline used for winter driving, combined with the lower capacity of the battery at lower temperature, which meant that the motor would come on sooner after you stop, or wouldn't shut down at all on many stops. This meant that much of the advantage of the non-plug-in hybrids, that the ICE doesn't run for most of the time you are stopped in traffic, has gone away. If most of your driving was in city traffic, that could decrease your mileage by 10-15% or more.

Hugh
--
Hugh Haskell
mailto:hugh@ieer.org
mailto:haskellh@verizon.net

So-called "global warming" is just a secret ploy by wacko tree-huggers to make America energy independent, clean our air and water, improve the fuel efficiency of our vehicles, kick-start 21st-century industries, and make our cities safer. Don't let them get away with it!!

Chip Giller, Founder, Grist.org