13 Prius Driving Tips To Get The Best Mileage From Your Hybrid

• Prius Driving Tips 4 –  Use cruise control:

  Using cruise control can help you maintain a steady speed, which will allow you to coast and use less gas.

• Prius Driving Tips 5 – Use less air conditioning:

  The air conditioner in your Prius takes a ton of energy to run. If you can, try driving with the windows down.

• Prius Driving Tips 6 – Drive on level ground:

  Driving up and down hills wastes a lot of gas as it forces your vehicle to work harder. You should avoid any large hills if possible – or at least try going over them slowly if you have no choice – to get better gas mileage.

• Prius Driving Tips 7 – Take high-efficiency routes:

  Looking for ways to take back roads, cut through neighborhoods, hop on bike paths, etc., can help you find more efficient driving routes that will allow you to conserve energy.

• Prius Driving Tips 8 – Make sure your tires are inflated properly:

  If your tires don’t have enough pressure in them, they’ll take more energy to move. The same is true if they have too much pressure – or are improperly inflated. Check your tires regularly to make sure you aren’t wasting gas because of an improperly inflated tire.

• Prius Driving Tips 9 – Remove roof racks:

  If you don’t need roof racks on your Prius, consider removing them. If the wind resistance isn’t there, your Prius won’t have to work as hard.

• Prius Driving Tips 10 – Don’t idle:

  It’s best not to leave your Prius idling for extended periods, such as when you get home from work and leave it running while you run inside the house for a few minutes. Doing so will waste fuel and decrease how many miles per gallon your Prius gets.

• Prius Driving Tips 11 – Decrease how often you brake:

   If possible, try not to stop your Prius too often. When you do need to brake, make sure you activate regenerative braking with your pedals. Stopping means the car’s momentum has to be rebuilt, which takes energy. Try to keep a good speed going so you don’t have to stop as much.

• Prius Driving Tips 12 – Try hypermiling:

  Hypermiling is a great way to get more out of your Prius’ gas tank. This is especially useful in traffic when you’re stuck with frequent stops, which forces you to keep your foot on and off the gas and brake pedals. It can take some experimentation, but you may be able to avoid using the brake pedal almost entirely while you’re stopped at a light, and coast through the intersection.

• Prius Driving Tips 13 –  Use the right type of oil:

  If your vehicle recommends a specific kind or weight of oil, try not to stray from it. Using the incorrect oil weight or type can result in your car burning more gas than necessary.

While you can do what you can to preserve your gas mileage, normal wear and tear is inevitable and can start to affect it. The health of your hybrid battery can also have a huge impact on gas mileage. 

Next, we’ll go over some tips to maximize your hybrid battery’s life.

Tips To Keep Your Hybrid Battery Healthy

• Prius Battery Health Tips 1 – Keep the auxiliary fan clean:

   When your auxiliary fan isn’t working properly, you’ll use more gas than necessary because it makes the engine work harder to cool itself. Make sure you clean your auxiliary fan regularly to make sure it’s working efficiently, and avoid using the heater while idling (this can make it harder for the auxiliary fan to do its job).

• Prius Battery Health Tips 2 – Avoid running your battery dry:

  It’s never a good idea to run your hybrid battery completely down before recharging it. Doing so can shorten the lifespan of your battery and decrease how many miles per gallon you get. Even if you don’t use the battery, it needs to be changed occasionally.

• Prius Battery Health Tips 3 –Clean the fresh air intake screen:

  Clogged Fresh Air Intake Screens make the car work harder to pull air in, and can decrease gas mileage. Keep your screen clean to keep your Prius engine running as efficiently as possible.

• Prius Battery Health Tips 4 –Store your vehicle properly:

  Long periods of storage can decrease your hybrid battery’s charge, which decreases your gas mileage. If you plan on storing your Prius for more than a few weeks, try to keep it somewhere cool and dry. If you have a conventional vehicle, keeping your battery relatively charged can help reduce how much it weakens over time.

• Prius Battery Health Tips 5 –Charge it regularly:

  Again, even if you don’t use the battery, it needs to be charged on occasion. Give your Prius a full charge at least once every two weeks.

• Prius Battery Health Tips 6 – Stay on top of routine maintenance:

  It’s easy to forget about your vehicle’s maintenance when it isn’t in use, but remember that without regular care and attention, the hybrid battery is more likely to deteriorate. Keep up with maintenance, and your mileage will stay high throughout the life of your car.

Read more: How Long Do Hybrid Batteries Last?

Wrapping Up

These Prius driving tips should help you get the best gas mileage possible from your car. Remember that following manufacturer’s care and maintenance recommendations as closely as you can is the best way to maximize your mileage. In addition, simply being conscious of how you drive can have a positive effect on your mileage. You don’t have to drive like a maniac, but keeping good Prius driving tips and habits in mind can boost your fuel economy.

If you find yourself in need of a new or refurbished hybrid battery, purchasing a Prius hybrid battery from Exclusively Hybrid is the optimum choice for your wallet.

Did you know changing transmission fluid is just as important as changing your oil? And many people forget about it.