If there were a limit it would seem it could be a battery thing. Pehaps the battery behaves better after some use... IE cell phone manuals often say the battery capacity will improve after several charge discarge cycles. I suppose they could put a hard limit on current draw until they feel the battery has been conditioned enough to improve the service life of the battery etc.

 

Coincidence or not I have noticed similiar performance on my 2006 MMH. I've recently been able to coast several long downhills around town at 45+MPH without the ICE kicking in. I can also use the EV system on starts up to 35 and approaching 40 at some points before the ICE jumps in. I was never was able to do any of this pre 1K miles but have noticed some significant performance changes post 1K.

 

hmmmmm. I think I've started a conspiracy theory!!!! Someone get the CIA involved!

 

Too late.

 

Hi, I think I noticed the same thing driving our FEH, I was only able to get to 30 in the first 1k and now it seems I can push 35 on the flats.. It would be nice if we (hybrid drivers) could lock out the ICE while in town and monitor a battery guage to hopefully prevent battery damage.. Don't our cars go to EV only when they run out of gas, and how far will the PCM allow them to go in EV only?? Sorry if I've raised some old questions since I'm new to this forum and still getting the feel of it..
Thanks
Mike

 

From what people have said.... about 2 miles or so and I think it lets you drain the battery more in that mode than normally. Doing it frequently MIGHT shorten the battery life since NiMHs don't particularly like being fully discharged. The intent with the FEH was to make a car that you don't have to think about and is no different to drive. Lockout buttons would have defeated that purpose I guess.

 

Thanks Tim,
Only 2 mile range for 300+ lbs of batteries, can that be right?? I was hoping for 10 or more... About disconnecting the ICE battery, I thought that this was for clearing codes on most "other" cars, does Ford recommend this ?? I wonder I we can tap into the Ford's hybrid engineering dept' ( maybe a rogue associate) for definitive answers..
Thanks
Mike

 

I could be wrong on that, but its not alot. We have to remember we aren't really driving electric vehicles. The battery is really only there to help capture braking energy and to provide boost when extra power is required. Driving on electric for short periods is nice and improves mileage, but the vehicle isn't really intended as an EV. To keep the battery lifetime up to 8 years 100,000 the amount of discharge allowed is a pretty small range. For that purpose the vehicle doesn't need a really high capacity battery... therefore NiMH batteries work.

 

I get my 2miles from a post elsewhere by gpsman1. I can't guarantee accuracy but from the posts he's put up here, I'd say he knows what he's talking about.:

>I have run out of gas twice.
>The battery will drain further than the typical 40%, but the exact SOC is unknown... >but it is a very low level.

>If you are in a "normal" condition for EV, then you get the full 0-40 MPH.
>BEFORE SOME SENSOR TRIPS...

>AFTER some failsafe sensor trips, the FEH enters "limp home mode" and you are >computer limited to 22 mph.

>Gary had a unique, not typical occurance.
>In most cases, if you run out of gas, you will get 0-22 MPH and 0-2 miles

 

Looking only at the EV range per battery charge cycle is only part of the picture. One major reason the FEH (and other hybrids with auto-ICE off) has higher fuel economy over a gasoline-only Escape is that it shuts off its ICE automatically at stop lights and creeping traffic. Zero emissions, zero gas burned while everyone else sits with their ICE running at each stop light and in creeping slow traffic. Obviously, you're not moving when you're at a stop light, but you are gaining the benefit of no emissions and no fuel use in those conditions anytime the battery has sufficient charge that the ICE doesn't come on to charge it.

A lighter, smaller and more aerodynamic gas-electric hybrid might have slightly longer range in EV only mode, but like others have pointed out, none of us are driving electric-only vehicles. It's a step in the right direction, but it's not a "killer app" that delivers amazing range per charge.

Also, it's arguable that if the current hyrbrid's didn't "baby" their high voltage batteries (to ensure they last for as long as possible, as optimally as possible) we could all get some good additional range in EV only mode. But I'd rather my battery last through its warranty period and beyond rather than "abuse" it for some fuel economy gains until manufacturers have a better idea of the broadest operating range these baby's can actually handle.