Slow Highway Cruising

[Rhynri]

Yeah, I have a notebook somewhere of all the Cavi's fills (probably still in it)  I once got 27, but I literally had my foot flat to the floor nearly that entire tank (woo curvy wisconsin logging roads, and uh, yeah, I was a teenager...) otherwise, it would range from 38 to 44, generally around 40-42.  It was also a (no-frills - no remote trunk release even) base model 2.2l manual, which most of the fuelly cars aren't, I'm wagering.  The auto really neutered that engine, that and that super restrictive exhaust.  It was like a new engine after fixing the exhaust, started much easier, and had a lot more get up and go, and better mileage.  It was pretty much the first thing I did to the car when I got it (it was my first car).  It probably is a pretty special Cavi, looking at the other fuelly tracked Cavaliers there.  :shift:  Like you mention, those old high mpg cars were often lacking in other areas.

I'm well aware of how averages work, but I have seen what you mean.  That said, I DID keep every tank the old fashioned way, and it was very consistant.

I mentioned that the Dart weighs less than the Energi, but I think the weight varies significantly between models by up to 200 lbs.  My 500lb number was from weighing both vehicles on a grain leg scale, drivers and cargo included. The Dart, as I mentioned, is (surprisingly) quite a bit bigger than a sportwagen.  So I'd expect a fusion to absolutely dwarf a SW, since it's longer than a Dart, and a Dart is longer, wider, taller, and lower (ground clearance) than a sportwagen.  At least for 2013 MYs for both.  Go figure!

My FFET has 3300 on it, about 2100 of which at my best estimate without looking at the trip meter  - I haven't reset the first one since I got it - is engine-on time.  At least the break-in to good mileage isn't the 20k it seems to be on the TDIs.

Lastly, AFAIK the Atkinson cycle in most hybrid engines is holding the intake valve open through part of the compression stroke, and isn't integral to their start-stop abilities, since you can find start-stop on everything from v8s to diesels now.     For example, the Volt does not use Atkinson cycle.  I imagine the lower compression doesn't hurt though.

As an addendum, I always fill on the first click (slowest setting), and always fill to full.  I even try to get the same physical pump each time.  I'm OCD about mileage and such to the point I tinkered with the computer on my first VW TDI because it was consistantly 2mpg off from what my pen-and-paper results were. 

 

Ever tracked MPG by writing in the dust on your dash?  XD  Did that too!

Edited January 14, 2015 at 04:22 PM by Rhynri

[Rexracer]

Yeah, I have a notebook somewhere of all the Cavi's fills (probably still in it)  I once got 27, but I literally had my foot flat to the floor nearly that entire tank (woo curvy wisconsin logging roads, and uh, yeah, I was a teenager...) otherwise, it would range from 38 to 44, generally around 40-42.  It was also a (no-frills - no remote trunk release even) base model 2.2l manual, which most of the fuelly cars aren't, I'm wagering.  The auto really neutered that engine, that and that super restrictive exhaust.  It was like a new engine after fixing the exhaust, started much easier, and had a lot more get up and go, and better mileage.  It was pretty much the first thing I did to the car when I got it (it was my first car).  It probably is a pretty special Cavi, looking at the other fuelly tracked Cavaliers there.  :shift:  Like you mention, those old high mpg cars were often lacking in other areas.

 

I'm well aware of how averages work, but I have seen what you mean.  That said, I DID keep every tank the old fashioned way, and it was very consistant.

 

I mentioned that the Dart weighs less than the Energi, but I think the weight varies significantly between models by up to 200 lbs.  My 500lb number was from weighing both vehicles on a grain leg scale, drivers and cargo included. The Dart, as I mentioned, is (surprisingly) quite a bit bigger than a sportwagen.  So I'd expect a fusion to absolutely dwarf a SW, since it's longer than a Dart, and a Dart is longer, wider, taller, and lower (ground clearance) than a sportwagen.  At least for 2013 MYs for both.  Go figure!

 

My FFET has 3300 on it, about 2100 of which at my best estimate without looking at the trip meter  - I haven't reset the first one since I got it - is engine-on time.  At least the break-in to good mileage isn't the 20k it seems to be on the TDIs.

 

Lastly, AFAIK the Atkinson cycle in most hybrid engines is holding the intake valve open through part of the compression stroke, and isn't integral to their start-stop abilities, since you can find start-stop on everything from v8s to diesels now.     For example, the Volt does not use Atkinson cycle.  I imagine the lower compression doesn't hurt though.

