Ford Fusion Hybrid battery question / problem

[skiposwald]

I have only driven about 800 miles on my Fusion Hybrid, but there is something that I don't like. The EV battery usually only charges up to about 55%, or at the very top the battery logo. For example, I have never seen it get as high as the battery pictured here:

http://www.automotiveaddicts.com/wp-conten...rdFusionHybrid- InstrumentCluster01small.jpg Because it is never charged very high, I can't go very far in EV mode without it needing to start the engine to recharge the battery. For whatever it is worth, right now I am at 37 mpg on average, with about half my miles on the highway and half in the city.

 

My simple question is, how high does your battery charge?

[howudodat]

I have only driven about 800 miles on my Fusion Hybrid, but there is something that I don't like. The EV battery usually only charges up to about 55%, or at the very top the battery logo. For example, I have never seen it get as high as the battery pictured here:

http://www.automotiveaddicts.com/wp-conten...rdFusionHybrid- InstrumentCluster01small.jpg Because it is never charged very high, I can't go very far in EV mode without it needing to start the engine to recharge the battery. For whatever it is worth, right now I am at 37 mpg on average, with about half my miles on the highway and half in the city.

 

My simple question is, how high does your battery charge?

 

I've gotten mine almost to the top...however it was when I was coasting mainly downhill for quite some time. If you use your a/c a lot and are in and out of EV mode, it will typically stay 1/2 full or less.

 

Peter

[rfruth]

40 to 60 % is the sweet spot - more info here

[fsb99]

I have only driven about 800 miles on my Fusion Hybrid, but there is something that I don't like. The EV battery usually only charges up to about 55%, or at the very top the battery logo. For example, I have never seen it get as high as the battery pictured here:

http://www.automotiveaddicts.com/wp-conten...rdFusionHybrid- InstrumentCluster01small.jpg Because it is never charged very high, I can't go very far in EV mode without it needing to start the engine to recharge the battery. For whatever it is worth, right now I am at 37 mpg on average, with about half my miles on the highway and half in the city.

 

My simple question is, how high does your battery charge?

 

I think on occasion mine would go up to 80%...fairly rarely though. It happens if I had to brake more than normal and when I accelerate fast off the light (battery charges).

[kens]

I don't know how accurately the FFH battery gauge represents the actual state of charge (haven't even

seen the gauge yet, because my car hasn't arrived).

 

But as a former Prius owner, I do know that in that car the gauge scales nonlinearly, so that

what looks like 50% was more like 60% and what looks like 90% was more like 80%.

I can't recall the exact #'s, but that should get the point across.

 

The car is designed to handle the battery charging, and keep it in the optimal range.

[smr2112]

My sometimes gets very close to 100% - and I get very nervous because

that's not where you want it to be for very long - it would minimize long

term battery life.

 

But that came with alot of downhill driving and braking.

 

I have never had it go below 30-40%

[lrymal]

...The EV battery usually only charges up to about 55%, or at the very top the battery logo. ..

In addition to the other messages... the aforementioned "sweet spot" is a spot-on description. This is how hybrids will get their eight year or so battery warranty. We have to really think outside the box on what we know on recharging. ***SOMEWHERE***, I read an experiment was done by a university tech team who, about three years ago, used a standard Macintosh Pro computer battery and never charged it to the 100% level, and never let it dip to full discharge. The battery was placed through several recharge cycles and not only exceeded Apple's recommended life cycle count for the battery, but it also maintained its amperage capacity. Obviously, the computer's battery charge didn't last as long per cycle, compared to 100% charge, but the life of the battery was longer.

[rlawson4]

I have only driven about 800 miles on my Fusion Hybrid, but there is something that I don't like. The EV battery usually only charges up to about 55%, or at the very top the battery logo. For example, I have never seen it get as high as the battery pictured here:

http://www.automotiveaddicts.com/wp-conten...rdFusionHybrid- InstrumentCluster01small.jpg Because it is never charged very high, I can't go very far in EV mode without it needing to start the engine to recharge the battery. For whatever it is worth, right now I am at 37 mpg on average, with about half my miles on the highway and half in the city.

 

My simple question is, how high does your battery charge?

 

The manual even covers your question. The design is for about a 50% charge. You car is fine. Enjoy!

 

Richard

Atlanta GA

[Oman]

What people seem to forget is that there is virtually no energy wasted in the system. Going farther on EV mode does not "save" gas because the car never plugs in. All the energy in the battery was provided by the ICE either directly or indirectly. The energy in the battery is used even when the ICE is running. If there is more than a certain percentage of charge then that charge will be used to assist the ICE and reduce the fuel used to move the car. As the charge diminishes the electric boost drops. The only time energy is wasted is when you are going down a long decline and the battery has been charged to the maximum allowed level (somewhat less than 100% of the physical maximum charge). At that point there is nowhere to store any excess and the system just shunts the power. This rarely happens in normal driving though.

 

If you fully deplete the battery on a long EV run (somewhat artificially raising the MPGs that you are getting), then the next run will get considerably less MPGs because there is no electric power available to assist the ICE.

 

Getting back to the TS: My understanding is that the battery system that Ford designed for this car runs cooler and is lighter because it does not deliver a high surge current (xC). It is capable of high power storage but only a certain amount can be delivered at one time. Add to that the weight of the car and you can see why there isn't as much EV only take-off power as some other cars.

 

There have been several discussions on this board and others about the information that is being presented and how they are interpreted. I have made some adjustments to my driving that appear to decrease some of the "immediate feedback" numbers but have increased my overall mileage.

 

Jon

 

 

 

 

The manual even covers your question. The design is for about a 50% charge. You car is fine. Enjoy!

 

Richard

Atlanta GA

[DaveM]

We just picked ours up Monday evening and the battery goes between about 1/3 and almost 2/3 but hovers around the middle for the most part but this afternoon it went all the way to full and even though I backed off the gas pedal the elec. didn't kick in until I was almost home. Granted it was only a 2 1/2 mile drive but it kind of shocked me it would go that high after everything said here.