Unexpected Fuel Economy and Max Range

That's great! 0.5 more MPG and it gets to 18.2 MPG my wife's V8 Sequoia has in town

 

ya a brand new truck is no Volvo

 

I buy only best.

 

we know , your dedication to the gen 3 section is stuff of legend

 

I don't discriminate generations.

 

Just a point for reference, 23 Platinum Hybrid, ran So CA to Chicago, 2005 miles with 19.4 MPG. Three adults with luggage, 87 octane, cruise at 82-85 once outside CA. Ran I-15, I-70 and I-80 and only stopped for gas and food. Had strong headwinds in Nebraska and Iowa. Return trip was 20.3 MPG, no headwinds and used 91 octane gas. No complaints on Tundra gas mileage.
Made same trip two years ago in ‘19 Superduty Powerstroke and got 17.2 MPG.

 

that’s because you have a platinum blueprint

 

Ignore Fuelly .....never know how people drive and what they do behind the wheel, weight, towing something ....then post their shit results. Not comparing apples to apples .

And the Hybrid does help out when used properly. You will figure this out.

" doing 80mph " ....that is the issue and towing doesn't help. Once over 60-65 its like sticking a knife in an artery and hoping to run a marathon .

 

Lol. Yes ignore aggregated data of people using their vehicles how they normally do.

 

Fuel tank size is the reason GM 1500s are a non-starter and why the F150 leads the pack with a 36 gallon fuel tank.

For a 1/2 ton, 36 gallons is where it’s probably no longer worth it to seek an aftermarket solution.

 

Totally not worth the $20k premium over the last generation Tundra.

 

So my round trip of 512 miles was 50% hwy and 40% backroads of Eastern Oregon and a four side trips for coffee of about 4 miles in town driving. No appreciable wind but plenty of hills with up and downs of 1200 feet or better. Origination altitude was 220 feet and turn around of the round trip is 4400 ft. Only about 200 lbs of cargo and one passenger. The drive was at all the posted speed limits with the 70 MPH stretch only about 26 miles. About 50% of the trip was at 65 MPH. Backroads 55. The empty weight of this hybrid is the better part of 7500 lbs. Conditions were cool and about 30% wet. The truck averaged 19.2 miles per gallon upon pulling back into my driveway. Decided to drive it a bit more.

 

Some helpful reading for anyone interested from the nice people at Cummins. This is a guide oriented towards Class 8 trucks, but physics is physics.

https://www.cummins.com/sites/default/files/cummins_secrets_of_better_fuel_economy.pdf

@Normr you have to consider that the EPA fuel efficiency rating is based on lower highway speeds than a lot of us typically find, especially in the Mountain West or High Plains. EPA isn’t rating fuel efficiency at 80MPH even for passenger cars. If memory serves the EPA highway number is tested at 60MPH or 65MPH, which is pretty unrealistic if you don’t live on the Eastern Seaboard where speed limits are low.

Referencing my link you’ll find that wind resistance increases exponentially as speeds increase. Just like an airplane, an automobile requires a lot more power to achieve higher speeds. When the automobile in question has a lot of frontal area and poor aerodynamics the issue is exacerbated.

Lastly 1/2 ton pickups are not ideal tow rigs. That’s not their mission, especially the smaller displacement forced induction variants. The goal is to meet tougher EPA fuel economy standards while still being capable of doing work a 1/2 ton is expected to do, like occasional towing. Which the TTV6 hybrid will do. If your use case is a daily driver that sees occasional towing duty, you’ll be well served overall with the range of your truck and cost to operate it most of the time.

If your use case is long distance highway grinding with a trailer on the hitch, you bought the wrong truck. There is a reason HD diesels sell so well to people who tow all the time. They have absurd amounts of power, the bigger frames, axles, transmissions etc handle loads better, and they get more miles per tank of fuel due to efficiency and having larger fuel tanks. The downside is they cost more to maintain, and diesel fuel costs more.

 

Toyota should of left the world hybrid out of the truck marketing because we have been sold it means better MPG. It does for most vehicles but not the Tundra.

How does a gas sipping hybrid get great MPG? Regenerative braking charging the battery, the gas motor shuts off at stops or under low load and MPG saved from taking off from a stop with the battery powering elelctric motors to move the vehicle along lowering how much power comes from the gas motor.

How much regenerative braking is going on during highway trips? Even a Prius gas mileage lowers when highway droning especially at higher speeds which causes more drag.

The Tundra gas/electric is only for more power towing at take off, not increasing MPG. This was done on purpose as Toyota Engineers designed it to withstand the rigors of Truck activity, not be a Prius.

I believe the OP's perception of the hybrid Tundra is wrong and his disappointment is unjustified. Doing 80mph towing expecting great gas mileage is a fools errand.

I say you should of watched this before purchase and setting your expectations to the point of taking a hit to get rid of the Tundra for not understanding it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkXiYiGWZnE

 

The differential ratio is not discussed much on the Toyo forums in because there are no options. But it makes a huge difference in fuel economy. Ram for example has 3.21, 3.55 and 3.92 as options on evey model

With my previous Ram EcoD, I had the 3.92 and maxed out at 27 mpg at interstate speeds. I had a coworker with same truck with a 3.21 that had no issues getting low 30s in the interstate. But I would take his title easily in a race.

Differential ratio options allow the buyer to pick if they value MPG or power

 

True, but the compromise is the wide range of ratios of the 10 speed transmission that can kind of give you the best of both worlds finding the optimum overall ratio for the task at hand. Case in point, 10th gear is very rarely engaged unless you're cruising over 80 MPH. Other end is 1st gear "granny gear" to get a load or trailer moving. Driver can select power or economy using various drive modes, eco, norm, sport, tow haul, tow haul+, etc.

 

The Ram was an 8 speed. Ford offers ratio options with its new 10 speed as well. Not like the other OEMs are running 4 speeds.

It would be a great option and not expensive option for buyers to tailor the truck to their use case.

 

ya, most people forget the trans ratios are in there as well. its not just a look at teh rear end deal

you dont need other rear ends in a stock tire set-up here IMO when you have a 10 speed and 479 so low at 2,400, it pulls right off the line like a champ and spins about as low as you can go for a gasser empty on the highway.

home run toyota.

now the huge tire guys could probably use another option.

 

I wish. The Tundra didn't get the credit card key, digital key, remote start that stays on or flux capacitor like the new Tacoma.

 

I get 18.6mpg loaded up with wife, dogs, bed full of shit at 80mph across Montana with no trailer. A trailer drops that well below half. Your MPG will probably double if you slow down to 60-65mph.