Trip Length effect on MPG

[fusionTX]

My commute to work is 12 miles if I take the highway, 10 miles if I take backroads. That seems long enough to get some decent MPG numbers. But I can't help but wonder what my mileage would be if my commute was longer. I reset my Avg MPG every day during my commute to work, and I see it increasing every step of the way. If it were two or three more miles, I think I would get even better mileage.

 

One thing I've noticed is that any time you get on a highway, you need to stay on it for a while to recoup the energy it takes to get up to highway speeds.

 

I fully believe there are subpar cars out there, but I wonder if the majority of people unhappy with MPG, drive daily routes that are not conducive to high mileage in this car. I know my mileage suffers on weekends when my drives are less structured and shorter distances.

 

It seems many of the people getting superb mileage drive fairly long distances.

 

What is the correlation between distance and mileage? What is the average minimum distance to travel to maximize mileage? Those with low MPG numbers, can you describe your typical commutes?

[terryb]

I'm really disappointed in my '13 and I'm pretty sure that my retirement and subsequent daily neighborhood driving requirements are a component of the poor mileage. I'm not willing to take all the blame though as the '10 was able to get up to 43mpg tank averages on the vacation road trip last August. High 80s and up and Interstate speeds and still 43mpg. I love all the toys I got in the '13, but sure wish I had the '10 drive train.

[clummus]

What is your mpg Terryb

[jeff_h]

What is your mpg Terryb

 

See that icon under his name that says 37.0? That's the overall, and you should be able to click on that and get more into directly from fuelly.

[terryb]

 

See that icon under his name that says 37.0? That's the overall, and you should be able to click on that and get more into directly from fuelly.

It USED to say 37, which was bad enough. It is a live link to the site so updates with each fuel stop entered.

[fusionTX]

It USED to say 37, which was bad enough. It is a live link to the site so updates with each fuel stop entered.

What are your typical trips like? How many miles? Highway or city streets? I can see how retirement use could be shorter distances and less structured than those of us thst drive the same route five days a week. Would like to hear about you normal use.

[terryb]

My routine drives are <5 miles. I really should have sprung for the energi. I'm gonna duplicate my old commute tomorrow morning. It was 18 miles and I could depend on 40mpg in the '10. The '10 and '13 behave very similarly in retirement mode short trips. The '13 can provide 50mpg results every blue moon, but there seems to be no logic to it.

[hybridbear]

I'm really disappointed in my '13 and I'm pretty sure that my retirement and subsequent daily neighborhood driving requirements are a component of the poor mileage. I'm not willing to take all the blame though as the '10 was able to get up to 43mpg tank averages on the vacation road trip last August. High 80s and up and Interstate speeds and still 43mpg. I love all the toys I got in the '13, but sure wish I had the '10 drive train.

My routine drives are <5 miles. I really should have sprung for the energi. I'm gonna duplicate my old commute tomorrow morning. It was 18 miles and I could depend on 40mpg in the '10. The '10 and '13 behave very similarly in retirement mode short trips. The '13 can provide 50mpg results every blue moon, but there seems to be no logic to it.

This is exactly why my parents are getting the C-Max Energi instead of the hybrid. Now that they're retired they don't drive very many miles each day but are going somewhere almost every day.

[hybridbear]

I've found that on short 6-7 mile trips I can get 45-50 MPG if I drive on the freeway for 4 of the miles but if I take the 6.6 mile city route I can get 55-60 MPG now that the weather is warm. On this route in the winter we always went on the freeway to warm up the ICE for heat and usually got 35-45 MPG depending on the temp, heat demands and battery SOC. It seems that 6-7 miles is long enough to get high MPGs. When I've taken a very similar route but stopped shorter by going to the grocery store or something on the way home the MPGs are often lower when the trip is only 5 miles instead of 6-7. Trips longer than 6-7 miles don't seem to get any better right now in warm weather for me because within those 6-7 miles the ICE warms up plenty. Do others see similar performance?

 

Great topic FusionTX!!

[fusionTX]

I've found that on short 6-7 mile trips I can get 45-50 MPG if I drive on the freeway for 4 of the miles but if I take the 6.6 mile city route I can get 55-60 MPG now that the weather is warm. On this route in the winter we always went on the freeway to warm up the ICE for heat and usually got 35-45 MPG depending on the temp, heat demands and battery SOC. It seems that 6-7 miles is long enough to get high MPGs. When I've taken a very similar route but stopped shorter by going to the grocery store or something on the way home the MPGs are often lower when the trip is only 5 miles instead of 6-7. Trips longer than 6-7 miles don't seem to get any better right now in warm weather for me because within those 6-7 miles the ICE warms up plenty. Do others see similar performance?

 

Great topic FusionTX!!

Are you using acdii's grill cover? If so, I'm not sure your numbers are a proper comparison to the rest of us.

[fusionTX]

My routine drives are <5 miles. I really should have sprung for the energi. I'm gonna duplicate my old commute tomorrow morning. It was 18 miles and I could depend on 40mpg in the '10. The '10 and '13 behave very similarly in retirement mode short trips. The '13 can provide 50mpg results every blue moon, but there seems to be no logic to it.

I think if I was driving short trips every day, I would have a hard time getting 40 MPG. I'm thinking your driving routine is a big part of your current mileage. Probably nothing wrong with the car. You did get decent mileage on your trip to Florida.

