If you could back fit your FEH/MMH inexpensively with more refined FE features, what comes to mind. Things that Ford didn't build into our hybrids. Three things immediately come to my mind. How about you?

1) “EV Start Mode”, mentioned many times in this forum. This would allow starting in EV mode, SOC permitting, then the ICE comes on at the 40% SOC.

2) "Max EV Power Mode", that would be activated by a button, that would do the following. Press and hold the button, then press the accelerator. This sequence would signal the computer to propel the car at maximum allowable EV torque WITHOUT crossing the power threshold that forces the ICE on. Examples would be taking off from a traffic light, and you want to build speed in EV mode as quickly as you can before the ICE kicks in (or the impatient people behind you start waving), but it's so easy to press a bit too hard, and the ICE comes on earlier than you want. It's happened to all of us. This computer controlled mode would eliminate excessive pedal pressure from engaging the ICE until you either release the button, the SOC or engine temp falls below the threshold, or you reach the magical ~40 mph. This would not compromise any of the other built in constraints. You could accomplish this now without any modification if you could apply and sustain the 'exact' gas pedal pressure to stay at max EV power. But nobody is that perfect, and even getting close takes a lot of concentration that should be devoted to driving. Nobody could possibly do as well as the computer that always knows what the ICE crossover threshold is.

The last 3/4 mile from my house, depending on OAT and SOC, I can make it in the garage on EV power if I take the small hills slowly and then build speed down the hills to make it up the last hill. But I have to be very precise on the pedal. Often times in colder weather, I go too slow up the hill to be sure to keep the power demand lower, which takes longer to get to the house, and the ICE kicks on because of CHT/CAT too low. Other times, and more frequently, I press a bit too hard, and it kicks on because of power demand. With this computer control, I could almost always eliminate the ICE coming on this last time.

3) “Maintain xx.x MPG mode”, that could be used when the ICE is running and road conditions and traffic permits. You would designate your desired mpg (within reason) and maximum speed, and the computer would modulate the gas pedal as required to maintain this MPG and not exceed the maximum speed you designate, which could happen going downhill. This might be a limited use mode due to fluctuating speed, but many times it could be desirable.

 

I think the Ford FEH design team is most concerned with making FEH's that behave just like any other car. This is fine at first but as time goes on and fuel gets more costly folks are in a better position to want to learn a few money saving things. I think that those who want their FEH to behave like every other car they have owned is fine. I also think, like most here, we too can be satisfied with a button which will give us EV only on cold start up and if we could plug in too we would be assured of EV mode at EVERY start up.

I really like the turbo boost button at green light starts as the EV roll is far to slow to use in traffic. I have found that the FEH moves out much more smartly when cold than when warm. My guess is the emissions in a cold engine are pretty high and using a more aggressive electric boost is the cleanest way to allow the ICE to warm up.

As a side point, I think the rather conservative use of EV in the FEH is more about NOT using the batteries as much as they can be due to the long mandatory battery warranty. If we were to have the EV turbo boost it would drain the batteries down more and this would POSSIBLY shorten their lifetime. Do it enough and Mother Ford is out the battery pack replacement cost which is no chump change.

I have found that flooring it soon after EV start is gone gets it up to speed quickly and with a lot more EV assist than a slower ICE crawl trying to milk better FE. Since the FEH is my wife's I cannot be certain if one is better FE than another. In an all ICE car Jack Rabbit starts are a no no. But the FEH gets it biggest EV assist this way which will work the electric motor more and the ICE less. One must be aware to shorten the Jack Rabbit start once the ICE is much above 2500 rpm as it will climb up to 4000 rpm real fast and this would use a lot of fuel.

I wonder if someone has looked at FE in starting slowly in REAL TRAFFIC versus the Jack Rabbit method above. No doubt folks behind us would prefer the Jack Rabbit start as it moves us out smartly. I do too, but I wonder at what added cost if any?

An EV only over ride button would be nice too especially if we could plug in at home once there.

I think once more folks think about how the FEH works for them AND against them there will be more ideas to refine the FEH and make it better performing all the while delivering better FE.

