Loblogomy

Testing out a new Zenfolio feature: embeddable slideshows.

When I read recently of someone’s disappointment that Wolfram|Alpha couldn’t tell them the average fuel efficiency of the Toyota Prius, I remembered I’ve been collecting this data since purchasing a Prius in January 2008, so I thought I’d share.

I have found that the Prius’s drive computer tends to overestimate fuel efficiency as compared to a calculation of real tank-to-tank MPG, but only slightly. After just over 14,000 miles, the calculated lifetime mean fuel efficiency for my Prius is 43.7 MPG. The lifetime mean currently reported by my Prius’s drive computer is 45.3 MPG, which represents a 3.6% overestimation. Not too bad. (Of note: Toyota advertises the Prius to get 48 MPG (city) and 45 MPG (highway), but as with all vehicles, those numbers come from testing in very controlled circumstances, and are generally a bit optimistic.)

When I was shopping for a new car last year, those familiar with my driving style were astonished when I told them I was considering a Prius. I, too, was worried that its 110 horsepower hybrid engine would leave me wanting more power, but I’ve been very pleasantly surprised. Sure, it would never make sense for me to try to beat, oh, say, a BMW M5 off the line, but I find that for everyday driving, the Prius has plenty of get-up-and-go. In other words, I can still pass all the idiots who insist on driving under the speed limit. And I can do so for less than 1/3 the fuel expenditure of the BMW.

The most amazing thing about the Prius isn’t actually the hybrid engine, though it’s still the most efficient drive train on the market right now. The Prius’s secret sauce is the user interface of its drive computer. It turns out real time reporting of your fuel efficiency does wonders for your driving style. You actually learn to drive more efficiently.

I find it somewhat peculiar that there’s so much volatility in the Prius’s tank-to-tank fuel efficiency, but I suspect that has something to do with my schedule—ie, when I’m very busy or have to be at the hospital earlier than I like to be, I tend to be a less patient driver, and thus degrade the fuel efficiency of my driving characteristics. I also suspect, but will never be able to prove, that the intertank variability was affected by the quality of fuel I purchased each time, which (I’ll also never be able to prove this) is probably less standardized than we’re led to believe.

All that being said, I am extremely pleased with the fuel efficiency of my Prius. Compared to my prior vehicle, I’ve saved about $700 in the past 12 months on fuel expenses. To be honest, though, that’s a somewhat difficult number to estimate given the fact that fuel prices have varied over 200% in the past 12 months. Had gas prices remained in the stratosphere, as they were just last summer, my savings would certainly be a bit higher.

If I had time, I could go on and on about how much I love the Prius, but suffice it to say it’s one of the best things I’ve ever spent money on. If you found this because you’re thinking about buying a Prius, stop thinking and just buy it. You won’t regret it.

“It was a somewhat frightening scene to see hard ice growlers the size of houses being tossed about like confetti in massive swells driven by gale force winds,” reported Captain Paul Watson. “I had to thread the ship between those bucking chunks of lethal ice knowing that if just one of them was tossed against our hull, we would be holed and sunk very quickly. I was not completely confident that we would make it, a thought that I did not share with the crew at the time.”
(Source)

Our friend, Eric, is on that boat.

By a vote of 180 in favour to 1 against (United States) and no abstentions, the Committee also approved a resolution on the right to food, by which the Assembly would “consider it intolerable” that more than 6 million children still died every year from hunger-related illness before their fifth birthday, and that the number of undernourished people had grown to about 923 million worldwide, at the same time that the planet could produce enough food to feed 12 billion people, or twice the world’s present population.
(Source)

Our trip to the Galapagos Islands was truly amazing and photographically quite rewarding. Indeed, the Galapagos are probably the most amazing place I’ve ever been, and I highly recommend that others go — though out of interest for preserving this world treasure, I hope the Ecuadorian government will continue to strictly regulate the impact of the tourism industry on the islands.

Enter the Galapagos gallery

Photographically, much of our trip to Peru was somewhat a loss due to densely overcast skies and the resulting flat lighting. Nevertheless, it did clear up a little bit here and there. Most importantly, while we were at Machu Picchu (definitely the highlight of the week) we were treated with a smidgeon of blue skies, so overall I’m happy with what I have to show for it.

Enter the Peru gallery

Understanding why the economy is so messed up is definitely worth 45 minutes of your life.