Hello all - I own a 2022 ES300h and it has given me exceptional gas mileage until recently. About 3 weeks ago I got new tires at 60k miles (original Michelin energy savers) but now have an off brand. I went from 47mpg to 38. Took the car to the dealer and got 60k service and this included new spark plugs. The dealer also said to switch to premium gas but mph went up to 42 and now back to 38. I drive a lot to Boston from Orange County NY and need those 10 mpg back. The dealer has said that winter weather can have a big impact on the mileage but this didn’t happen last year. I am confused, can the tires make that big of a change? Is it really the weather? Hate to see what it will be come January and February.

 

Rolling resistance is real. I'm not familiar with the energy savers, but the name implies they're on the extreme end of the grip vs. fuel economy spectrum. You didn't specify what your new tires are, so it's hard to make a comparison.

 

I was offered the Kenda brand

 

But which model from Kenda? You didn't specify your vehicle's trim, so I guessed Luxury. That gives me two choices, UHP A/S or Touring A/S. Both look to be more significantly more performance-oriented than your previous tire, which would suggest higher levels of grip, and therefore, rolling resistance. That can absolutely impact fuel economy. They might also be heavier. Different trims may have different wheel sizes and therefore have different models of tire available, and I'm not going to go look at them all.

I'm also going to move this to the ES forum, as this is not a Clubhouse topic.

 

Cold weather has just started not long ago and your new tires were just installed, maybe the computer components in the car are still learning and adjusting these changes.
Let's give it another week or 2 and see if things change?

But based on what you said, tires are the only reason I can think of, why would you switch if those original ones had served your ES so well

 

It was the brand the retailer offered me do to the price difference. I guess I learned my lesson.

 

Spoke with a relative the other day who had driven a couple hundred miles to visit. Said his 2021 350ES hybrid mileage had gone down significantly since the weather dipped into the 30's. Weather's gotta' be a big part of it.

 

Thats bad news but good to know it’s not that something is wrong with my Lexus. Weirdit didn’t happen last year.

 

Did you measure your mileage the week after tire change? Did the colder weather happen at the same time? I stuck with the energy savers on mine just so I would not be dissatisfied with the MPG. I get close to 48 between 60 and 85 degrees and average around 42 during the winter and above 90 degrees. In NC so different than you but tires do play a part with this 300h. Driving on the interstates I get about the same as city. Really like the AGC in the city and going downhill. If it didn't happen last year then it is the tires that has made the difference unless driving habit has changed.

 

I picked up a 2022 300h UL in early October so weather was already cooling off here. Now that we are in late Novemeber gas mileage has dropped by about 10-12%. I did go from Michelin Energy all season to Michelin x-ice winter tires installed on an old set of 18" HS250h alloy wheels. I suspect the combination of different tires/wheels and lower temperatures has impacted my mileage. Mildly disappointed but I suppose it is to be expected. My old HS250h also had reduced mileage in cold weather.

 

Why does the mileage decrease when the weather gets colder?

 

Major reason is the winter formulations for gasoline. According to AAA, winter blend gas is cheaper than summer blend gas because it is able to contain more butane. Butane is less expensive compared to other gasoline ingredients but also helps your gas ignite in lower temperatures. However, this added butane makes the gas slightly less fuel-efficient.

 

So would the mileage diminish if buying gas in warm Florida in winter and using it to drive there, in the warm winter, too?

 

My understanding is that all US refineries switch to winter blends in September and that Florida gets what the rest of us get. https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=11031

 

To my understanding, battery performance. Hybrids and EVs suffer in range during colder months because the batteries aren't working as efficiently.

Other factors include winter blend gasoline, choice of tire (especially if running winter tires), and the denser air in the cold. All these little things add up, but the biggest variable is battery performance, which is impacted quite a bit when temperatures drop.