First hybrid drive ever

[corncobs]

Ok here is encouragement for all those being worried about getting good MPGs from the get go.

 

My dad is currently visiting and just drove my FFH for the first time; his first time driving a hybrid ever. I explained him a few thing how to brake and accelerate but driving this unfamiliar car I didn't pay any attention to bar graphs or displays; he just drove.

 

Here is his result:

 

 

What I'm trying to say is:

For all newbies out there with new cars; new to hybrid driving PLEASE don't sweat it if you don't get 47 MPG or 50+ like others do. It's a learning curve for you and the car (break in period) to unlock the real potential of this amazing car.

[clummus]

should the car ever stay in EV mode when u are applying very.gradual light pressure to the gas pedal...Just gradually increasing speed to get to about 40 ,?..I am going.to.try to video while my.boyfriend.drives.the car some today. I'm just not sure how to upload the clip from.my android phone. I'm sure there is.info.available somewhere on the forum to tell me how though.

[milleron]

That is much better than I could get at first, and my car was delivered in warm weather at the very end of May. It's only after driving the car 1K miles that I've been able to fairly consistently get 44 and above, but my "lifetime average" is still only 40.5 mpg even though I've had perfect acceleration and braking scores from the get-go. I'm thinking that your dad's performance will, in fact, discourage brand new owners. To you that looks poor; to many new hybrid drivers, 41.5 mpg may look astronomical.. Even in this age of mass production, I swear that not all FFHs are created equal.

 

And here's a follow-up question: Is there a possibility that the computer is programming itself and that this ongoing tweaking is more responsible for improving economy than the driver learning how to drive the hybrid or the ICE's break-in? I truly believe that mine is behaving a little differently now than it did when new. I cannot quantify such an impression, however, for example, I think that the car is more inclined to leave the ICE running while assisting it with the motor; I don't recall it doing that much at all a month ago, but it's doing it frequently, now. Has anyone read about such a phenomenon as the computer continuously fine tuning the way it controls the drivetrain?

[milleron]

should the car ever stay in EV mode when u are applying very.gradual light pressure to the gas pedal...Just gradually increasing speed to get to about 40 ,?..I am going.to.try to video while my.boyfriend.drives.the car some today. I'm just not sure how to upload the clip from.my android phone. I'm sure there is.info.available somewhere on the forum to tell me how though.

 

Well, of course it should stay in EV mode in that scenario, assuming that the HVB has a high enough SOC and that you're not on a steep enough incline that the electric motor can't propel the car by itself. Perhaps I haven't understood your question, though.

[clummus]

it never stays in EV if I am accelerating, no matter how slowly or gently I do it.

[corncobs]

@ milleron

 

I see your concerns about 41.5 being his first drive but I forgot an important part my car is definitely broken in at 8100 miles which I believe makes a big difference IMO. The car was also warm when we drove back to the house.

While watching the screens his acceleration was all over the place in and out of EV.

 

I believe my result would have been an easy 55 MPG if not better.

[corncobs]

 

And here's a follow-up question: Is there a possibility that the computer is programming itself and that this ongoing tweaking is more responsible for improving economy than the driver learning how to drive the hybrid or the ICE's break-in? I truly believe that mine is behaving a little differently now than it did when new. I cannot quantify such an impression, however, for example, I think that the car is more inclined to leave the ICE running while assisting it with the motor; I don't recall it doing that much at all a month ago, but it's doing it frequently, now. Has anyone read about such a phenomenon as the computer continuously fine tuning the way it controls the drivetrain?

To be honest I was a little shocked that his number was that good especially watching the screens during acceleration and at speed driving.

To answer you question yes I do believe that the computer adjusts to specific behavior, I believe to remember reading about self learning engine control and that a long distance car (interstate) compare to a short distance car (city driving) would have created a slightly different motor management to optimize for these different driving conditions.

 

Maybe it was too positive but keep in mind my car is for sure broken in; combine that with an inexperienced drive it's 40 MPG; now look at acdii new car with experience in hybrid driving gets closer to EPA when he tries.

 

Now do I believe that we have FFH out there that aren't working right YES absolutely but as said before many times Ford should take the complains more seriously.

[lolder]

Reset the "lifetime" mileage at least at 10,000 mile oil changes. The longer it goes unset, the less it's relevancy. Despite claims to the contrary, there is almost no break-in effect. All the mileage improvement is the driver and warm weather. You should be able to accelerate in EV lightly once the car is warm. Make sure you're not in "L". Turn off the AC compressor when you don't need it. Park in the shade in summer and indoors in winter.

