Sounds good!, I'm getting excited, and I haven't felt that about a car for a while!(Get a car every 2 years) I'm quite pleased that wether I make a huge impact or not, after all those false starts (GM EV1, Honda Insight etc) WE are proving that if you build a PRACTICAL hybrid car that has no compromise as compared to normal vehicle then the public is interested, kudos to Toyota for taking the plunge and not giving up after one attempt Huray for all you guys you should feel good about yourselves
Vincent, it's true but senectus got 900kms on his first tank so the bladder definitely has something to do with it.
OIC, you are refering to farthest distance on a tank. Then yes, I agree bladder do make a difference on the amount you can refuel and therefore it affects the maximum range. I was thinking of l/100km or mpg. In Senectus's case, I think he got a good headstart. He researched the web well before he got his Prius. So, he already received some of the tips here and elsewhere and thus he can start driving efficiently. My 1st tank was only 6 l/100km (39 mpg)! I only started joining forums after I got my Prius. After learning from other owners and experimenting with their various techniques, I have no problem getting the low 4s l/100km (high 50s mpg) now. Vincent
This is always the hottest topic in almost all the forums that I frequented. To get you started, you can check out this great article in the KB: Why don't I get the EPA mileage? One major difference with other vehicles is that Prius gives you an immediate feedback on the effect of your driving style on your fuel consumption. The 5 mins. histograms show you the FC and up to six 5 mins. segments can be shown on the MFD. For other cars, you only get to know your FC at the pump and you wouldn't be able to corelate the exact factors affecting your FC. Having said that, it can be a double-edged sword if not used appropriately. Many owners are so engross on the MFD that they forgot about safety! My advice is to keep your eyes on the road and take a quick glance when it is safe to do so. This is especially true in my country where other drivers like to cut into your lane without signaling. :guns: As you go along, you will definitely pick up more tips. Vincent
I'm guessing EPA ifuel economy is the same as our australian one, I don't get close to that in my current car (1.6 litre Peugeot 206CC auto)but it's a good standard to measure how much better the prius will be, it seems it will be double what I get now, currently about 9l/100km
Actually whether it is EPA number or the ADR 81/01 number is secondary, the same principles still apply. A number is just a number. Some get better number and some don't. But that is not important. To me, it is the process of learning and the continuous improvements which I find more satisfaction. Someone has said, the higher the mpg that you aim for, the lesser enjoyment you will get from driving Prius. Vincent
Funny how the US rates the Prius at City: 4.3L/100km Hwy: 4.7L/100km while Canada rates it as City: 4.0L/100km Hwy: 4.2L/100km
That's a good point Vincent, but are there any tips/tricks that are a ok compromise that doesn't make driving a science experiement?
If you're on level road and you're holding your accelerator at a point to maintain speed, try lifting off for a split second, let the engine shut off, then feather it or use the battery. That could help. Choose your route. Find a route that'll give you the best mileage. It may take time but you'll eventually know which routes to take for which errand. e.g. my route home from university runs in EV mode/no arrow mode about 80% of the time. Combine trips. Anything less than 5km will hurt your mileage (unless your engine's already warm from a previous trip) Let the A/C run and open the windows for a few minutes to let the hot air out. Umm, I'm not sure what else. Feel free to add/change any of these
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Duck Dodgers\";p=\"97384)</div> Prius is actually very easy to drive. A lot of controls are being handled by the onboard computers, more than any other conventional ICE vehicles. Have you noticed that there is no tachometer? You don't need it, you can't control the engine RPM anyway. When you step on the accelerator, you are merely sending a request to the computers of how much you want to accelerate and the computers will then calculate the optimum RPM and torque for engine, generator and motor that have the lowest emission and the best efficiency. Some tips/tricks which I think you can try: 1) Use accelerator to regulate speed instead of brake. Anticipate the need to slow down and get off the accelerator immediately. Look ahead for red lights, stop signs and the