We are Ford's Beta testers. It sure would be nice to be asked by Mother Ford.
Anyone know how to get the FEH designers to listen to us users?

 

I wouldn't be surprised if they are already listening as you post. Someone, somewhere in Ford may even have a job of monitoring this and similar sites.

 

The jackrabbit starts are not "the best" for a FEH, but they are not terrible either. The MPG hit is only slight, since, like you stated earlier, the electric motor is providing most of the acceleration. If you are happier driving that way, I say you can do it and be guilt-free.

I noticed this fact last night. I was in my Insight, but I think the analogy applies.
I was late for a dinner date, and I was taking off from lights as quick as possible and driving 10 MPH faster than usual. I was SHOCKED to see my MPG was better than ever.
Like 15% better in fact.

All I can say is, I got up to speed quickly, and started to coast and glide a lot sooner, and I had a very positive result. Also, my engine and catalyst got hotter quicker, and allowed EV (AutoStop) sooner. Maybe the wind was in my favor last night, but still, you can't ignore that no matter how you look at it, my MPG was not hurt because I doubt any wind gave me a 15% boost, and I was partly traveling north, and part of the time was west, and it was in the city where the wind is weaker and swirls in every direction.

 

I am experimenting with faster acceleration, but only when the SOC supports this. I don't have NAV or a scan guage, so I use the "assist" guage; if the guage is to the right I use a lot of acceleration. As the guage goes left I let off of the gas.

If SOC is low, of course, the guage will start out to the left. In that case I just accelerate gently.

 

53% battery SOC is the tipping point.

Without the NAV, you can tell from the needle:

Gentle charging while you are driving = SOC is less than 53%.
No charging while you are driving = SOC is 53%.
Gentle assist while you are driving = SOC is greater than 53%.

53% is the resting point, the preferred state, the equilibrium point, or whatever you'd like to call it. In stop & go, the SOC varries. On the highway, it pretty much rests at 53% the whole time. The car will not charge past 53% with the gas engine. The only way to get SOC higher than 53% is from the regen brakes.

-John

 

This is from my vehicle last January when I was traveling in Maryland to a ski area. My scanguage SOC increased to 68.6 during travel down a long hill. I kept my vehicle in "D" during this time frame. I had electric assist for a short time frame as the vehicle will "burn-off" the excess SOC in an attempt to recover to 53% SOC.

 

I would love the EV start and the EV Override at a light. Being that these cars are just computers on wheels not sure why some computer genuies hasn't re-programmed the car to be able to do this. Other than ruining a $25-30k car

I'm sure other's have done this, but one nite after work I got to thinkning about the EV only reverse. So just before home I stopped (late night no traffic on my street) and put it in R and mashed the pedal. Impressed with the acceleration, definatly would work to get up & going from a red light! Now I did notice the ICE did kick on during this test, not sure why as ICE isn't supposed to assist in R, SOC was still good... maybe just the fact the pedal was on the floor their might be a 'need' for assist so it turned on the ICE just in case???

So EV off the line should be possible. Not sure why EV cold start is not, doesn't the Prius & highlander have that? I know the Highlander commercial advertises a stealth mode to sneak home and keep the kids asleep.

A feature I don't get, altho very very miniscule, is why the Escape still has an antenna? The other Ford's I've owned recently all had antennas intergraded into a window (usually rear quarter windows).

I'm sure it'd look funny, but what about wheel well covers? Like the boats from the 50's?

 

In reverse, only the traction motor can move the wheels in reverse.

The traction motor is rated as 70kw.

The battery can only put out 25kw.

Thus, in reverse, the gas engine can spin the generator, and the generator can send power to the traction motor, to boost the 25kw from the battery (or less if the battery is low), when needed.

Sounds complicated, but it is a clever solution for something you rarely need.
( such as backing a trailer uphill )
Also, this guarantees you can move in reverse with a really low battery.



-John

 

If you have a dead traction battery, the FEH won't start, unless it is radically different than the Toyota design.