Highway driving, great MPG

[md13ffhguy]

Took a long trip yesterday from central MD to southwest VA and back - approximately 300 miles each way. We took my wife's 2014 and it was 99% highway driving at highway speeds; not the normal stop-and-go commute I usually drive in my car. The trip out was a bit tedious, as it rained for a good part of the time, and we had three adults in the car, so I figured I would be at a disadvantage, as opposed to my normal commute numbers. Still, I was not entirely disappointed with 43.7 MPG, considering there was a lot of driving at 60-70 MPH.

 

The return trip was another story, as I was able to employ the strategy of forcing a near-full charge to the HVB and keeping the ICE running at maximum efficiency. At one point, I settled in behind an 18-wheeler (not drafting, mind you) who escorted me for about 150 miles. His pace was perfect for this strategy - slowing slightly as we climbed and holding steady at 65-75 on level/downhill sections. I was amazed during one particular stretch as my instantaneous MPG never dropped below about 55 and was actually 60+ for several miles - all with the ICE running! Calculated MPG for our return trip was 52.1! :)

[md13ffhguy]

What I find most fascinating about this trip is my percentage of EV miles. Normally, on my regular commute, I average about 50% or even slightly more. For this highway trip, I was able to achieve 47 MPG while only running in EV 30% of the total miles. When I first became an FFH driver some 18 months ago, this concept was completely counter-intuitive to my thinking! I figured the only way to reap the benefits of this hybrid was to maximize EV usage - which, obviously, is not always true!

[Griswald]

That only works for highway miles. Its much better to be at 50% on stop and go traffic.

 

Each scenerio works a little different. With the Ultra Gauge, I have been able to see much more detailed mpg readings. Do you know that its easy to get single-digit mpg readings? Just accelerate up a hill with over 4 bars on empower. That can show as low as 3.8 mpg! I have also seen 128 mpg on ICE at 40 mph. The white bar is barely on and the mpg bar never moved above 40ish. The built in gauge reads very slow.

 

Cool stuff!

[md13ffhguy]

Absolutely. I've always considered the instantaneous MPG gauge to be representative of current performance, and not necessarily a precise reading. It's a pretty small scale for a wide range... and 60+ could be 61 or, as you mentioned, 128. Anyhow, this experience yesterday now gives me a greater feeling of mastery over this vehicle.

[ptjones]

What were your wind conditions and elevation change? :)

 

Paul

[md13ffhguy]

What were your wind conditions and elevation change? :)

Good question. My starting (home) elevation is about 740', while my destination was around 1,360'. Using the google bicycling directions (a great way to approximate elevation changes, btw), showed the first half of my round trip being +11,358' and -10,732' for a net gain of 626'. So, not surprising that my return trip was better. Over that distance, and the winding roads we traveled, I think the differences between headwinds and tailwinds were negligible overall, however, it was quite windy at times, but in seemingly all different directions.

Edited April 4, 2015 by md13ffhguy

[acdii]

Thats what I have been saying for a long time. Highway driving you want as little EV as possible, let the ICE do all the work moving the car and not spending energy charging up the HVB. The only time the opposite is true is when in rolling hill territory where you can maximize time in EV going downhill. This is why it would be nice to be able to turn off EV at highway speeds.

[md13ffhguy]

This is why it would be nice to be able to turn off EV at highway speeds.

What would be nicer would be if it could be programmed into the logic that controls the whole hybrid system.

[hybridbear]

What would be nicer would be if it could be programmed into the logic that controls the whole hybrid system.

You mean, like it used to be when the maximum EV speed was 62? Lol

 

 

Absolutely. I've always considered the instantaneous MPG gauge to be representative of current performance, and not necessarily a precise reading. It's a pretty small scale for a wide range... and 60+ could be 61 or, as you mentioned, 128. Anyhow, this experience yesterday now gives me a greater feeling of mastery over this vehicle.

In the Energi when displaying MPGe when driving in EV only the gauge is 60, 90, 120+. It's is very slow to respond when you go from accelerating to coasting. When the ICE is on it seems to respond more quickly.

 

What I find most fascinating about this trip is my percentage of EV miles. Normally, on my regular commute, I average about 50% or even slightly more. For this highway trip, I was able to achieve 47 MPG while only running in EV 30% of the total miles. When I first became an FFH driver some 18 months ago, this concept was completely counter-intuitive to my thinking! I figured the only way to reap the benefits of this hybrid was to maximize EV usage - which, obviously, is not always true!

You're completely correct. On our road trip we did 4400 miles with only 1200 EV miles, including a few hundred while driving around the city that were EV only. Our EV % while on the freeway was usually around 20% according to my Fuelly notes.

[wiscy67]

Thanks for starting this thread. Since I do at least 80% highway driving in my '14 FFH any discussion around improving efficiency / mileage on the highway is interesting and useful for me.

