bengbrewer Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 I live in south east Michigan with 3000 miles and my lifetime MPG is 32.4 at the moment. I have some questions I was hoping you guys could help me answer. 1. Can the ICE run SOLELY to warm the vehicle while the car is running? The reason I ask is because I've noticed times where I should be in EV mode where I wasnt because the heater setting was on. Why cant the car still use EV mode to move the car and the ICE just run in the background as needed to warm the car? 2. Has anyone else experienced issues with EV mode not kicking in when it clearly should? Meaning, there have been times where i would look at the engine operation my MFT and the reasoning it gave that the car was in "Hybrid Mode" was due to "normal operation". I can understand reasonings such as "High speed", or "acceleration." There are also times where i have to decelerate in order to kick it into EV mode. Even under optimal conditions with the cruise set. Its really irritating. 3. Can EV+ mode be forced? Are there any settings around EV+ that can be modified? Ive noticed it only turns on right before I get to my street and there is plenty of battery left. My car didnt come with GPS, but i'm pretty sure it uses GPS for EV+ mode. Can anyone else confirm? Thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 1. Can the ICE run SOLELY to warm the vehicle while the car is running? The reason I ask is because I've noticed times where I should be in EV mode where I wasnt because the heater setting was on. Why cant the car still use EV mode to move the car and the ICE just run in the background as needed to warm the car? Because it would be grossly inefficient. Heat is a waste product of the engine. If you have to run the engine to heat the coolant then it's more efficient to use that energy to propel the car at the same time - otherwise you're either throwing it away or using it to charge the battery. And running the engine and converting mechanical energy to electricity to store in the battery which is then converted back to mechanical energy to propel the vehicle is not as efficient as simply powering it directly. This is why the Volt gets worse fuel economy running on the ICE. You lose too much energy in the conversion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expresspotato Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 Well I've never seen the ICE run under 1,100 ish RPM so that doesn't help either... My 2005 Optra would run at 800 RPM all the time. I dunno hopefully there will be an ECU update for all this - I really don't think anyone is seeing 47 MPG without significant effort... In a Prius / Camry Hybrid you can get 50 MPG very very easily without trying so hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggnutts Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 By far my most efficient drive: mileage 2.JPG Holy cow! Did you push it?! ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggnutts Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 I've noticed that if the battery gauge gets down near a quarter left, the ice will come on and give me the hat over the battery gauge to show it is charging back up, even if I'm in a section of my commute where it has used pure ev before. I've heard of people putting batteries in the fridge for storage to preserve their charge longer. Maybe on colder days the battery doesn't work very well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSKershaw Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 Check out this video at the 7 minute mark. Very interesting!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broncosCA Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 Holy cow! Did you push it?! Hah. Here's what I find interesting. Went into the hills a little bit to go for a hike. The drive there was mostly uphill, and I think that 6 mile trip I averaged about 25mpg. But then the drive home (which is then mostly downhill) I get that monster 132mpg, making the whole trip's average about 78.5. But on my regular commutes to and fro work which involves a few hills here and there, I wind up with an average of 34mpg. I think my lifetime average as I approach 1k miles is about 34.2 now. Kind of frustrating, because I don't know if it's just the car that's not getting close to what's advertised, or if it's my driving, or my wife's driving or what. I mean, 34 is still loads better than my Jeep, but I'd at least like to crack the 40 mark. And weather surely isn't a factor as I'm in socal. I'm hoping things greatly improve when the summer blend is released. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkeRetribution Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 (edited) Check out this video at the 7 minute mark. Very interesting!!! Duhh..I was the first in this forum to question Fords methods and madness for obtaining 47 mpg combined. And it's still very much unobtainable except by people wasting gas going uphill in one direction and driving downhill in another to get 50-60mpg...which sadly, means nothing in everyday, NORMAL, driving. Everyone here's in denial but this is a Ford fanbase..so it makes sense..but keeping it real...it's no surprise 6 months later people are still questioning the fusion/c-max EPA numbers. im still getting my hybrid titanium..but i've come to live with the fact whatever i get with it is better than a non-hybrid counterpart so that alone makes me happy. Furthermore, the more MPG i can get on my daily commute, the more surprising i'll be..but if i was someone interested in the new fusion hybrid i would not buy it based on the EPA estimates as Ford would advertise you do, because this car has some shifty engineering and quality issues known all to well to members of this forum, some of which may keep you from achieving those numbers on your own as a lifetime goal. Edited February 20, 2013 by DarkeRetribution Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 Duhh..I was the first in this forum to question Fords EPA's methods and madness for obtaining 47 mpg combined. FTFY. