This gadget really isn't that useful for us PiP owners, as our cars already give us a lot of information in terms of fuel consumption, historic MPG, etc. But I nonetheless I just want to have this info here for those who might be thinking of getting this gadget. Just in case you don't know, Automatic is a bluetooth OBD II device that takes a minimal number of engine fuel consumption info and CEL code info and bluetooth it over to your app, then using your phone's GPS data plot travel data and track MPG related info, and calculate estimated fuel cost. I originally purchased it for my now traded-in Subaru Outback and did enjoy the device keeping me from going too fast, accelerate too hard or brake too hard unnecessary, and track my MPG. The company is fully aware that their device don't really work with Plug-In Hybrids, but I decided to try it anyway, after all, I already have the device and maybe the company might've addressed some of the issue in their latest update. I've found that if the ICE ever kicks-in during your drive, it returns a somewhat accurate MPG number for the trip (compares to what the car reports). But if the trip was done entirely in EV mode, Automatic will just report 50MPG for the whole trip. It does't look like they will be solving it 100% as there hasn't been any update from the company regarding the issue (as of July 14th, 2014). So I just figured I would like to contribute this piece of info here for you guys, or anyone who might've Googled themselves here for info on the subject... This trip I took in EV mode in local and HV mode in highway, the 207MPG seems to be somewhat in-line with what the car reports. This is another trip I took in full EV mode, ICE never kicked in, so my fuel cost should be 0 and MPG should not be 50.
You mentioned that the app reports "50mpg" on a pure EV trip. Is "50" as high as it goes? The high mpg figures for PiP seems to give a lot of fuel economy tools grief. Kind of like when gasoline first exceeded $0.999/gal. The mechanical readouts on the pumps at that time simply did not have enough digits to display prices higher than that. State regulators had to come up with special rules allowing gasoline stations to set the pumps at $1 less than the actual price, and have conspicuous signs stating that the actual price was $1/gal more than displayed on the pump.
@CharlesH - actually that's not the highest figure the app can display. The HV mode trip I posted went to 207mpg. It's just that the app doesn't know it's running on pure EV mode so it defaulted to Toyota's reported EPA figure of 50mpg. The company didn't reply to me saying as long as ICE kicks in at some point during the trip it will give accurate readout. Odd but true... It's like the ICE kicks in trips a switch in their software somehow...
My guess would be a divide by zero error. They aren't computing MPGe, just MPG, and if we have miles with zero gallons, what number should they use?
I guess it make sense, so for Toyota they would divide automatically by 99? Their MPGe figure perhaps? Or 999 which would've shown on the dash after completing a full EV trip? I came to work this morning on mostly EV mode and here is the difference. PiP reported 168MPG and Automatic reported 161MPG. That's 7MPG difference, maybe it's because the distance is off on Automatic (20.7 vs. 21.4).
21.4 miles / (168 miles/gal) = 0.127 gallons. 20.7 miles / (161 miles/gal) = 0.128 gallons. Could easily be within rounding error on the actual gallons consumed.
