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I've had my Fusion for over a year and a half and I just went over 30k miles. When charging at home overnight I usually wake to between 17 and 19 miles available for E miles When charging at work it's 19-21. All of this on around 6.3-6.5 kWh, Suddenly those numbers have spiked to 19-22 at home and 22-25 at work. Anyone else experience this?

I thought I would share some of the knowledge I have gained by analyzing the data I have been gathering from my car that could prove useful in improving EV mode mileage. But in this first post, I wish to establish a context to discuss efficient driving techniques that I plan to discuss in subsequent posts. There are three basic forms of energy that we need to be concerned with when driving the car: Electrical energy from the HVB, Kinetic energy from the car’s motion, and Potential energy associated with the car’s elevation.There are also several frictional forces that come into play: Aerodynamic drag, Tire rolling resistance, Various internal frictions associated with the transmission, wheel bearings, gears, etc. Slippage associated with transmitting power from the wheels to the road, etc.The efficiency of the conversion between these different forms of energy along with the frictional forces acting on the car determines the mileage we get when driving the car. The latter two types of energy, Kinetic and Potential, are referred to as Mechanical energy vs. Electrical energy. The conversion between Kinetic and Potential Energy (in the absence of frictional forces) is 100% efficient. When coasting, the car slows down when going up a hill, converting Kinetic to Potential Energy. The car speeds up when going downhill converting Potential to Kinetic Energy. The motor converts Electrical to Mechanical energy. In normal driving, the motor efficiency ranges from about 50% to 90%, depending on the power output of the motor. The motor is more efficient (up to a limit) when outputting more power. The motor also converts Mechanical to Electrical Energy via regen. The efficiency of this conversion is very good, i.e. greater than 95%. It is slightly more efficient with increasing power. In the absence of frictional forces, the total amount of Mechanical Energy output by the motor for any trip that returned to the starting location would be zero. The Mechanical Energy output by the motor to accelerate the car would be returned back to the motor during deceleration. Similarly, the Mechanical Energy output by the motor to go up a hill would be returned back to the motor when coming back down. If all energy conversions were 100% efficient, the total amount of Electrical Energy consumed for the trip would also be zero. The reason that energy is consumed from the HVB is that frictional forces act on the car and the conversion between Electrical and Mechanical energy is not 100% efficient. Frictional forces increase with the square of the speed of the car. Going 60 mph vs 30 mph requires a lot more energy to go the same distance (more than double). The only thing that can be done to reduce the impact of frictional forces on mileage is to drive slower. To improve mileage, we also want to minimize the conversion between Electrical and Mechanical energy. Obviously, we must convert some Electrical to Mechanical energy or the car won’t go anywhere. However, there are many ways we can avoid unnecessary conversions. Trying to maintain a constant speed is one technique that can be used to avoid unnecessary conversion between Electrical and Mechanical Energy. If you speed up, gaining 0.01 kWh of Mechanical energy, the conversion from Electrical to Mechanical energy might be about 80% efficient and would require 0.01/0.8 = 0.0125 kWh of Electrical energy. If you immediately slow back down again via regen, the efficiency of the conversion from Mechanical to Electrical energy would be about 95% and you would capture 0.01*0.95 = 0.0095 kWh of Electrical energy. Versus going at a constant speed, you will have consumed an additional 0.0125 – 0.0095 = 0.003 kWh of Electrical energy. Actually, you will have consumed even more since frictional forces are greater at higher speeds. This is one reason why driving in Low is inefficient, if you are not careful, you will cause unnecessary and wasteful conversions between Electrical and Mechanical energy. There are several additional ways to avoid unnecessary conversions between Electrical and Mechanical energy. If you need to stop for a stop light, it is better to slow down sooner than later. If you wish to accelerate, it is better to accelerate slower than faster. When going up a hill, use up some of the Kinetic Energy to go up the hill by allowing the car to slow down a little. When descending the hill, use up some of the Potential Energy allowing the car to regain speed. Conversions between Kinetic and Potential energy are 100% efficient. Converting Electrical to Mechanical Energy to accelerate up the hill and then use regen to convert some of the Potential Energy back to Electrical energy is wasteful.