brake lights of cars in front of you. Release or ease up on the accelerator so as to lose speed by coasting. The point is to minimize additional wasted energy by avoiding or delaying applying the brakes. Your goal is to coast gently to a stop or have the reason for slowing down clear itself before you get to it. Remember, it takes a lot more fuel to get moving from a complete stop than say moving at 10 km/h. 2) Avoid excessive speed. The faster you go, the lower your fuel economy will be. 3) Preserving the Vehicle's Aerodynamics Changes you make to the shape or surface of the car are likely to increase the drag coefficient. Don't open the windows needlessly. At high speed, running the air conditioning with the windows closed is thought to be better than having the windows open. 4) Unnecessary Weight Take it out of the car and leave it at home instead. 5) Regenerative Braking Try to brake gradually rather than forcefully. This avoids the mechanical brakes coming on and provides an energy flow that the re-charging system can use efficiently. Some other tips/tricks which you may have to use trial and error method to find the compromise yourself: 1) Higher tyre pressure => harsher ride. 2) Less A/C use => more discomfort. Vincent
hello i know the market in singapore didnt support prius very well... but i am looking for a 2nd hand prius. if anyone from singapore knows of someone(or corporate fleet) who are getting rid of their prius, please let me know on this forum. let's save a prius from COE rebate scrapping(that dastardly singapore habit) thanks(singapore west) ps. i had a prius for 1 year when i lived abroad, in 2002.
There are 2 corporate fleet that I know of. One is the SPF (Singapore Police Force) and the other is NTUC Income Car Co-Op (Car rental company). I think police cars are exempted from the VQS (Vehicle Quota System) as they are considered as emergency vehicles, so no COE is required. Not sure whether NTUC Income Car Co-Op uses the same scheme as Honda Diracc whereby they have a special grant from EDB (Economic Developement Board) and no COE is required. IMHO, COE rebate and car scrapping are not "habit" but rather they are a result of the LTA (Land Transport Authority) car control policy. Car owner stand to loose their PARF and they still need to pay for the COE if they intend to keep their car beyond 10 years. Vincent
I live in Japan and have access to wholesale dealer auctions (friends brother has auction dealer licence). Shipping to Singapore is not expensive - but I have no idea about what would be required to licence a 2nd hand Prius in Singapore. 1997 to 2002 models (NW10 and NW11) are good value at the auctions here -if you want to import, I can find out what is/isn't possible. Jef
thanks for the info, i'll try calling toyota here or one of the corporate fleets. i was referring to the throwaway consumer culture, compare depreciation rates, then just chuck for a new car. practical, i agree, but an extreme form of moneymindedness... of course doesn't help cars cost 3-4 times what they should... :wink: singapore does not allow used car imports, although that has been mentioned as possibly to change in future. domo
I just want to report that our local dealer, Borneo Motors, is bringing in the PriusII finally! Their competitor, Kah Motor, is also bringing in the HCHII. Hybrids heating up market
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vincent1449p @ Apr 19 2006, 02:55 AM) [snapback]241992[/snapback]</div> That's good news lah! I love Singapore been there to visit wife's family 6 or 7 times! But the streets scare me to death along with the left hand driving. Also the MRT and taxi's are cheap and plentiful. Since the city/nation is only 20X12 miles it will be hard hard to realize the best MPG as all trips will be short trips by definition. Get the model with bluetooth as everywhere I look in S'pore someone has a hand phone in use. Wildkow p.s. Get the side air bags too!
Yes, it is now available locally for the price mentioned in the bulletin. It is quite good value now with the additional ARF rebate for green vehicles. Placed my order 2 weeks ago. Took a 20 minute test drive and had a FE of 4.8 li/100km on a mixture of stop start driving and a short stretch of highway with the aircon on. Quite impressed (trading in a RX300 - will have to get over the suv) Felt very solid and stable. Delivery in end May. Silver grey. The car is rather basic - no cruise control, no ev button, no leather seats, standard radio, no keyless entry/start. Borneo Motors gives a 3 year/100k mechanical warantee and a 5 year/150k electrical (battery) warantee. I am really looking forward to taking delivery. Now I'm drooling over the Prius 3 with 100mpg!