Edited June 9, 2013 by lolder

[milleron]

it never stays in EV if I am accelerating, no matter how slowly or gently I do it.

 

SOC at least 40% and on level pavement? If both are yes and the ICE turns on "no matter how slowly" you accelerate, then I don't think it's behaving normally. With a good state of charge and level ground, you should easily be able to get up to 40 or even higher with slow acceleration. Theoretically, you could get up to 62 mph without the ICE turning on under ideal conditions. But doing that isn't what the folks who designed the hybrid had in mind. It makes a little more sense to accelerate moderately with the ICE. That's what it's for, and it allows you to get up to cruising speed without a completely depleted HVB. But the proof's in the pudding. IF your average mileage after a few tanks is good, then I'm guessing that the problem you describe isn't very important.

 

Once I turn into my subdivision where the speed limit is 25, I accelerate normally to about 25, and the ICE nearly never turns on while I'm driving the 0.3 miles to and from my home. This is NOT because of EV+ mode, either; I've turned that off because I see no advantage to getting the last mile on EV at the cost of ending up with a 10% SOC to start my next trip. The point is that it's really easy to get the FFH from 0 up to 25 mph without leaving EV mode.

[milleron]

I believe my result would have been an easy 55 MPG if not better.

 

55?? FIFTY-FIVE?? Are you serious?? I have but 1,090 miles on my car, and I'm very happy with the mileage and improvement, but I've NEVER had a trip of 7 miles or more, like your father's, that was better than 47.5 mpg, and most are 44-45. 55 is, obviously, >15% better than EPA, and I've never heard of relative numbers like that except from hypremilers.

 

55?!?!? Holy $*!+ How do you do that? Have you found ethanol-free gasoline? Do you live in totally hill-free terrain? Would you be drafting behind trucks most of the way?

Edited June 9, 2013 by milleron

[acdii]

Things do loosen up with more miles, tires wear evenly and the driver becomes one with the car, and That is your break in period.

 

The car does have a learning curve, the PCM(s) dont have static settings but variable tables, and it learns its curves based on your driving habits, location, amount of time driven in any given period. It learns its fuel curve needed for your altitude, temperature variations, inputs from various sensors, etc. If for some reason the PCM(s) lose power for an extended period, they may lose those settings and have to relearn and this can take several hundred miles. During this time the MPGs can be erratic, but will stable out within at least one tank of fuel. If you look at some of the guys who are getting good numbers, their first few tanks were erratic, then stabilized. This is the learning period.

 

Some people say no break in, but I believe there is a period of time that the car needs to fully meld before it gets consistent MPG and runs 100% smoothly. This does vary from a few hundred miles to several thousand miles. There is no Magic Mark for break in period, no matter what Ford tells you.

[acdii]

 

55?? FIFTY-FIVE?? Are you serious?? I have but 1,090 miles on my car, and I'm very happy with the mileage and improvement, but I've NEVER had a trip of 7 miles or more, like your father's, that was better than 47.5 mpg, and most are 44-45. 55 is, obviously, >15% better than EPA, and I've never heard of relative numbers like that except from hypremilers.

 

55?!?!? Holy $*!+ How do you do that? Have you found ethanol-free gasoline? Do you live in totally hill-free terrain? Would you be drafting behind trucks most of the way?

It is very possible to do it. I know where he is located in general and there are areas around there that you can get some good cruising and go past EPA. Shoot If i can get over 50 on the interstate on a 68 mile trip in a 2010 rated at 36, it should be quite possible to do 55 in the 13. :)

[corncobs]

 

55?? FIFTY-FIVE?? Are you serious?? I have but 1,090 miles on my car, and I'm very happy with the mileage and improvement, but I've NEVER had a trip of 7 miles or more, like your father's, that was better than 47.5 mpg, and most are 44-45. 55 is, obviously, >15% better than EPA, and I've never heard of relative numbers like that except from hypremilers.

 

55?!?!? Holy $*!+ How do you do that? Have you found ethanol-free gasoline? Do you live in totally hill-free terrain? Would you be drafting behind trucks most of the way?

Here is the reason I said that.

 

 

That's a snap shot of the city drive portion of my daily commute which is very similar speed and traffic condition wise where I went with my dad.

It's just a local suburban road 3 lanes 45 - 50 MPH it's possible but a light foot on gas and brake is essential.

