Highway Driving

[Michael Diviak]

I own a 2015 Ford Fusion Energi Titanium and I am having a difficult time with highway driving. Are there any tips for highway driving? I feel I could be doing a better job and my car wouldn't make me feel guilty at every exit ramp I take.

[rjent]

In a word (OK two :) ) .... Slow Down. To maximize the milage you need to keep your speed at about 63 MPH. There is a lot of debate over that speed, but I know first hand that it works. My fusion ('13) got mid to high 40's driving like that, and yes I drove many "back" roads and stayed off the freeways. My Energi get upper 40's and 50's (depending on conditions) because you get to "cheat" by having 20 to 35 miles of "free" driving.

 

My advice to you, is to just prove it to yourself. Give yourself extra time for the trip, lay out a route that will let you drive 50 to 60 MPH and you can achieve 60 plus over 100 miles (plus or minus) almost every time.

 

JMHO

Edited March 18, 2016 by rjent

[mwr]

I own a 2015 Ford Fusion Energi Titanium and I am having a difficult time with highway driving. Are there any tips for highway driving? I feel I could be doing a better job and my car wouldn't make me feel guilty at every exit ramp I take.

What do you mean by "having a difficult time"? For me, I drive on the highway the way I want to drive and let the mpg become whatever they become. I'm always satisfied :-)

[lolder]

The "speed penalty" is roughly a loss of 6 mpg for every 10 mph speed increase at highway speeds.

[machoman1337]

I can get about 6.0 L/100km (39 mpg) on a 2.5-hour freeway trip with no traffic by minimizing use of heat or A/C, and setting the cruise control to the posted speed limit. That's with just me in the car and minimal weight overall.

 

Weather conditions also affect things.

 

As with any hybrid car the fuel economy will always drop noticeably when on the freeway thanks to the engine frequently turning on to maintain that kind of speed, as well as the lack of braking opportunities to recharge the battery. For comparison, the 2.5L version of the Fusion got me 33 mpg in ideal freeway conditions (in Florida in December) and that was with the weight of 4 people + luggage. If you spend most of your time on a clear freeway the hybrid advantages are not great.

 

But if you spend a lot of time in city/suburb roads or just bad traffic in general (freeway or city), the hybrid advantages are massive.

Edited March 24, 2016 by machoman1337

[billford]

I agree with using cruise control to max out mpg's

[lolder]

Talking about mpg on the freeway requires that you state the speed. The difference between 70 and 80 mph is 6 mpg!. I live in S. FL and my 2.5 L. 2010 gets 39 mpg at 70 mph at 80ºF.

Edited March 25, 2016 by lolder

[ekeman]

I just completed a 300+ mile highway trip (200 miles highway, 100 miles getting to/from the highway) returning my son to college. Have a 2016 FFH SE, set ACC to 73mph, AC off, heater set to 69 (outside temp was in the upper 40's), ECO mode set to on, averaged just over 45 mpg for the round trip.

 

I've moved from a 2013 Passat TDI which could get 50 mpg on the highway, but generally averaged 42-43 mpg for all purpose driving. Have been very happy with the FFH, better handling, better all around gas mileage (~46 mpg), definitely feel it was an upgrade and not a lateral move (though I do miss the VW's massive trunk).

Edited March 25, 2016 by ekeman