- The Prius climbed to 7,000 feet and endured temperatures up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Toyota quotes an EPA-estimated fuel consumption of 57 MPG combined for the hybrid.
- Wayne Gerdes offers some hand tips for improving fuel efficiency in everyday driving.
A new Toyota Prius LE has smashed the Guinness World Record for lowest fuel consumption driving from the west coast of the US to the east coast, averaging a remarkable 93.158 MPG (2.5 l/100 km). Who needs an EV with a battery pack when ultra-efficient hybrids like this exist?
Wayne Gerdes’ journey took him from Los Angeles City Hall to New York City Hall, a trip of 3,211.7 miles (5,168.7 km). To cross the country, he drove up elevations as high as 7,000 feet (2,100 m) and through areas including the Mojave Desert, where temperatures soared to over 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40 Celsius).
Read: 55,000 Toyota Prius Models In U.S. Have Rear Doors That Could Swing Open While Driving
Toyota is eager to point out that the achieved fuel efficiency figure isn’t typical, as the Prius returns an EPA-estimated 57 MPG combined. Nevertheless, Gerdes does have some tips to help regular drivers improve fuel efficiency.
For example, the hypermiling expert suggests taking off slowly from stops and keeping even pressure on the accelerator pedal. It’s also important to ease off the accelerator early when approaching a stop, using the car’s momentum as much as possible.
“For a record attempt like this, it’s a lot of planning,” he added. “You can’t just go sight unseen into doing this. You have to have that plan. But you also have to be able to work on the fly. So, if things change, you have to switch up your plan. Reroute. Figure out what you’re going to be able to do to achieve that goal.”
No mention has been made about how much fuel Gerdes used for the journey, nor how much he paid to refuel the Prius. However, we know the Prius has an 11.3-gallon tank, meaning he would have been able to eke out 1,052 miles (1,693 km) on a tank, a hugely impressive figure considering Toyota quotes 644 miles (1,036 km) of range.
“The Prius has impressed us all for the past 23 years, and frankly, it continues to wow us today,” added Toyota Vehicle Marketing group vice president Michael Tripp. “The world record for the highest MPG to us is just one more proof point that the Prius truly is an engineering marvel.”
