Higher speeds in EV/future problems?

[higheroctave32]

I haven't been able to find an adequate answer to this on Google or searching the forums. Since Ford initially set the EV limit in the FFH and CMax at 62 mph, are there any longevity concerns with the electric motor?

 

Was Ford just being overly conservative with the 62 mph figure? I never drive at 85, except the day I purchased it when the sales process with the credit union took so long I was almost late for work. Learned how to reset the lifetime average mpg display after that little jaunt... I pretty much stay within 65-70 on the freeway these days but am curious if there is that possibility.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

[corncobs]

Let me start by saying it's unlikely to have a problem with the electric motor.

 

If a problem would arise it would be on the inverter not the motor. In addition to that in case you are finding yourself going down the interstate at 85 is unlikely there is a lot of load on the system.

 

I think main reason they changed the limit is in case you are going downhill or coasting that the ICE is allowed to shut off which wasn't the case before.

[higheroctave32]

Sounds good to me. I hadn't thought about it that way, obviously. The only time that I run EV on the freeway is when I've just crested a hill and back off to engage it on the downside or when I slow down purposely after a little slide above the limit to engage it and just cruise for a little distance on it. And traffic of course. ;)

 

Gives me a cheap thrill when I feel it engage EV. WOO!! I'm driving electric Bi#^es! :happy feet:

[murphy]

The Energi, which has the same or similar drivetrain, has always had the 85 mph limit.

[lolder]

In non plug in hybrids, all the energy comes from fuel. When you are in EV, the electrical energy came from fuel and had losses in generation, charging, discharging and motoring which were substantially more at highway speeds than driving the wheels directly through gears. It's not an electric vehicle. It is a gasoline vehicle whose engine's thermodynamic efficiency is maximized by the hybrid power-train system. As I see it, the only advantage of the higher EV speed is for those that live in significantly hilly areas. That's probably not most of us. For the flat-landers, it probably didn't do a thing for fuel economy and may have made it slightly worse.

[higheroctave32]

Well wasn't that just the most sterile explanation of our cars operation. How depressing.. ;) I'm well aware of all that and will still have grand fun driving it in whatever mode it may employ. So unless someone can guarantee that the electricity they used to charge their car came from solar, hydro electric or wind, there is no such thing as a true electric car. All power is generated somewhere. Chiefly being Coal, natural gas and nuclear, which account for 85% of all us power production.

[lolder]

I guess my point is don't worry about your hybrid not being in EV. It's a little quieter in EV but it's quiet with the ICE on too.

[murphy]

Well wasn't that just the most sterile explanation of our cars operation. How depressing.. ;) I'm well aware of all that and will still have grand fun driving it in whatever mode it may employ. So unless someone can guarantee that the electricity they used to charge their car came from solar, hydro electric or wind, there is no such thing as a true electric car. All power is generated somewhere. Chiefly being Coal, natural gas and nuclear, which account for 85% of all us power production.

My cars are charged from a 10 kW solar array on the roof of my house. I generate more power than I use so the excess is fed to the power company and once a year in May they pay me for it.

[hybridbear]

The hybrid doesn't have an auxiliary transmission fluid pump so the transmission fluid is only circulating when the ICE is on. This has caused some failures in cars with high miles that are driven in the mountains. Ford released a TSB relating to this. The Energi has an auxiliary transmission fluid pump since they drive longer distances full electric. This shouldn't be a concern unless you drive long distances down mountains in EV mode.

[lolder]

Another reason upping the EV speed was a mistake. They should undo that software change. These transmissions should last forever. They're only brushless electric motor-generators and gear trains. Those kinds of machines can run for decades.