Electric motor specs, and thoughts on the engine.

[MeeLee]

So I read an article on many other Hybrids, including Mercedes, using a 20HP electric motor to kickstart the engine, while also using it for cruising.

I wonder if the engine set to 20HP is some sort of government regulation?

Anyway,

Apparently the FFH has about 20HP on the 40HP motor used during normal acceleration, with a short overboost to 30HP when it kickstarts the engine.

The 180HP is also correct, assuming the 20HP output of the engine.

However, when flooring, it appears that the motor gets closer to 40-45HP.
Higher, when the battery pack is fully charged.

That coincides with my wife's Subaru Outback, which also has a 180HP engine with CVT, and accelerates slightly slower than the FFH (which properly should be rated at 200-205HP).

 

The kWh meter on the dashboard's 'my view', isn't numbered, but the first line roughly compares to 10HP.

I've done a few speed tests, where 6HP ~45MPH, 10HP ~50MPH, 15HP ~55MPH, and 20HP ~60MPH.

This coincides with stats from Chevrolet engineers which said roughly 6,5HP is needed to cruise a mid-class sedan car at 45 MPH.
At normal acceleration on electric, the line goes to 2 (that same 20HP value other hybrids in the market have).

Since I don't often drive in normal mode (but mostly in ECO), I haven't yet tested those results in regular mode.

 

So the motor itself isn't really a limitation. It's just not optimally used during normal acceleration runs.

I mean, maybe efficiently optimized, not optimized for fun driving.

Which the same could be said about the lackluster 2.0 liter Atkinson engine.
The Atkinson design by default has lower HP figures as a similar size regular engine, but is more aimed towards higher torque.

Add to that the CVT (and I believe also the torque converter), and you have most power down low the rev range.

When the battery is fully charged, the 2.0 liter Atkinson, without battery and electric motor, is more than enough for a FFH sized economy car.
Not really a sports car.

But if the electric motor has been used, and the battery isn't fully charged, that 2.0 gets a constant ~20HP drain from the generator, charging the battery pack at ~Level 3 charging speeds. (~ 125 Amps); resulting in more sluggish engine performance more in line with a similar vehicle equipped with a 1.5-1.8 liter, 140-150HP engine.

 

In matters of top speed, the 2.0 Atkinson engine can propel the engine to 120MPH all by itself, without the need for the electric motor (without trying to charge the battery at the same time).
This is done by flooring the throttle to ~90-95% throttle position, or higher.
If the battery is fully charged, the throttle fully pressed, and the 2.0 liter engine is working in sync with the electric motor, the car accelerates quickly all the way to ~110 MPH, and gradually more slowly to 118 MPH.
After it kind of abruptly stops accelerating. It just maintains ~118-119MPH top speeds, which kind of shows the car speed is electronically limited (probably to preserve the engine).

I was hoping that limiter could be removed, as well as that the engine could run those speeds at lower RPMs, as the last few 2k RPM doesn't really make it run any faster (it just heats up the engine more).

 

The car is super stable at 120MPH, as if it was designed to go 140-150MPH. (Perhaps the 6 Cyl engine might take it to those speeds?)

Not only in terms of wind buffeting, but also in cornering capabilities, it's technology tries to keep the nose in the direction of the turn (much like their Fiesta ST does).

 

 

Anyway, these are some of my observations.

Feel free to comment.

Edited May 10, 2021 by MeeLee

[Waldo]

Yep, sounds exactly like how a hybrid powertrain works.  Except that there is no torque converter, and it's really not a CVT either, at least not in the same way as your Subaru is.  It's not designed to be a sports car nor drive at top speed, it's designed for people to drive around every day and get great fuel economy without having to do anything different then they have been all their lives in normal cars.

 

There are many, many factors which a manufacturer considers when setting the top speed of the vehicle.  "Preserving the engine" is usually way down on the list - after all, at those high speeds there's plenty of airflow to keep the engine cool.  Most of the time the top speed is limited by the OEM tires chosen (and OEMs use a factor of safety on top of the speed ratings).  Another one is drivetrain, usually things like the CV joints or input shafts on transmission have a lower limit than anything in the engine.  Other factors include aerodynamic stability, brake sizing and even Carbon Monoxide intrusion.  Unless you actually know which one of those factors is the limiter, trying to go any faster than the OEM set limit introduces a lot of risk (beyond the obvious risk of driving fast).

[MeeLee]

I'd agree on the fact that the cvt probably will break, before the engine will.

No torque converter means it has to have an ecvt. I wasn't sure it had one, so that confirms it.

Going at higher speeds shouldn't affect the tires. Even the most basic tires are rated for 130 mph, and that's when they're nearly bald, and under a heavy load.

Most H rated tires can do 140 just fine if it's just the fusion plus 200lbs driver.

Other tires on sale are V and W tires (140 and 170 mph).

The hybrid is a more economical car, usually goes with H rated tires.

 

Aerodynamics are amazing on the fusion!

Brakes work fine for an economy car, but are aided by the electric motor, which has a much higher braking capacity at high speeds than at lower speeds.

And carbon monoxide levels do rise with faster speeds (hotter running engine), but they also do with larger size engines.

 

I think the catalytic converter might be damaged before any other parts will be.

Edited May 16, 2021 by MeeLee