 

So far with my experience driving on the highway I haven't found that I am able to increase mileage by reducing EV miles. Is there any way you can shed more light on your approach to:

 

"employ the strategy of forcing a near-full charge to the HVB and keeping the ICE running at maximum efficiency"

 

Perhaps I can try this on my daily route and report back how it affected the results? Are you saying you are able to prevent the car from switching to EV mode? If so, how? Also is there any way using the gauges on the car how I can measure if ICE is running at maximum efficiency?

[md13ffhguy]

Here's what worked for me:

 

Make sure the Empower display is selected and also ensure the charge/discharge arrows are activated above/below the battery icon. This seems to be most effective in the 60-70 MPH range. As you drive, look for a time when your battery is at a higher state of charge and it looks like EV might be ready to kick in. As traffic permits, push the accelerator pedal slightly to override the switch to EV, but not enough to drastically increase your speed. You want to make sure the pressure you apply is enough to keep the battery charging (arrow pointing up above the battery), but not so much that it switches to hybrid mode and begins to discharge (downward pointing arrow below the battery). As your battery charge increases, you'll notice the instantaneous MPGs will also increase. If you find you're beginning to take on too much speed, try lifting your foot slightly. If EV seems inevitable, I lift my foot completely and let the car charge a few seconds as it slows.

 

For the record, do not try this when traffic is too heavy, stop-and-go, or otherwise not conducive. Close followers will not appreciate this type of driving, so be courteous and don't antagonize them. ;) It took some practice and patience to get this down. If you feel too distracted, don't do it.

[acdii]

Here's what worked for me:

 

Make sure the Empower display is selected and also ensure the charge/discharge arrows are activated above/below the battery icon. This seems to be most effective in the 60-70 MPH range. As you drive, look for a time when your battery is at a higher state of charge and it looks like EV might be ready to kick in. As traffic permits, push the accelerator pedal slightly to override the switch to EV, but not enough to drastically increase your speed. You want to make sure the pressure you apply is enough to keep the battery charging (arrow pointing up above the battery), but not so much that it switches to hybrid mode and begins to discharge (downward pointing arrow below the battery). As your battery charge increases, you'll notice the instantaneous MPGs will also increase. If you find you're beginning to take on too much speed, try lifting your foot slightly. If EV seems inevitable, I lift my foot completely and let the car charge a few seconds as it slows.

 

For the record, do not try this when traffic is too heavy, stop-and-go, or otherwise not conducive. Close followers will not appreciate this type of driving, so be courteous and don't antagonize them. ;) It took some practice and patience to get this down. If you feel too distracted, don't do it.

^THIS^^^^^^^^^

 

It takes patience and practice, but once you "get" it you will get it.

[hybridbear]

I'll usually set the Adaptive Cruise to 65 MPH and then hold my foot on the pedal just above 1 bar on the Empower screen. This will keep the ICE on when going downhill and keep the HVB charged. I may gain 5+ MPH going downhill but since I set the cruise to 65 MPH when the speed limit is 70 I am not concerned about gaining even 10 MPH on a downhill stretch.

[wiscy67]

Thanks for all the info. I now have something else to keep me obsessed (as my family calls it) and just as the novelty of having my first hybrid was starting to wear off. So far I haven't had any luck getting the car to stick in that particular ICE mode right before it switches to EV. As I tap the gas I'm either too late or too light and it switches to EV anyway. Or I press too hard and it stays all white briefly before returning to normal ICE.

 

 

Why can't there be a configurable setting for driver to elect to stay in "Optimized ICE" where possible instead of switching to EV?

[Texasota]

Why can't there be a configurable setting for driver to elect to stay in "Optimized ICE" where possible instead of switching to EV?

Why not just let it behave the way the Ford engineers designed it to behave?

[Easy Rider]

Why not just let it behave the way the Ford engineers designed it to behave?

Indeed.

 

I don't think I've ever heard the term "Optimized ICE" before.

 

Wouldn't that be a non-hybrid Fusion ??? :)

 

Maybe there is some confusion here about what is really happening.

It is possible but rather tricky to make it "coast" where neither motor is supplying power and the regen hasn't cut in either.

 

If you are going by an EV symbol on a display, that doesn't necessarily mean that electric power is being used; just that the ICE isn't running.

It might be coasting or slightly regen braking.

[ptjones]

I tried seriously once going across country(65-70mph), but didn't get as good of MPG's as P&G. With ScanGaugeII you see a digital display of what your instantaneous MPG's are so it is easy to get excited by 47-53mpg's which is great except in an half an hour my average only went up by .1mpgs. Going back to P&G my average went up quickly, 1mpg in 15min. My take away from that is the Instantenous MPG read out is not very accurate. Has anyone else seen this? BTW P&G is easy to do when it is hilly and it is hard to find a place that doesn't some hills on the Interstate System. ;)

 

Paul

Edited April 8, 2015 by ptjones

[mwr]

Why not just let it behave the way the Ford engineers designed it to behave?