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Fusion Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Well I've never seen the ICE run under 1,100 ish RPM so that doesn't help either... My 2005 Optra would run at 800 RPM all the time. I dunno hopefully there will be an ECU update for all this - I really don't think anyone is seeing 47 MPG without significant effort... In a Prius / Camry Hybrid you can get 50 MPG very very easily without trying so hard. Definitely not true with the heavier Camry. More true in the de-tuned, under powered Prius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expresspotato Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Definitely not true with the heavier Camry. More true in the de-tuned, under powered Prius. It is true with the 2012 Camry - I took one out from Auto Share (a car sharing service here in Toronto) and had little problem getting excellent milage right off the bat. My 2013 Fusion Hybrid on the other hand struggles as it warms up. An interesting note - The software is not configured properly for the air flaps... I took a look at mine in the driveway and they were half open while the engine was warming up in -5c temperatures. Sure lets let freezing air into a cold engine? Hmmm time for an ECU update! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neod192 Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 I think the shutters are programmed to close when you go over a certain speed (55mph sounds familiar), not when the engine is cold. Watch the lunch date with the hybrid designers video for the explanation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarcastic6 Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 I don't think it would make much of a difference when the engine is cold... I doubt the t-stat has coolant flowing to the radiator at that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 I don't think it would make much of a difference when the engine is cold... I doubt the t-stat has coolant flowing to the radiator at that point. It's not for warm-up - it's for better aerodynamics and less drag at high speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expresspotato Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 (edited) Oh... Well it would kinda make sense to keep it closed during cold starts, considering its only a software change. So has anyone else checked to see if they're spark plugs are already fouled from the ECU providing too rich a mixture resulting in poor fuel economy? Edited February 22, 2013 by expresspotato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jschmitt3 Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 I'll be curious if anyone has taken a hard look at this .... I'm wondering wether heavy usage of the adaptive cruise control is needed to get close to the Ford advertised MPG ratings .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 I'll be curious if anyone has taken a hard look at this ....I'm wondering wether heavy usage of the adaptive cruise control is needed to get close to the Ford advertised MPG ratings .... Not really. In fact you'll do better if you let the car slow down a little going uphill and coast more going downhill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hermans Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 I only use ACC when I'm on the turnpike or freeway and get mid 40s. I have also traveled the same routes without the ACC and still get mid 40s and better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggnutts Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Mpg with use of acc on eco can very depending on how many times it has to speed up to the mph setting, when cars in front of you vary their speed. I get good results by doing no more than a 60 mph setting, because most people are going much faster, so I never get people slowing down in front if me. Also, I find that ev mode doesn't activate when I'm going faster than 60 mph, even when I'm going down hill, and have a full battery gauge, and let up fully off the gas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibinubu12 Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Also, I find that ev mode doesn't activate when I'm going faster than 60 mph, even when I'm going down hill, and have a full battery gauge, and let up fully off the gas. 62 MPH is the maximum speed for EV-only operation on Ford's 3rd generation hybrid systems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmadole Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I'll be curious if anyone has taken a hard look at this ....I'm wondering wether heavy usage of the adaptive cruise control is needed to get close to the Ford advertised MPG ratings .... I use adaptive cruise for 90% of my commute... I am at a lifetime average of 30MPG ... Yes you read that right 30 MPG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggnutts Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I use adaptive Eco as well for 90% of my commute and I've got 36.1 lifetime avg mpg. What speed are you setting cruse at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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