Tips for improving up hill drives?

[halfelite]

I have now had my 2013 for almost 2 weeks still on the dealer tank of gas which im happy about. And as of right now my overall average MPG is sitting at 37.9mpg. But it keeps going up little by little the more I learn to drive better. My main issue is my commute home from work. My commute to work is nice mostly down hill, the trip to work I average 74mpg which is made up of both freeway and city driving and im very happy with that number. Now my commute on the way home the same path im averaging 33mpg and I think its because its all up hill. Work elevation is 500feet above sea my home is located 2000feet above. So anyone have tips for better MPG while traveling mostly up hill? Im still happy with the 33 as my old car I was lucky to get 17mpg.

 

Thanks

[kuzzi]

You're averaging above 50 mpg on a round trip if you get 74mpg on the way there. If that's the case, I need tips from you.

[corncobs]

You're averaging above 50 mpg on a round trip if you get 74mpg on the way there. If that's the case, I need tips from you.

It needs a little bit of calculation to figure out the round trip MPG; maybe I didn't see it but he didn't mention the miles driven.

[kuzzi]

It needs a little bit of calculation to figure out the round trip MPG; maybe I didn't see it but he didn't mention the miles driven.

True, I didn't take that into account.

[corncobs]

True, I didn't take that into account.

I was just too curious so I assumed 30 miles one way; this returns a combined 45 MPG; that's really good considering his elevation change.

Edited May 30, 2013 by corncobs

[kuzzi]

That is good. What are your speeds and power demands on your return trip? Do you get into EV mode with that kind of elevation change at all?

[kuzzi]

I was just too curious so I assumed 30 miles one way; this returns a combined 45 MPG; that's really good considering his elevation change.

Again, my maths failed me, I was running it based off of x mpg for z minutes there and y mpg for z minutes on the return.

 

After doing it based on fuel consumption, it seems pretty arbitrary without regard to the milage driven. It seems to converge downward to right around 45.6mpg.

[corncobs]

Again, my maths failed me, I was running it based off of x mpg for z minutes there and y mpg for z minutes on the return.

 

After doing it based on fuel consumption, it seems pretty arbitrary without regard to the milage driven. It seems to converge downward to right around 45.6mpg.

Interesting approach ;-))

[halfelite]

That is good. What are your speeds and power demands on your return trip? Do you get into EV mode with that kind of elevation change at all?

My drive is 18 miles with average trip time being 25-45 minutes depending on traffic bless sourthern california traffic. 4.3 miles of that is freeway driving the rest is mostly on city streets but the majority of my trip for 9.2 miles is 45-55mph

 

My speeds on the way home are 70-75 on the freeway and usually around 30-45mph on the city streets. I do go into EV mode but its very hit and miss like EV mode for 15 seconds then gas kicks in for a couple minutes then EV might kick in for for a bit. On my way to work I can add points to my overall MPG but the drive home shaves them away.

 

Right now my overall is 37.9mpg when I get to work tomorrow and following the same pattern its been doing for the past couple days I will have an average of about 38.6MPG and the drive home will knock it down to 38.1 or 38.2 MPG so my average is slowly climbing each day still. If I really try at it on my way to work I can pretty much keep it in EV mode with the exception of getting on the freeway and the warmup time.

[terryb]

Now, maybe I'm full of crapola, but please keep in mind that I never have been before. Per OP he drives the same path both ways most likely different lanes, so the distance is not a variable, it is a constant. 74 out/down and 33 back/up means 52 average for the round trip commute. The man definately does not have an issue to whine about.

[corncobs]

Now, maybe I'm full of crapola, but please keep in mind that I never have been before. Per OP he drives the same path both ways most likely different lanes, so the distance is not a variable, it is a constant. 74 out/down and 33 back/up means 52 average for the round trip commute. The man definately does not have an issue to whine about.

Not quite sure how you got the 52 MPG but his average is 45.6 MPG for the round trip still a very awesome numbe considering his commute!

[kuzzi]

Now, maybe I'm full of crapola, but please keep in mind that I never have been before. Per OP he drives the same path both ways most likely different lanes, so the distance is not a variable, it is a constant. 74 out/down and 33 back/up means 52 average for the round trip commute. The man definately does not have an issue to whine about.

I took the same route when I came up with my first average of above 50mpg.

 

corncobs is taking the fuel consumed going there, plus the fuel consumed on the way back, then dividing it by the round trip mileage.

 

 

I have now had my 2013 for almost 2 weeks still on the dealer tank of gas which im happy about. And as of right now my overall average MPG is sitting at 37.9mpg. But it keeps going up little by little the more I learn to drive better. My main issue is my commute home from work. My commute to work is nice mostly down hill, the trip to work I average 74mpg which is made up of both freeway and city driving and im very happy with that number. Now my commute on the way home the same path im averaging 33mpg and I think its because its all up hill. Work elevation is 500feet above sea my home is located 2000feet above. So anyone have tips for better MPG while traveling mostly up hill? Im still happy with the 33 as my old car I was lucky to get 17mpg.

 

Thanks

 

Your average MPG will keep creeping up to the 45mpg mark, albeit very slowly. This is thanks to something called an asymptote. It will continue to rise the more miles you get on the car, but will never actually reach that number. This may be why some people reset their lifetime average after they learn to drive the car better or after they break it in.

[acdii]

Based on the dash readout is one thing, but what the actual gallons used will be the real answer. Since he is on the first tanks still, wait until the 3rd or 4th tank to find out what the real MPG is.

