... early January, 2012, on our way back from a funeral, hustling it like a Corvette, my Prius did Colorado Springs to Los Angeles, 13 hours and 30 minutes. Exactly the same drive a few years before, in 2008, was 14 hours and 10 minutes, which certainly would have been even quicker were it not for a freeway closure, in Las Vegas: MapQuest Maps - Driving Directions - Map Distance approximately 1,103 miles, extrapolating to an average dead-of-winter speed of approximately 82 mph, compares favorably to the Heinz and Yarborough April, 1979 springtime average speed, 94 MPH trans-continental record, in their XJS: 32H:51M Record Holder: Cannonball Run Winning(?) 1978 Jaguar XJS | Bring a Trailer Long distance driving, my supercharged MR2 is certainly no match for my Prius. Begs the question: which car would win a modern day Cannonball Run: a high performance touring car, or a contemporary economy car, driven hard? Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Warping my Prius back in time, to May of 1979, for an attempt at the trans-continental record, I don't think I could have won. I don't think my Prius could average 95 MPH, without overheating its battery. But, I think I could have safely averaged close to 90 -- Samuel, '04.
With a top speed of 103 MPH, the Prius v will never average 95 MPH as you need to fill the gas tank and empty bladders of the occupants. I would use 4 (light) drivers and install the largest fuel cell that will fit under the rear cover with the rear seats reclined. (It would be possible to use the final drive' of the Liftback, giving a top speed of 115 MPH, but slower acceleration.) Using a Liftback would give you better aerodynamics for better MPG, but it may well only fit a smaller extra tank and the rear seats don't recline.
... similarly so, mean annual temperature of Chicago and Seattle, identical, the contrast can't be readily discerned, studying the mean. Distinction is nested in the variance (e.g., standard deviation ^2). Ceteris paribus (e.g., outfitted the same 20 gallon fuel capacity of the Heinz and Yarborough XJS), the Prius wouldn't need the terminal velocity of a 12 cylinder Jaguar, to achieve a similar average. Given a 20 gallon fuel cell in a Prius would, at sustained high double digit velocity, translating to a cruising range well in excess of 400 miles, a Prius could theoretically reach a 95 mph average velocity, with a humble terminal velocity. 500 mile cruising range, a Prius would refuel 6 times; a 12 cylinder Jaguar at 68% of its terminal velocity, more than ten. Mean limit for my '04 , sustained point-to-point high speed driving, probably between 82 and 88 mph, my Gen II Prius couldn't quite do it. Top-of-the-line Lexus hybrid, no question about it, would -- Samuel, '04.
1979 was a few years ago. In those days the idea of a 5-pax OEM car equipped with a 1500cc motor producing 130BHP and being able to reach and hold 3-digit speeds would have been seen as crazy talk.....especially when you also told them that the same car would get 50-mpg if driven at moderate speeds. The Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash was part of the back-lash against the buzz-kills of that day that forced a 55MPH national speed limit, "see-no-evil" 85-mph speedometers, and wanted to limit BHP outputs for factory cars. The race was real, which inspired the unfortunate movie.....and a few books. Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Of course....in those days law enforcement was more primitive too. I'm not so sure that I would try it today. Cars are a little bit faster today. Better tires....MUCH better power plants. It's possible today to buy a factory equipped, American made car that's capable of cruising above 150mph with occasional blasts to 200. The reason that there's not much of an interest in a CBMD race today probably has to do with a more sensible national speed limit, cars that are capable of vision blurring speeds, and much more effective speed enforcement. A judge "might" let you keep your license if you get yoked for driving 120mph in the middle of nowhere....but 150...160....180mph gets to be a little tougher to explain.
