What Economy MPG you getting in this weather

[kam]

Was getting around 51mpg for this trip in colder times and then around 54mpg. But today got an impressive 62mpg. Used to run an Audi A6 2.0 Tdi before. The Lexus ES300h is definitely  Economical and more comfortable vehicle than the Audi A6.

Like all the reviews say you don't buy the Lexus ES300h if you want a drivers car, it's more about the comfort and a leisurely drive.

[Las Palmas]

6½ L each 100 km. Weather here is summer all year. Problem is the mountains.

[e-yes]

14 hours ago, kam said:

Was getting around 51mpg for this trip in colder times and then around 54mpg. But today got an impressive 62mpg. Used to run an Audi A6 2.0 Tdi before. The Lexus ES300h is definitely  Economical and more comfortable vehicle than the Audi A6.

Like all the reviews say you don't buy the Lexus ES300h if you want a drivers car, it's more about the comfort and a leisurely drive.

In cold weather,

200 mile round trip (no traffic): 51 mpg

Worse short trip to the supermarket: 32 mpg

In warm weather

200 mile round trip (no traffic): 53 mpg

Worse short trip to the supermarket: 36 mpg

Motorway journey with some traffic (involves frequent breaking, I think breaking helps perpetuate the hybrid cycle) : 62 mpg

Best ever seen on a fairly warm day to the supermarket : 100 mpg

In my observation, the climate control has the most parasitic draw on fuel consumption in cold weather. In cold when the outside temperature is around 5 C and I set the climate control to 22 C then the engine needs to cover a gap of 17 degrees or more. In summers even if the outside temperature is 30 C and I set the climate control to 22 C then the delta is 8 degrees (about half of the cold weather gap).

If Lexus could come up with a heat pump solution or some other way of keeping the cabin warm (radiant heating as in RZ) that could help in covering that energy loss in cold weather.

I didn't get the courage to try this winter but maybe next winter I am thinking of trying this experiment. Turn the climate control to Low, but wear warm clothing and gloves and see if I can claw back some of the lost fuel efficiency (not sure if I will ever gather the patience to be able to do that though 😄 ) Couldn't even get myself to keep that car in Eco mode on that run as that "weakens" the climate control (Eco mode surprisingly doesn't have that bad an effect on a long motorway run at average cruising speeds with the cruise control turned on. However I would not dare use Eco mode in town traffic... need to apply too much throttle input to get the car going)

Overall I am hovering around 49 mpg long term. If I don't have to do that 200 mile round trip where I never have to use breaks for the most part of it then I might get closer to Lexus claimed 51mpg. Or as an another experiment I could try not using the cruise control and do pulse and glide in eco mode for some time and see if I can get close. But again... why bother.

HTH,

--E

[Dippo]

Let's put that in perspective. If you achieve 49 mpg on your 200 mile round trip, you use 4.0816326 gallons, which is 18.5714 litres.

At 51 mpg, you use 3.9215686 gallons, or 17.8431 litres.

At £1.409 per litre, that gives you journey costs of £26.17 at 49 mg, or £25.14 at 51 mpg. 

 

Is it worth the effort?

[Spock66]

Around 50mpg is pretty impressive for a luxury car.

But fuel costs are generally not the largest cost in running a vehicle, unless you are doing very high mileages.