[acdii]

I see good returns traveling towards Chicago on Algonquin road, usually over 45 in the 2010. Going up 22 a few months ago I got over 56, makes me wonder how the 13 will do.

[hybridbear]

it never stays in EV if I am accelerating, no matter how slowly or gently I do it.

As has been discussed before you don't want the car to stay in EV while accelerating. It's more efficient to accelerate with the ICE and then once you reach your cruising speed and naturally release pressure on the accelerator the car will kick into EV automatically. Read this thread that explains it

[B25Nut]

 

it never stays in EV if I am accelerating, no matter how slowly or gently I do it.

Even the slightest uphill slop will kick it out of EV during acceleration. If you're not going slightly downhill, you're much better off using the ICE to accelerate. In my area many times it is difficult to tell whether the road has an up or down slope. What my head is telling me is level isn't always true.

[terryb]

It has been suggested that I am about 1/2 bubble off plumb myself. I like to carry a bullseye level in the cup holder just for grins.

[acdii]

It has been suggested that I am about 1/2 bubble off plumb myself. I like to carry a bullseye level in the cup holder just for grins.

You just gave me a great idea! Now to figure out a good way to implement it.

[milleron]

Corncobs, you have my undying respect. This is an example of why I strongly suspect that not all Fusion Hybrids are created equal. Over the first 1,200 miles on my car, my acceleration and braking scores have been essentially perfect, both >98%, yet mileage figures like yours occur only in my wildest dreams. I wonder if my FFH could get 57 mpg going downhill for 15 miles, and that's not an exaggeration. By being very, very careful, and if I'm lucky enough not to have anyone do something stupid that forces me to brake hard, I can get 47 mpg, but NEVER anything more than that unless it's for a trip so short that it doesn't count, like 1.8 miles, for example.

 

I must wonder if there's variability in the HVBs that makes some of them charge more efficiently than others.

 

On the other hand, any 15-mile trip I've ever measured would have been on freeway or untraveled rural highways at speeds around 55-65 mph. I don't think I've ever once been able to drive 15 miles at "45-50 mph," so maybe you're playing a game with which I'm not familiar. I'm sure hoping that's the explanation.

 

Thanks for posting the detailed results.

[djminfll]

I find that keeping highway speeds down helps, but my best way to get high mpg numbers is to plan a route that allows me to maintain 45-50 mph and not have to stop for every traffic light. If the lights are progressive and the Adaptive Cruise Control lets me maintain speed, I can get the same kind of mpg numbers.

 

 

Edited June 15, 2013 by djminfll

[corncobs]

I made the claim a while ago that I could get 55 MPG on the same trip my dad got 41.5 MPG. I finally had the chance to prove or disprove myself on the same trip while coming back from a customer visit. I'm missing 0.3 miles from the parking lot of Menards since I was just driving by.

 

Edited June 27, 2013 by corncobs

[hybridbear]

Awesome!

[GrayStrider]

it never stays in EV if I am accelerating, no matter how slowly or gently I do it.

Something has to be wrong... I can stay in EV mode as long as it's not too steep of a climb when I'm accelerating.

[GrayStrider]

 

55?? FIFTY-FIVE?? Are you serious?? I have but 1,090 miles on my car, and I'm very happy with the mileage and improvement, but I've NEVER had a trip of 7 miles or more, like your father's, that was better than 47.5 mpg, and most are 44-45. 55 is, obviously, >15% better than EPA, and I've never heard of relative numbers like that except from hypremilers.

 

55?!?!? Holy $*!+ How do you do that? Have you found ethanol-free gasoline? Do you live in totally hill-free terrain? Would you be drafting behind trucks most of the way?

I've managed 60+ for a 20 mile (round trip) drive. The drive there was mostly down hill. I followed the same exact route coming home. The drive was in the evening, but it was a bit warm and I did have the AC on a low fan setting. Climate was set to 72 degrees. I worked to stay at the posted road speed on the flat/uphill sections, but did get above the posted speed on one big downhill section. I have one of the first build FFH's and although our car shows 38.0 mpg, it's actually 37.3 mpg when calculated by Fuelly and by my aCar app. I do pretty well managing 40+ mpg regularly - if I could just get my heavy-footed husband to drive hybrid better, our overall mpg would be a bit better.

[MXGOLF]

I would gladly trade cars with all or any of you who are getting over 40 mpg. I would really like to drive someone's FFH to see how it compares to mine.