[hermans]

I've found that on short 6-7 mile trips I can get 45-50 MPG if I drive on the freeway for 4 of the miles but if I take the 6.6 mile city route I can get 55-60 MPG now that the weather is warm. On this route in the winter we always went on the freeway to warm up the ICE for heat and usually got 35-45 MPG depending on the temp, heat demands and battery SOC. It seems that 6-7 miles is long enough to get high MPGs. When I've taken a very similar route but stopped shorter by going to the grocery store or something on the way home the MPGs are often lower when the trip is only 5 miles instead of 6-7. Trips longer than 6-7 miles don't seem to get any better right now in warm weather for me because within those 6-7 miles the ICE warms up plenty. Do others see similar performance?

 

Great topic FusionTX!!

I agree. My wife's trip to work is 4 miles each way. With the FFH she consistently (morning and afternoon) gets high 40 to low 50 MPG. About 1.5 miles of that is four lane. She now drives the MKZ hybrid and gets about the same. That's why I've said all along that I don't think short trips matter much.

[fusionTX]

I agree. My wife's trip to work is 4 miles each way. With the FFH she consistently (morning and afternoon) gets high 40 to low 50 MPG. About 1.5 miles of that is four lane. She now drives the MKZ hybrid and gets about the same. That's why I've said all along that I don't think short trips matter much.

What are the other 2.5 miles?

There is difference between driving the same route Monday thru Friday, from not having a set routine every day.

[terryb]

I'm convinced now. I drove the 18mi. each way old commute route early this morning. I started from the house with a very low State of Charge, but got 42.5mpg for the trip . I shut down to get the trip number then restarted with a very high SOC and got 46.5mpg coming back. A buddy and I have a routine Sunday breakfast together and I may get up into the 40s on that 5.5mi trip to his house. But, the 1.6mi to HEB yields as low as 18mpg. I think the SOC and the need to heat the pollution controls really make a trip less than 5mi. a crap-shoot.

[mokee]

I think the SOC and the need to heat the pollution controls really make a trip less than 5mi. a crap-shoot.

 

You may have it there. We tend to make multi-stop local trips. The 1st leg usually shows disappointing mileage, say less than 35 mpg. The last leg is usually 50+ mpg. I never thought anything about it believing it all evened out.

[hybridbear]

Are you using acdii's grill cover? If so, I'm not sure your numbers are a proper comparison to the rest of us.

I am, but I'm not sure how much of a difference it makes...and am unsure how to test how much difference it makes. ptjones on the C-Max Forum claims a 2-5 MPG benefit from the grille covers but I think it's less than that...

 

I'm convinced now. I drove the 18mi. each way old commute route early this morning. I started from the house with a very low State of Charge, but got 42.5mpg for the trip . I shut down to get the trip number then restarted with a very high SOC and got 46.5mpg coming back. A buddy and I have a routine Sunday breakfast together and I may get up into the 40s on that 5.5mi trip to his house. But, the 1.6mi to HEB yields as low as 18mpg. I think the SOC and the need to heat the pollution controls really make a trip less than 5mi. a crap-shoot.

You may have it there. We tend to make multi-stop local trips. The 1st leg usually shows disappointing mileage, say less than 35 mpg. The last leg is usually 50+ mpg. I never thought anything about it believing it all evened out.

That's why short trip MPG results are limited in value. Tank averages are more useful. TerryB has low tank averages as well because of the short trips, but also goes 2-3 weeks between filling up. The short trips are very hard on MPGs. That's why I try to drive to work as little as possible since it's only 1.3 miles and I can walk most of the time, even in the winter.

[terryb]

I did see someone suggest combining short trips, but, making the longest segment possible outward in the beginning. e.g. drive out to the farthest end location and return through the short segments to come home.

[GrySql]

I did see someone suggest combining short trips, but, making the longest segment possible outward in the beginning. e.g. drive out to the farthest end location and return through the short segments to come home.

Like the UPS trucks, then always make right turns so you don't stop at the intersections.

B25Nut also said that rolling through stop signs (not stop lights) is beneficial, as long as a police car or ticket camera is not nearby.

[hybridbear]

I did see someone suggest combining short trips, but, making the longest segment possible outward in the beginning. e.g. drive out to the farthest end location and return through the short segments to come home.

Ford has published this, everyone says this for maximizing fuel economy.

 

Like the UPS trucks, then always make right turns so you don't stop at the intersections.

B25Nut also said that rolling through stop signs (not stop lights) is beneficial, as long as a police car or ticket camera is not nearby.

Minimizing all stops is good. Anytime you can eliminate a stop you will see benefits. Like is discussed in the thread about "Why hybrids are so efficient" the regen braking doesn't recapture 100% of the energy. Because of those losses you are better off avoiding stops as much as possible.

[clummus]

Jeff h, I am almost always on this forum from my mobile. the mobile version doesn't give you the signatures under names.

[jeff_h]

Jeff h, I am almost always on this forum from my mobile. the mobile version doesn't give you the signatures under names.

Well I guess you're missing out on some of the finer things in life, sorry about that.

[GrySql]

I can walk most of the time, even in the winter.

If I was your age I'd run... ;)

Now, after a hip replacement even 37mpg looks good.

[hybridbear]

If I was your age I'd run... ;)

Now, after a hip replacement even 37mpg looks good.

I like walking because it means I don't have to worry about changing clothes. Even in the warm weather I can walk in my dress shirt and slacks without it being an issue of needing to shower again and change clothes once getting to the office. A friend of mine rides his bike to work 3 days a week, 20+ miles each way...that's a long commute. I'm glad I only have to go 1.3 miles

[GrySql]

I like walking because it means I don't have to worry about changing clothes. I'm glad I only have to go 1.3 miles

I was just kidding :)

My work commutes have always been miles and miles.

My best drive to work ever was when I'd take my personal skiboat from a local launch ramp, out into the ocean, up the Pacific coast 10 miles and arrive at my Fireboat Station in LA Harbor without stepping on land. Boating to work to work on a boat, the best.