My Real World Hybrid MPG

[STARCOMMTREY1]

And what's the math on those?

Now it should be noted that with these uber efficient vehicle it gets harder. Take the EB. Lets ASSume that you get 1.5 MPGs better(it undoubtedly has VCT). That would work out to 5% more MPGs than normal. So now for you to even break even then gas would have to be at 6 bucks for regular if you get the full 30 at highway. The closer you actually run to 20 mpgs the more likely to run even. With the Atkinson and 37 combined you would have to live in England and pay 10 bucks per gallon and probably still not benefit.

Now for informational purposes. I will run my tank near dry and refill with premium and see what we see with hybrid MPG differences.

(Please understand I just took issue with the almost never the guy used as I was able to throw out multiple engines that did benefit from premium)

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[mamboman777]

Average is around 2 mpgs. Those trucks all average way less than 20 mpgs. So greater than 10% better. Here is the kicker. I normally see premium around .30 cents higher than regular. Under Trump fuel prices were really low. It was around 2.30 for premium around here. So math did not come out. Under Biden it has been well above 3 bucks for regular. So less than 10 percent more for Premium and more than 10% more fuel mileage. It works out over the long run. In areas with 4 and 5 dollar gas the returns are even better.

Ok....so, let's use chunky numbers to keep math easy.

I just looked up gas prices in my area. (A lot probably depends on that, too.)
$2.94 regular. $3.46 premium.

100 miles driven.

10 mpg. 10 gallons. $29.40 on regular, $34.60 on premium.

12 mpg. 8.33 gallons. $24.49 on regular. $28.82 on premium.

14 mpg. 7.14 gallons. $20.99 on regular. $24.70 on premium.

16 mpg. 6.25 gallons. $18.37 on regular. $21.65 on premium

18 mpg. 5.55 gallons. $16.33 on regular. $19.20 on premium.

20 mpg. 5 gallons. $14.70 on regular. $17.30 on premium

So, if 2 mpg improvement is accurate (and I'm not completely convinced it is), it only makes sense with gas prices where I live if you're making less than 12 mpg, and barely (by a hair)

 

[STARCOMMTREY1]

Ok....so, let's use chunky numbers to keep math easy.

I just looked up gas prices in my area. (A lot probably depends on that, too.)
$2.94 regular. $3.46 premium.

100 miles driven.

10 mpg. 10 gallons. $29.40 on regular, $34.60 on premium.

12 mpg. 8.33 gallons. $24.49 on regular. $28.82 on premium.

14 mpg. 7.14 gallons. $20.99 on regular. $24.70 on premium.

16 mpg. 6.25 gallons. $18.37 on regular. $21.65 on premium

18 mpg. 5.55 gallons. $16.33 on regular. $19.20 on premium.

20 mpg. 5 gallons. $14.70 on regular. $17.30 on premium

So, if 2 mpg improvement is accurate (and I'm not completely convinced it is), it only makes sense with gas prices where I live if you're making less than 12 mpg, and barely (by a hair)

Exactly. Local prices make a big difference. Your premium vs regular is on the higher side and you are in an area with cheaper fuel. Imagine California and its 2 dollars per gallon higher. (I used the 2 mpgs because that is what I got with my 5.4 and 5.0. It was noticable when that was ALL you ran.(Cant put premium in half a tank of regular). On the flop side, pure ethanol ran 2-5 mpgs worse, but it cost over 1 dollar less per gallon. And in your math you limited yourself to 100 miles driven. No one drives a vehicle 100 miles and parks it for life. Do the math over 10k miles if someone is religious about premium. Then its not a hair difference, but a good bit over the life of the car.
I tend to keep my vehicles so I measure cost over 100-300k miles not just a small sampling in the life of a vehicle. 100 miles on something that will likely drive 300k is too small of a sample.

So where I live. Regular is 3.09 and premium is 3.39 as of this morning at the local gas station. That is 9% more. My 5.4 got around 13-14 mpgs on regular fuel. It was 15-16 with premium. I did that math multiple times over the life of the vehicle. I tested for a month with ethanol when I was working in a town that had it. 11-12 with that and the truck ran better on it.

So low was 1 mpg high was 3 and Ill chalk that up to do varying terrain, vehicle conditions, ect.

But lets use the high side. 14% better fuel mileage with premium at a 9% extra cost.I sold that truck with 109k miles on it. I was religious about it. And for a long time I did see 4 bucks plus per gallon making the gap even bigger.

