Annoyed at city mileage

[Cobb]

Ive been driving with no regards to economy in city and highway with my phev kit. I get way better mpg on highway vs city. 73 vs 54.

It wasnt until I quit using the auto feature did I start toget supreme fuel economy.

[circa1986]

I guess the difference is that in the Insight (and perhaps other hybrids), there is no alternator powering the accessories--it takes the power from the IMA battery (or at least it uses IMA battery power to charge the accessory battery).

In a normal ICE car, the alternator is always charging the accessory battery.

Seems to me the engine would also take longer to warm up than a normal ICE car because the engine is always shutting off.

My commute is about 25 miles each way, but it's not my commute that I'm complaining about. It's the city driving that occurs when I run errands. Usually those are within 3-5 miles of my origin. I guess I really don't have much to complain about at 35 mpg--who knows how much gas mileage a traditional ICE car would get in the city vs. EPA rating.

[Eli]

Cobb, you're able to get 73MPG highway in the Insight2?

/faints

As far as the alternator talk, I don't really know what that has to do with city mileage.

If your runabouts are 3-5 miles, that will obliterate your fuel economy. My commute to work is 1.9 miles. That combined with the cold winter months netted me my worst tank ever - 38.8MPG(1st gen Insight).

[Cobb]

Short trips will kill the mpg for any car. I plan out my trips to the farthest first, then work my way back.

Yeah, a phev kit is the way to go baby.

[Cobb]

Once my car was warmed up and the phev pack was charged, I went out for a cup of coffee down the road. This is the shortest trip I had ever made with my i2. I worked ev mode as much as possible to get it like this and went no faster than 35mph.

[Eli]

Ahh, I see.

Hmmm... I wonder what I could do with a PHEV kit....

[wheat haze]

FWIW: been lurking over this forum for one year now. lots and lots of good mpg driving tips from the insight2 folks here! have been averaging 60+ mpg on the MID trip meter, each start-up, now for the last couple of months. seems like the I2 forum guru/enthusiast wisdom is becoming second nature to my driving: i do live in flat, flat florida; drive mostly in the suburbs; my car engine feels like it has has finally broken in after 15k miles; and my wife swears my personality has changed drastically--no more cursing out other drivers; i tend to my own traffic flow business and am slowly becoming "one with the vehicle."

at the moment, we are in stormy tennessee, and have gained the last .4 mpg on the trip, despite the hills and the load of goodies for the grandkids. who knew flat land was a state of mind named florida?

at age 75, i jes love this li'l white fuel sipper hatchback!!

[circa1986]

Cobb, is there a thread that shows your exact setup? My Insight is leased, so I would not want to do anything that could not be reversed, and/or has the potential to damage the vehicle in any way.

[Cobb]

Its a broad learning curve. I maybe getting close to it, but I am at 42 thousand miles already.

The phev kit is connected to the top of the hybrid battery and the accessory fuse of the fuse box. The guts of it sits in the trunk, a small extension cord runs up to the grill. Its a fairly universal kit that could work on a range of hybrid vehicles if not a 5th wheel or small ev. I am sure it would have a good resale value.

The only down side it can throw a check engine code, but those are easily cleared with any engine code scanner.

[Spotman]

I have been averiging 50.4 with only about 5,000+ miles on mine on the 25 mile commute on city streets going to work. And on the way home in HOV lane, average 50. I too have learned how to control my emotions and "lead" foot with this car. Hoping to get it up to the 60's soon.

Bob