[halfelite]

Now, maybe I'm full of crapola, but please keep in mind that I never have been before. Per OP he drives the same path both ways most likely different lanes, so the distance is not a variable, it is a constant. 74 out/down and 33 back/up means 52 average for the round trip commute. The man definately does not have an issue to whine about.

 

No complaints from me like I said i came from a car that was lucky to get 17mpg. Was just asking if anyone had tips for uphill climbs. Like is it better to just stay in GAS mode or try to get it to switch back and fourth into EV mode as much as I can.

[acdii]

That depends on how fast you are going. If you are doing 60, I would get the battery up to like 80% and stay on gas, that way all the gas energy goes to pulling the car uphill and not doing that and recharging the pack.

[BradS7535]

I have the same issue, my commute to work is mostly downhill, while coming home it is uphill. Downhill meaning my destination is at a lower altitude and reverse for uphill. Now on my commute I have sections of actual UPHILL inclines. What is the best way to approach these uphill sections? I understand the freeway driving (keep out of EV and keep battery charge as full as possible). But when actually climbing a hill I've noticed 2 different ways to approach.

 

1. Climb slowly. On ICE, but it shows that my battery is charging while going uphill.

2. Drive normal. (Don't really know how to say it, obviously not accelerating up the hill, but requesting more power from the car.) Doing this I climb the hill faster, and it shows my battery discharging (EV assisting ICE).

 

Following the same logic as freeway driving it would seem that #2 would be better since the ICE doesn't have to climb the hill AND charge the battery, and plus, I will be able to recharge by coasting after reaching the top. In either scenario it seems the instant fuel economy is either at or below 20 MPG.

 

Any thoughts?

[vangonebuy]

While the OP was concerned with uphill losses. I've been working on downhill gains.

I have a route that is all downhill to town.

Since the car will be stopped. I cannot slingshot back up the other side and gain the rolling momentum either.

But what I've started to do is downhill regen. Even though the car is not rolling excessively fast down to town.

I ride the brake gently, stealing off some of the power to bank into my battery.

Once it's banked in the battery, I can use it anywhere. Including going uphill with dual engine mode.

When I get some time, I'll calibrate and hook my scan gauge to it and see what is the actual gain from this. (its still in the van.)

I'm new to hybrid cars. Just hit 2K miles. But have hypermiled a minivan for a few years.

So, I'm still learning this.

[DeadButDreaming]

each time I turn off my car it shows fuel used....is that accurate?????

[majorleeslow]

I've come to realize that Ford trip summary fuel usage is not. accurate. the number is definitely truncated past the decimal point. I use this method to figure our the real fuel usage number.

 

fuel actual = Distance miles/ mpg

 

it drives me nuts I'm going to complaint ford to put back the 2 decimal points like the 2010 view.

[djminfll]

I don't see where an additional decimal point is going to make much of a difference. If the fuel usage summary tells me that I achieved 44.3 mpg, 44.32mpg or 44.38 mpg, it's still 44.3 or 44.4mpg, no more than 1/10 of 1mpg difference.

The harder part to calibrate is exactly how much fuel was used since the last fill up.

I never fill the tank right to the top, because I don't want the fuel to spill on the paint, so the fuel used is always an estimate, certainly causing mpg calculation to be off by more than 1/10 of 1mpg. What I have been doing for awhile now is using the same pump at the same station, and pumping gas until it clicks off by itself. Even when I drive until the low fuel light illuminates, I am still only putting in maybe 11 gallons, but this is the most consistent method I can think of.

But I am almost always within 0.5 mpg from what the dash display tells me I have achieved.

[dalesky]

OK, OK, let me settle this- It was Colonel Mustard, in the library, with Miss Scarlet and the rope, plus Professor Plum and the lead pipe in the study, while Reverend Green had the pistol in the kitchen. Clear?

[majorleeslow]

I've not been on super hilly areas like in Colorado. But we have our fair share of little ones everywhere. As mentioned in some other post, Driving with load works for me. As in speeding down hills and bleeding the speed off uphills. Accelerate the car down hill so that you get to speed limit minus 5 mph at the top of the next hill. Basically you are tricking the engine that you don't need to put more fuel as you are decelerating.

 

Additionally, I try to take the least weight in the car at all times regardless of holls or not. I've seen some cars that look like moving closets. Feel sorry for them.

 

 

This car in my opinion does not like hills (its ev is designed to compensate for minor gradients) for the same reason I've avoided driving through one street driving to work where the ICE came on too quickly and stayed on too long. This I compared to another route and it wasn't that bad. And due to this action seen an improvement in my mpgs. If you have that option of taking a different route, try that. Good luck.

Edited September 8, 2013 by majorleeslow

[majorleeslow]

Remember the worst thing to do uphill is too press the gas pedal to go faster than the current speed. That's what's hurting the final number.

[Barsoom]

 

While the OP was concerned with uphill losses. I've been working on downhill gains.

I have a route that is all downhill to town.

Since the car will be stopped. I cannot slingshot back up the other side and gain the rolling momentum either.

But what I've started to do is downhill regen. Even though the car is not rolling excessively fast down to town.

I ride the brake gently, stealing off some of the power to bank into my battery.

Once it's banked in the battery, I can use it anywhere. Including going uphill with dual engine mode.

When I get some time, I'll calibrate and hook my scan gauge to it and see what is the actual gain from this. (its still in the van.)

I'm new to hybrid cars. Just hit 2K miles. But have hypermiled a minivan for a few years.

So, I'm still learning this.

 

 

For downhill gains, have you thought about using the Hill Descent Assist mode? It's the button on the shifter knob.

 

Even on small downhills, it simulates increased engine braking without having to use the brake pedal, and will also regen the HVB. Just remember to turn it off once you get to the bottom of the hill.