 

[mamboman777]

Exactly. Local prices make a big difference. Your premium vs regular is on the higher side and you are in an area with cheaper fuel. Imagine California and its 2 dollars per gallon higher. (I used the 2 mpgs because that is what I got with my 5.4 and 5.0. It was noticable when that was ALL you ran.(Cant put premium in half a tank of regular). On the flop side, pure ethanol ran 2-5 mpgs worse, but it cost over 1 dollar less per gallon. And in your math you limited yourself to 100 miles driven. No one drives a vehicle 100 miles and parks it for life. Do the math over 10k miles if someone is religious about premium. Then its not a hair difference, but a good bit over the life of the car.
I tend to keep my vehicles so I measure cost over 100-300k miles not just a small sampling in the life of a vehicle. 100 miles on something that will likely drive 300k is too small of a sample.

So where I live. Regular is 3.09 and premium is 3.39 as of this morning at the local gas station. That is 9% more. My 5.4 got around 13-14 mpgs on regular fuel. It was 15-16 with premium. I did that math multiple times over the life of the vehicle. I tested for a month with ethanol when I was working in a town that had it. 11-12 with that and the truck ran better on it.

So low was 1 mpg high was 3 and Ill chalk that up to do varying terrain, vehicle conditions, ect.

But lets use the high side. 14% better fuel mileage with premium at a 9% extra cost.I sold that truck with 109k miles on it. I was religious about it. And for a long time I did see 4 bucks plus per gallon making the gap even bigger.

Ok... so, add a zero and move the decimal. @1000 miles it's $5.80. @10,000 it's $58. It takes 100,000 to get $580.

That only works at <12 mpg.

The only new vehicles that get that low mpg are supercars.

 

[STARCOMMTREY1]

Ok... so, add a zero and move the decimal. @1000 miles it's $5.80. @10,000 it's $58. It takes 100,000 to get $580.

That only works at <12 mpg.

The only new vehicles that get that low mpg are supercars.

And you are using your local fuel prices. In areas where fuel is higher those savings go higher.

 

[mamboman777]

If you do the math on hybrid Maverick orders.

10,000 miles driven.

30 mpg on regular would cost you $980. On premium $1,153

35 on regular $840. On premium $988.

40 mpg on regular would cost $735. On premium $865.

45 mpg on regular $653. On premium $768

50 mpg on regular $588. On premium $692.

So, you'll need to see a jump of greater than 5 mpg to get a return. I think the temperature or weight of shoe worn could get >5 mpg, but not octane choice. Maybe ethanol percentage in gas, but no way octane.

 

[STARCOMMTREY1]

If you do the math on hybrid Maverick orders.

10,000 miles driven.

30 mpg on regular would cost you $980. On premium $1,153

35 on regular $840. On premium $988.

40 mpg on regular would cost $735. On premium $865.

45 mpg on regular $653. On premium $768

50 mpg on regular $588. On premium $692.

So, you'll need to see a jump of greater than 5 mpg to get a return. I think the temperature or weight of shoe worn could get >5 mpg, but not octane choice. Maybe ethanol percentage in gas, but no way octane.

Oh I flat said hybrids won't see a benefit if any. But for informational reason I will run premium after I run this tank out of fuel. So 500 miles later.

 

[mamboman777]

Oh I flat said hybrids won't see a benefit if any. But for informational reason I will run premium after I run this tank out of fuel. So 500 miles later.

So this whole conversation and all this maths is because "almost?!?"

 

[STARCOMMTREY1]

So this whole conversation and all this maths is because "almost?!?"

No it's because someone said it never benefits. And then I gave a list of specific engines that it does benefit.

 

[mamboman777]

No it's because someone said it never benefits. And then I gave a list of specific engines that it does benefit.

Who said never?

 

[OldSoulNewMaverick]

In today's modern engine with variable cam timing premium fuel can make you that difference back depending on driving styles.

I believe there was a thread on this before.....the hybrid Atkinson engine is optimized for regular fuel, not premium. With ecoboost, there can and will be a difference with the fuel upgrade.

 

[sophiam]

Yes. The engine(that is the ice) is not efficient at low speeds. So if you are not able to run battery the mpgs are horrible.

That's probably what is happening. Most of my trips are short, less than 3 miles, so I might not be allowing the battery enough time to charge up. Guess I now have an excuse to drive out to the beach (about 100 miles away) more often! lol

 

[Rufracer]

I'm sure somebody already said this but give it a couple thousand miles and I bet it'll improve noticeably

 

[Chadrick]

It's all about how you are driving that remaining .4 miles. Also, if it's cold and your heater is on. If I need the heater, I set it no higher than 72 degrees. My current car is a 2018 Fusion Hybrid, and I've been called a "Miler". I will say it has helped with road rage issues and fewer tickets.

My favorite days are when it's between 60 and 80 degrees. No need for AC or heater. I commute about 20 miles each way to work. I've been able to get almost 70mg, but I don't have a picture of that day. This was November 1st, and there are some pretty steep hills along the way.

 

[mamboman777]

I believe there was a thread on this before.....the hybrid Atkinson engine is optimized for regular fuel, not premium. With ecoboost, there can and will be a difference with the fuel upgrade.

Difference in mileage? Or difference in power?

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