Ford Fusion Energi Plug-In Hybrid Rated Up to 108 MPGe City, Making It America’s Most Fuel-Efficient Sedan; Ford Projects Best Hybrid Sales Quarter Ever The all-new 2013 Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid will offer up to an EPA-estimated 108 MPGe city, making it America’s most fuel-efficient sedan by besting Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid by 5 MPGeFord projects 19,000-plus hybrid/electric vehicle sales in the fourth quarter of this year, making it the company’s best quarter for hybrids ever and besting its own previous hybrid vehicle sales record by more than 50 percent; more than half of hybrid sales this year expected to come in this periodFusion Energi delivers power of choice for leading fuel economy as Ford’s fifth electrified vehicle launching in the last 13 months and the fifth powertrain for the all-new Fusion, recently voted Green Car of the Year by Green Car JournalFord is seeing demand for fuel economy across its lineup as the brand ranks No. 1 in fuel economy customer satisfaction by J.D. Power and now beats Toyota for leading efficiency in every segment where both compete Fusion Energi Owners – The 2013 Ford Fusion – recently voted Green Car of the Year – just got greener as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency certified the new Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid at up to 108 MPGe, making it America’s most fuel-efficient sedan. Fusion Energi is the Ford brand’s fifth electrified vehicle to launch in the past year and is expected to accelerate the company’s record hybrid sales pace, including its highest monthly hybrid sales month ever in November. Ford is seeing demand for fuel economy across its lineup as the brand ranks No. 1 in fuel economy customer satisfaction by J.D. Power and now beats Toyota for leading efficiency in every segment where both compete. The EPA also certified Fusion Energi to deliver up to 92 MPGe highway and a combined 100 MPGe – figures that could potentially help save customers an estimated $6,850 in fuel costs compared with an average new car over the course of five years. Click to download PDF. “The Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid is the exclamation point for Ford’s transformed lineup of fuel-efficiency leaders that now beats Toyota across the board,” said Raj Nair, group vice president, Global Product Development. Adding to Fusion Energi’s value – and the myriad ways it beats Toyota Prius plug-in – are its innovative technologies that are designed to help win over both novice and pro hybrid owners. SmartGauge® with EcoGuide, for example, provides in-vehicle customizable displays, including instantaneous fuel economy readings and coaching functions to help drivers understand and optimize their fuel efficiency. SYNC® with MyFord Touch® offers multiple ways – including voice commands – for customers to manage and control their phone, available navigation, entertainment and climate functions. Plug-in hybrids and all-electric models have additional options for monitoring information like battery state of charge. EV+ combines the built-in GPS of Ford SYNC with proprietary software algorithms developed by Ford engineers to learn frequent destinations. As a result, vehicles give drivers more drive time in electric-only mode. Such technologies have helped get sales for Ford’s electrified vehicle lineup up and running. With more than 19,000 hybrid vehicle sales projected, the automaker expects total fourth-quarter hybrid sales to set an all-time record for a three-month period, with more than half of hybrid sales this year expected to come in the fourth quarter. In fact, C-MAX became the fastest-selling hybrid ever at launch after 8,030 units were sold in October and November, the first two months C-MAX was on the market. The pace beat Toyota Camry Hybrid’s 7,300 sales in its first two full months of availability in May and June 2006. “The response to C-MAX really shows the amount of pent-up demand from a specific market for C-segment hybrids,” says C.J. O’Donnell, marketing manager, Ford Electrified Vehicles. “Fusion Energi has a different audience in the midsize sedan market, but delivers many of the characteristics and technologies that make C-MAX Energi so great, which is why we’re anticipating a similar positive response.” C-MAX is geared toward those most concerned with fuel economy, but designed so that owners aren’t forced to sacrifice comfort and convenience. Fusion is designed with the driver’s sense of style in mind, delivering a midsize sedan that offers functional design elements that enhance its sleek exterior and promote fuel economy. A video explaining the origin of Fusion Energi can be found . With Fusion Energi and Fusion Hybrid, the all-new Fusion lineup brings the widest range of powertrain options to the U.S. midsize segment. Fusion also is available in gas-powered versions with a choice between a pair of fuel-efficient EcoBoost® engines and a normally aspirated four-cylinder engine. The addition of Fusion Energi gives customers yet another Ford option when shopping for an electrified vehicle – already available are Focus Electric, Fusion Hybrid, C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi. Three of the vehicles – Focus Electric, C-MAX Energi and now Fusion Energi – have received EPA ratings of 100 MPGe or more. Focus Electric delivers EPA-estimated ratings of 110 MPGe city, 99 MPGe highway and 105 MPGe combined, making it America’s most fuel-efficient five-passenger car. C-MAX Energi has an EPA-estimated rating of 108 MPGe city, 92 MPGe highway and 100 MPGe combined. Focus Electric went on sale in late 2011, followed by C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi – the two vehicles that make up Ford’s first hybrid-only line in North America – this past autumn. Fusing technologiesMany of the innovative technologies of Fusion Energi are shared across Ford’s electrified vehicle lineup and draw from the automaker’s portfolio of about 500 patents related specifically to hybrid technology:MyFord® Mobile: Enables access via smartphone or Web-based interface to perform key tasks, such as monitoring a vehicle’s state of charge and current range or locating charge stations and planning routes to find themEco cruise: Saves vehicle energy by relaxing acceleration compared to standard cruise controlEV mode button: Conveniently mounted on the console to the right of the shifter – allows a driver to switch vehicle operation between three modes: all-electric, normal hybrid operation and conserve battery power for later useRegenerative braking is capable of capturing and reusing more than 90 percent of the braking energy normally lost during the braking processHybrid transmission, designed by Ford engineers in-house, is capable of operating at high speeds and in a smooth, fuel-efficient manner at the same timeAdvanced lithium-ion batteries used in Ford’s electrified vehicle lineup – covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile component limited warranty – are smaller and lighter than nickel-metal-hybrid batteries used in previous-generation hybridsCharge port with LED light ring, conveniently located on the driver’s side and near the front of the car, it features a light ring that illuminates to indicate charge status