Best use of AUTO/EV/EV Later modes for my 67 mile commute

[TDurickMD]

New Forum user and fairly new to my used 2013 Fusion Energi (Titanium). I recently purchased a 2014 Fusion Hybrid that I loved to much I decided to switch to the Energi and love it even more!

 

I need advice from the more savvy EV/EV later users here with my unusual commute. My commute to work is 67 miles each way and the start from home puts me on a 17 miles stretch almost immediately that is uphill for the first 7 miles (ascending about 1800 feet ... not a real mountain but that's what they call it) and then back down the next 7 miles. Right now I have been starting out in EV mode, full charge, climbing the first 7 miles leaving about 4-7 miles of EV capability left at the top, regenerating an additional 3-4 EV miles on the descent. After that it is all highway except for the last mile which is city streets. By using EV mode to climb the hill and the regeneration I can usually travel the first 25+ miles on all EV mode. I do the speed limit the entire time which is 50 mph on the hill, 65 mph the rest of the way.

 

My question is how to best use the EV and EV later modes. Should I climb the hill using EV Later and save the EV for the highway section or use it and regenerate some on the downhill section? What will maximize economy? I do not currently have the option to recharge at work (but I am working on it).

 

Your thoughts and experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Tom

[jeff_h]

Sample around yourself to find what works best for you - but I don't know if using the EV on the first 7 miles uphill is a good move, it may work out better to save that HVB for later... but again sample different ways to see.

[stevedebi]

I like using the Auto mode for uphill. Go to EV Later when entering the freeway, then when the hill gets there let the engine get a couple thousand RPM and then switch to Auto. Leave it in auto until you get back down to the other side of the hill, and switch back to EV Later. Then switch to EV Now when you exit the freeway. Do the exact same thing when you drive home.

 

I find it is most efficient to use the battery to assist the ICE when going uphill, rather than using EV Now on the uphill.

 

If you can charge at work, the you could use up some more of the HVB getting there, and then use up more getting back. I'm assuming you can't do that, and only charge up at home.

Edited July 22, 2015 at 09:10 PM by stevedebi

[Hybridbear]

I'd use up only as much HVB going uphill as you need to so as to not waste energy going down. Then use EV Later because high power demand situations are best provided by the ICE. That way you regen downhill back to filling the HVB. You want to use the HVB on the freeway when power demand is low for maximum efficiency. Use the ICE at higher power demand. On the trip home I'd try to run the HVB charge as low as needed right as you crest the hill and begin the downhill stretch home so that you can do that stretch all EV.

[rbort]

Start with Auto mode, driving in EV up the hill.  If possible slow down to 40mph instead of 50.

 

Drain the battery down to some percentage (you have to experiment), let me guess 60% for you.  At that level push EV later and start the engine.  Maintain 40 to 45mph so that the engine doesn't need to run more the 1500 rpms while climbing.  It needs to warm up anyways and use the rest of the hill to warm it up.

 

At the top of the hill shut off the engine and recharge on the way down.  Your goal is to get back as close to 100% HVB charge level as possible by the time you reach the bottom of the hill.  Then drive the next 3 miles in EV power at 40mph again until you reach the highway.  Once there start the engine again in EV later and drive at 65mph. 

 

Use Auto the last mile off the highway to work.  See what % you get there and how much battery is left.

 

On the way home the goal is to use the rest of it, get home (actually in your case to the top of the hill 7 miles from home) with 0% HVB and as close to a full hybrid battery as possible.  

 

Ideally if you decide to burn the battery on the highway, slow down to 50mph.  If you need to burn it but don't want to slow down, do the reverse of charging the HVB while driving on the highway to drain it, (see my post on how to do that in the Cmax Energi Forum).  Basically use the battery only on low power, 1 bar on average not 2 bars.  This means it will be used on downhills or slight downhills but not any uphills on the highway.  You have about 49 miles on the highway according to what you say, so you should be able to crank down the battery some by the time you get to the office, and do the same on the way home leaving enough % to do the hill and the rest of the way home.  Like bear said, you'd want to arrive at the top of the hill on the return trip with a dead battery and recharge it the last 7 miles to your house.

 

Experiment and give us some more data, and/or give us the origin and destination so I can look it up on google maps and give you more advice.

 

-=>Raja.

Edited July 23, 2015 at 04:20 AM by rbort

[rbort]

Need more data

 

 

 

 Right now I have been starting out in EV mode, full charge, climbing the first 7 miles leaving about 4-7 miles of EV capability left at the top, regenerating an additional 3-4 EV miles on the descent. After that it is all highway except for the last mile which is city streets. By using EV mode to climb the hill and the regeneration I can usually travel the first 25+ miles on all EV mode.

 

If you go up the hill all in EV mode, down the other side (7 miles) plus the additional 3 miles, then start the engine and drive 49 miles in EV later, then do the last mile in EV mode, how much battery will you have left when you get to the office?

 

And if you do it again but drive in EV mode at 40mph instead of 50, how much battery will be left when you get to the office?

 

-=>Raja.

Edited July 23, 2015 at 04:30 AM by rbort

[lonzo71]

I'm 48 miles one way and tho I dont have a hill/mountain...What I do is ev later on the hwy and auto on local. I also just do 5 over the speedlimit. I do have a few little hills so I've been trying to see what kind of changes can I make, but I seems I fail at it because you have to switch more often..and frankly, I'm either too tired to care, too busy IE traffic or just rock'n out to some tunes...

[shaggy314]

For me I found auto works 99% of the time. I save the battery for street driving. Best use on my 19.2 mile commute to work is auto save for a hill that I switch to EV later until I get to the top.

 

When driving home from more than 20 miles away I save 5 miles for the part that is on side streets where the car does better on battery.

[TDurickMD]

I'd use up only as much HVB going uphill as you need to so as to not waste energy going down. Then use EV Later because high power demand situations are best provided by the ICE. That way you regen downhill back to filling the HVB. You want to use the HVB on the freeway when power demand is low for maximum efficiency. Use the ICE at higher power demand. On the trip home I'd try to run the HVB charge as low as needed right as you crest the hill and begin the downhill stretch home so that you can do that stretch all EV.

Seems to work best so far. I use EV Later up the hill, regenerate the small amount of charge used on the downhill side and have managed a best 74.2 mpg on the 67 mile drive with an average of about 69 mpg! Just got the ability to plug in at work so LOOK OUT!