Basically, yes Brady.

Since this is an automatic after all, it was decided by the "high ups" that it should behave and feel like an automatic.

Manual car drivers know they are in a manual and know how to drive it.

Having an automatic behave like a manual, would be fine after it became commonplace... and all automatics behaved like that. Remember the early slogans for hybrids were "You turn the key and drive it like any other car... no plug required."

#1 I think the creep was a wise idea... for now...

#2 I do not think any power is being wasted when you are fully stopped with a foot on the brake pedal.

 

I would have liked a version of the FEH with a fake stick. Have a 5 speed stick with some sound effects and a fake clutch pedal (hook it to the regen so I can pump the clutch and make electricity)!

Roch

 

In the past year, I have to agree with you, only I'd want a real clutch!
For those who want exceptional gas mileage, not just good mileage, a manual shift with clutch pedal would be real handy.

We all know the manual Insight does quite a bit better then the sister automatic. And manual cars in general do a bit better on MPG.
OTOH, this is not a typical automatic tranny either.

So far, GaryG is the only person who thinks there is a mechanical disconnect when he shifts to Neutral in his FEH. Hey, I'd love for that to be true, but there is overwhelming evidence it is not true. There is a one-way clutch to prevent damage to the ICE, but that's all that has been found. Think of a ratchet. Apply torque to the handle ( ICE ) and the socket (wheels) turn. Apply torque to the socket ( wheels ) and the handle ( ICE ) does not turn.

This would also work when towing.
ICE on... puts torque to the spinning wheels.
ICE off... wheels turning put zero torque on the ICE.

This would also protect the car in a rear-end collision.
A sudden push from behind has the same net torque as a tow from the front. A sudden push from behind would put zero torque on the ICE, due to the one-way clutch.

In fact, the one-way clutch is probably the exact reason there can be no direct engine brake, only a simulated engine brake with the electric motors doing all the work. Make sense?

If that's the mechanical disconnect he is so proud of, then that makes sense. The N disconnect when driving makes no sense. Old paradigms are hard to get rid of I guess.

 

John, the one-way clutch allows the small generator to contribute to wheel (Output shaft) torque, it is not a disconnect between the traction motor and the wheels. The disconnect system is needed for among other things, traction motor seizure from foreign debris, broken components and coil insulation failure. If you had a motor seizure where the wheel locked up and caused an accident, Ford would have some big liability problems. The neutral tow is a bonus that was designed into the system. The workshop manual and the patent is written information about the disengagement of the drive wheels. The test that I conducted and documented here on GH is further evidence that a disconnect of some type between the output shaft and the wheels exist. If the one-way clutch was this disconnect as you have overwhelming evidence, where is it? How does it separate the traction motor from the wheels? Old paradigm are not my problem, you have had a hard time with neutral for a long time now.

GaryG

 

Take a look at this Ford patent about torque cancellation. Begin with this.

It may be considered desirable, in certain like driving situations, for certain operational characteristics of an electric vehicle to mimic those of a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine acting through a drivetrain that has an automatic transmission. For example, when an internal combustion engine powered vehicle is operated on a horizontal surface with the automatic transmission in a forward or reverse drive gear, and without either the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal being depressed, it may be deemed desirable for the idling engine to deliver enough torque through the drivetrain to cause the vehicle to accelerate in the direction of the selected gear from zero speed to some calibratable, yet fairly small, running speed at which the torque is just sufficient to maintain that speed. This is often referred to a vehicle creep. Application of the friction brake opposes vehicle creep.

The present invention relates to a torque control strategy for management of regenerative braking that comprises novel inter-relationships between a PCM and a BCU. The inventive principles provide a comprehensive torque control strategy that includes a sub-strategy for grade hold and creep torque management. It is believed that the inventive principles can contribute to improved overall operating efficiency of an electric vehicle while maintaining grade hold capability.
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6278916.html

GaryG