That's exactly what I do. I don't want to have to pay attention to things like P&G. I just set the CC, non-adaptive and non-eco because that's the way I like the car to go, then relax and enjoy the ride (and the great mpg). That "other stuff" is fine for those who want to do it, but not me.

Edited April 9, 2015 by mwr

[Easy Rider]

BTW P&G is easy to do when it is hilly and it is hard to find a place that doesn't some hills on the Interstate System. ;)

 

You are seriously saying that you practice P&G on the Interstate ?

What is your speed differential between P and G ??

 

I can't help but think that the safety considerations might outweigh any small gain in mileage that you would get.

[ptjones]

You are seriously saying that you practice P&;;;;G on the Interstate ?

What is your speed differential between P and G ??

 

I can't help but think that the safety considerations might outweigh any small gain in mileage that you would get.

You guys have got it made if you have Adaptive Cruise so you can do P&G automatically, just find a Semi going the speed you are happy with, set Adaptive Cruise for the spacing you are comfortable with and then you will be doing P&G automatically! Semi's slow down going uphill and speed up going down hill. For those of us that don't have that Luxury, we have to do that manually. P&G with drafting is worth 3-5mpg or up to 60miles a tank. My technique is to ICE on when 5mph below speed limit, Glide when 5mph above speed limit to almost 5mph below SL and bring in EV to try to keep that speed. ICE back on when you hit 5mph below and repeat. Generally Truckers use P&G all the time when going up and down hills. LOL

 

It would seem that a lot of Truckers use 65mph as their speed limit. They are a little faster down hill and slower up hill and this is my P&G profile. I find a Semi going the speed that I'm comfortable with and start drafting 50-100ft back range and match their speed on the level. Usually using ICE to go up the hill for the first time and once I reach the top of the hill I will go into the Glide Mode and the Semi will start pulling a way slowly. Once the Semi is approx. 100ft away I go into EV Mode and try to maintain spacing, then back into ICE Mode when SOC is 40%. In ICE I will start to close the gap back down to 50ft by the time we get to the top of the hill and do it all over again. Now that it is warm I have no trouble getting low 50'smpg traveling around the FWY's of Atlanta(65-70mph). :)

 

Paul

[Texasota]

A wise man on this forum not long ago made a prophetic observation about drafting semis:

 

http://fordfusionhybridforum.com/topic/9610-ffh-has-a-141gal-fuel-tank/?p=91092

Edited April 9, 2015 by Texasota

[ptjones]

I'm sure a wise man said it was to dangerous to go to the Moon, we did it anyway! :)

 

A wise man on this forum not long ago made a prophetic observation about drafting semis:

 

http://fordfusionhybridforum.com/topic/9610-ffh-has-a-141gal-fuel-tank/?p=91092

I think it is strange that people can say that and yet they do it all the time. It may not be intentional, but that doesn't matter does it, it's all the same. :shift: ;) I've been doing drafting for 30yrs and no accidents and think of all the gas I've saved. :yahoo: Drafting like Driving is a personal choice, nobody forces you to do it. :)

 

 

Paul

[Easy Rider]

Perfect recipe for a traffic jam on I-75/85 in Atlanta:

Tailgating a big truck only 50-100 feet back at 70 MPH while watching your speed and EV gauges. :drool:

 

I can't say what I really think of that because I'm on probation.

 

But I DO just LOVE people that allow their speed to vary by 10 MPH on the freeway.......no matter what lane their are in..........NOT.

[mwr]

But I DO just LOVE people that allow their speed to vary by 10 MPH on the freeway.......no matter what lane their are in..........NOT.

I agree completely. Since CC because common, even standard, on cars, I expect other drivers to use it and maintain a steady speed that I can count on. For me, that includes not using Eco CC but instead maintaining a constant speed whenever traffic conditions allow. Sacrificing this in the quest for a small % more mpg, especially when mpg is already high, to me is just wrong.

[md13ffhguy]

I have a rule, and it's very simple - don't impede others' progress. If there's more than one lane in my direction, chances are I'll be in it with ACC set at the speed limit. I've always used Eco cruise, too. If you don't care for the gentle acceleration after a braking event or an uphill climb, feel free to pass.

 

Yes, I took advantage of a truck to get good mileage as described in my OP, but as stated, I would not have called it drafting. I simply put myself behind him, and if I ever slowed below the posted limit, it was to avoid running up on the truck. Trust me, my passenger seat alarm would have alerted me if I was following too close! ;)