MaineFusion Report post Posted October 3, 2013 Thanks everyone for your replies, I am new at this posting thing. I do have two more comments, I have read many posts and most say they are getting less than 40 miles on the highway, so how can Ford say 47 City and 47 highway? Is the fusion included in the Ford settlement? Second, There seems to be a chance that if I get the software updated again (being it's good they didn't do it right the first time) that my MPG will go down. I've averaged over 50mpg for at least the past 8,000 miles. When driving to and from work (47mi each way) I typically average between 49 - 54 mpg. Most of this commute is at highway speeds. I do set my max speed to 63 mph. If I were to set my max speed to 65mph, I'd lose around 2mpg. The max speed difference between 63 and 65mph would only save me a couple minutes each way, so I really don't care about gong faster. If I were to drive 70mph, I'd probably cut my fuel economy by at least 7 mpg. When driving country roads with 35-45 mph speed limits I can reliably do around 63 mpg. What fuel economy you get is all about driving style and how much extra weight you are hauling around. It isn't just about how fast you drive but how well you listen to the car. I can squeeze out extra EV miles by simply listening to the engine and knowing how hard to accelerate under which conditions. In city driving where there are lots of traffic lights I will accelerate slower and try to stay in EV mode as long as possible. If accelerating to highway speeds I'll try to stay in EV mode to around 20-30mph and then accelerate harder to push the ICE engine to two bars to get maximum efficiency out of it. I also routinely keep an average braking score of 99%. It would be 100% if it weren't for the stray traffic light that catches me short. 2 hybridbear and corncobs reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jsolan Report post Posted October 3, 2013 I posted this in another thread before I realized the current conversation in this thread.The past 3 trips I've had at 68-70 mph I have not been able to crack 40 mpg. Right now I feel like I lost 1.5-2 mpg at those speeds since the software update. I don't do enough highway driving to really concern myself with 2 mpg, but I'm starting to think the update actually hurt my vehicle at highway speeds. I'm still getting 43-45 overall and 48+ in ideal conditions so I'm not dis-satisfied. Even prior to the update I could only get 41 at 68 mph. I'm amazed people driving near 65 are able to get 45 mpg on flat roads. Once at cruising speed, there's nothing I can think of that a driver can do differently (aside from PnG) that would explain a difference because of driving style.While initially after the update my short trips (under 3 miles) seemed to be better (high 30's or better), they've recently tanked as well. I'm getting as low as 18 mpg on trips to the store (1.5 miles away). Again I'm not concerned because the overall average tends to balance out since these trips are only once or twice a week. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VNLongBeach Report post Posted October 3, 2013 Ok I understand driving at slower speeds and using the brakes will give high MPGs because the battering charging and all, but the speed limit on highways is 70 and in some areas 75. You can't drive at 55. Is the EPA and Ford testing cars at 55 to determine the MPGs? I avoid the highways within town just to keep the speed low and get the MPGs, but when you are going 200 to 300 miles I don't want to be taking the side roads. At 70 the car should give a reasonable amount say 45 mpgs not something in the 30s when the sticker shows 47. Based on the engine size shouldn't the ICE average mid 30s and with the EV add a few more to get it onto the mid to low 40s Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eddie Sessum Report post Posted October 3, 2013 Ok I understand driving at slower speeds and using the brakes will give high MPGs because the battering charging and all, but the speed limit on highways is 70 and in some areas 75. You can't drive at 55. Is the EPA and Ford testing cars at 55 to determine the MPGs? I avoid the highways within town just to keep the speed low and get the MPGs, but when you are going 200 to 300 miles I don't want to be taking the side roads. At 70 the car should give a reasonable amount say 45 mpgs not something in the 30s when the sticker shows 47. Based on the engine size shouldn't the ICE average mid 30s and with the EV add a few more to get it onto the mid to low 40s But on the highway you don't use the brakes. So your not getting regen. Your just making the ICE work harder and use more fuel to recharge the battery to go into EV mode again. No gas to electric system is 100% efficient and id say the ICE charging system is around 75% efficient so your loosing 25% of your efficiency by going back and forth. I know my 75% number isnt accurate but its an example. Its why hybrids do so well in the city mpg and traffic. That stopping and charging off the brakes makes it go way up but you have very little to none of that on the highway. Its why you dont see electric cars that run completely on a generator without a battery. Without regen its a waste to put those systems. (Nobody start comparing this to trains and there diesel electric setups plz). 1 corncobs reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites