Vegasaurus

That is still obscenely cold as far as engines are concerned. Engine's typical operating temp is around 200 degrees. While your engine is outside operating temperature, its efficiency is massively reduced.


The reason your mileage changed to normal during your weekend trip is because your driving changed to normal. The longer period of time allowed for the low outliers you face every day to be averaged out.




So, brass tacks. These spring to mind, in no particular order:



Short trips
Solutions: Make your trips into circuits. Instead of going from work to home, then waiting an hour, and then going to the grocery, you need to go from work to the grocery. There's no way around this. All cars are more efficient this way.

Cold environment
Solutions: Garage, engine block heater, check cooling system thermostat.

Acceleration / deceleration
Solutions: Ease up on both pedals. If you barely, barely tap the brake it will slow the vehicle by using the electric motors to recharge the battery, with no brake pad engagement, which is ideal. My 2007 Camry Hybrid is on OEM brake pads thanks to this. Google pulse and glide to learn more about how your car works and how to maximize the potential of the hybrid system. You don't have to be one of those hypermiler jabronis doing 55 in the left lane, you just need to get a feel for how your car responds to your inputs.

High speeds
Solutions: Slow down.

Tire pressure.
Solutions: Measure and fill when cold. Driving warms them up, which throws off the measurement.

djrobsd

I got rid of my ES300h and we switched for a Ford Fusion hybrid. The Fusion is far more efficient, being the same size car, I am now extremely disappointed in Toyota's hybrid systems. Over a 30,000 mile life, we have averaged 47MPG in the Fusion! Granted we are in So Cal where the weather doesn't get as cold as some parts of the country, but even with a cold start, 45 degrees, the hybrid system kicks in as soon as you turn the car on, and you can drive on EV mode for almost 1/2 a mile or more before the engine kicks in! I'm not sure why the Toyota based hybrid systems need to be "Warmed up". EV cars obviously don't have a "warm up" period, so to me it seems like the EV portion of your engine should be able to go into EV Mode and work until the battery is low. Anyway, much happier with the Fusion then the Lexus, and ironically a quieter and more comfortable ride. Missing some goodies like push button start and BLIS monitoring, and AC seats, but those are available on the higher trim lines, we paid 30k out the door with premium leather (an upgraded leather material that is nicer then the leather in the ES), nav, heated seats, moon roof, etc. Car even has a 110 Volt power port in the back to plug a laptop in. Only thing I miss from my Lexus is the AC seats in the summer, and the forward parking sensors. I can even get my bicycle in the Fusion since the seats fold down, EVEN with all the space the battery picks up. The little ski hole in the ES trunk is a JOKE!!!

gamma742

I don't think I have this in my ES300h but it's a 2013

lesz

Because of the space taken up by the battery, the ES 300h doesn't have the pass through from the trunk into the back seat that the ES 350 has.

gamma742

I was confused by his opening statement that he sold his 300h ...got a Fusion.

chromedome

Good to hear that someone's happy with the Fusion. Ford and Lexus/Toyota use very similar hybrid systems with a planetary gearset power split device, it's the programming that's different. The battery pack sizes for the ES300h and Fusion Hybrid are also the similar. Toyota seems to favor using the traction motor to assist the engine whereas Ford focuses on the EV performance aspect of it.

I've gotten 45 mpg tank averages in urban driving so it's possible to get high mileage in the Lexus. Maybe the Ford makes it easier. The mileage champ is this category is the Accord hybrid though, 50 mpg is easy to hit in that.

gamma742

Toyota Camry now has the new hybrid power plant so I'm sure the ES300h will have it in 2019. It's getting around 50 MPG

dspcap

I think we should all go out and buy it. 😁