Gerdes started at Los Angeles City Hall and ended at New York City Hall, covering 3,211.7 miles (5,168.7 km). The journey wasn't easy. He faced different terrains, unpredictable weather, high mountain elevations up to 7,000 feet (2,100 m), temperatures over 105°F (40°C) in the Mojave Desert, and strong winds from the Gulf of Mexico.
The latest Toyota Prius, released in 2023, has a sporty new look and better tech. It uses Toyota's fifth-generation hybrid system with a 2.0L engine that puts out 194 horsepower in the front-wheel-drive model. The EPA says it should get about 57 MPG (4.12 l/100 km) combined.
Michael Tripp, a Toyota marketing executive, said:
"The Prius has impressed us all for the past 23 years, and frankly, it continues to wow us today. The world record for the highest MPG to us is just one more proof point that the Prius truly is an engineering marvel."
Gerdes used some special driving techniques to get such amazing fuel efficiency. He took off slowly from stops, kept steady pressure on the gas pedal, and eased off early when approaching stops. He also used the car's momentum to glide when slowing down.
It's important to note that Gerdes is really good at this kind of driving, called hypermiling. Most people won't get these results. But anyone can use some basic tips to save gas, like taking it easy on the accelerator and planning ahead for stops.
The company didn't say exactly how much gas Gerdes used or how much he spent on fuel during the trip. However, it is known that the Prius has an 11.3-gallon (42.7 L) tank, meaning it would have been able to get 1,052 miles (1,693 km) on one tank, a hugely impressive figure considering Toyota quotes 644 miles (1,036 km) of range.
Source: Toyota