 

As an addendum, I always fill on the first click (slowest setting), and always fill to full.  I even try to get the same physical pump each time.  I'm OCD about mileage and such to the point I tinkered with the computer on my first VW TDI because it was 2mpg off from what my pen-and-paper results were. 

 

Good to see you have all your bases covered, and based on what you are saying, I would definitely get your car to a dealer. I haven't seen anyone report as low of mileage as your experiencing.

Let us know what they find!

[Hybridbear]

You can read more about how the FFE ICE behaves on the freeway here: http://fordfusionhybridforum.com/topic/9689-road-trip-observations-with-torque-pro/?p=91961

 

I'd recommend going to the dealer. If you're only getting 4-6 miles of EV Now range before depleting your battery it sounds like you are fighting against a deadweight somewhere. Also, 2500 RPM on the interstate is really high, our car is around 2000 on flat ground at 65 MPH.

[Rhynri]

Thanks for that link, bear.  That's a fantastic thread.  I learned a lot from it.

[Rhynri]

I've got an appointment for the car.  You know you've been to the dealer for service issues too often when your car goes into EV+ mode whenever you drive by.  (And the dealership is not even in my GPS.)

Edited January 16, 2015 at 10:42 PM by Rhynri

[Griff]

If you charged your vehicle there and it was there for a length of time, you'll get the EV+ symbol. I took mine to the dealer once (for 2 weeks)and I got the same thing.

[Rhynri]

I've never charged it there.  So far as I know, they never have either.  If anything, the opposite happens, it goes there with a full battery and comes back stone dead, the ignition having been on for several hours.  It's just been there a lot.  That, and it was kind of a joke, sorry!  ;)  

[larryh]

Any frequent destination (regardless of whether you charge there or not) results in EV+  mode.

Edited January 25, 2015 at 10:45 PM by larryh

[shaggy314]

Well, except for one year, I have most of the tanks for my Acura and (so far) all of my fusion's on Fuelly. My Integra GS, after 20+ years, was still over 31 MPG.

 

Fuelly don't believe I can get over 4,000 on one tank if I'm charging a lot and it is warm so I had to lie and say they were 3900 instead of 4600 & 4200, but winter time lets me get back to actual odometer.

[BLFarnsworth]

My trip meter on the way home read 55.7 miles, 3.5 EV miles, 0.3 regen miles // 32.8 mpg, 1.7kWh, 98% brake score.  That's with a tailwind and the battery eating all the actual acceleration on and off the freeway.  Had the heat on as cold as I could (60F) with fan on 1 and floor vent and defrost vent selected.  Car showed zero climate-control draw.

 

I watched the instant MPG on the way home, on any downhill insufficient to switch to electricity, it would not crest 35 (my average for this tank - I've done a fair share of pure EV on it).  on flats it would rarely peak above 30, and uphills it would occasionally turn yellow.  RPMs on the engine never seemed to dip much below 2500.  This is at 70 with very few deviations.

 

Does this reflect other's observations?  It was around 10 degrees today.  I keep ~40 psi in my tires.  Smelled burnt rubber out of nowhere on the drive again.  Still no CEL.

 

It also seems to plow through EV mileage.  It takes a full charge to go 4-6 miles, even with the engine preheated with the block heater.

 

@Rhynri, Sorry to hear that you're having issues with your car. I've had my FFE SE for just under 1 month and I've just gone over 2400 miles already (a lot more miles than I really want to drive in a month -- but I've had a lot of trips to make since getting the car). 

 

I've driven mostly highway miles; a typical day this month was 150 miles round-trip and only the 1 full charge from overnight charging on 120V. Based on just dividing miles driven by gallons for the first 3 gas fill-ups, I'm generally getting 55 MPG overall, but if I subtract the "EV" miles from the previous night's charge, I'm getting 45 MPG. I'm perfectly happy with that and the MPG is much better than the 38 MPG I was expecting.

 

My "Trip Summary" screen that's displayed on a typical 75-mile trip, where about 8 of that is non-freeway driving, I'll usually end up with between 45 and 56 MPG -- and that's been pretty consistent since getting the car. During my around-town errands I'm getting on average about 20 EV miles on a single charge. I also haven't noticed any strange burning smells so far.

 

Have you been able to take the car to your dealer yet? Have they been able to find out what's wrong? 

 

I hope it gets sorted out quickly for you.

Edited January 31, 2015 at 04:50 AM by BLFarnsworth