I'm going to poke the bear here and post this:

Can i get one of these added in my FEH!?
http://dvice.com/archives/2010/11/generating-powe.php
it's sounds like a good idea!

 

OT: 2011 Explorer orders are twice what Ford expected.

 

I'm afraid the new Explorer will kill the Flex within 2 years. I found this today:

"Flex sales have slowed to about 12,000 units per quarter, which is already trailing the Explorer’s pre-orders."

This is not good for the Folks who work at the Flex plant but more than 1,200 jobs were created at the renovated new Explorer plant. You can bet GM is going to take a hit because of the 2011 Explorer also.

I'm glad I ordered mine 8/10/10 but I am not expecting it till Feb. '11 with this news. Ford did give me an additional $500 off for ordering between 7/26/10 and 12/1/10.

GaryG

 

RE: Winter mileage. I live in Winnipeg, yup, Winnipeg and drive an 07 FEH and yes, there is a vast diff between Summer and Winter economy. It's even worse for me being retired, no that's the good part, the bad part I mean is I drive mostly short distances so once the temps are subzero it's rare that my ICE ever shuts down. And yes, 30/45 minutes on longer trips, when the temps are even lower, for ICE to shut down I have found to be the norm. I pretty much give up on any 'hypermile' stuff once the temps drop as it's a feeble waste of time, tho I don't lead foot it around.

I think that Ford has the Winter computer params set at way to high a bar. Week before last, out shopping, I drove around for more than half an hour, at zero degrees before the ICE would shut off, that is plain ridiculous. Yesterday, some more longer drives for chores and shopping and indeed, at 40 mins out, temp -10C the engine began to shut off, but as in my previous two winters, rarely for long sometimes barely a minute!

I would say that the FEH is really not much of a hybrid at low temps. With short drives this week, I've risen to a record braking 13.7L/100, ah well. I'd like to spend a few days in a regular FE, it might actually get better mileage you think?

 

Here we go again. This comes up at the beginning of every winter. Remember, the FEH electric motors are contributing to the economy of the truck even if the ICE is on. The real comparison is between a V6 Escape (or whatever would replace your FEH) and the FEH in the winter....not the FEH winter to summer. Non-hybrids take a Fuel Economy hit in the winter as well. Results should vary by latitude - so it depends on how one defines "winter".

 

hey glennb, indeed no argument with ya, and of course, my short drives are a major contributor to poor winter mileage. An FEH fleet driven in my winter climate would do signif better than a reg FEH. In the 'here we go again' realm, at 13.7L/100km or 17.2mpg US/20.6mpg imp, seems like little evidence of EM assistance.

 

also remember....the PCM software (especially on the early FEHs) is also trying to maintain a minimium Cat. temperature for effective emissions control and will keep the ICE running on that alone......

lots of folks get caught up in complaining about the FE drop from Fall weather (moderate, ideal for FE in most locales) to Winter weather....and forget to acknowledge that regular vehicles also see a FE drop in Winter

 

OT, but I think the Flex needs to go in order for Ford to streamline and get away from all the product overlap that has plagued the US auto makers. The Flex is produced at Oakville which also produces the Edge and the Lincoln MKX & MKT.

Ford will also be creating 1800 jobs at Louisville for production of the world platform of the new Escape. http://media.fordvehicles.com/articl...ticle_id=33683.

Kudos to Ford for returning to world cars instead of producing different models for specific markets.

Congrats on the new Explorer Gary, I want one too!

 

"Ford will signal its future direction for the next-generation Escape through a concept vehicle debuting at the North American International Auto Show in January."

 

I find that in really cold temps extensive use of the block heater enables my FEH to go into ICE off mode in less than ten minutes of engine on in the morning, ie temps around 0ºF. I've taken to plugging it in when I park it in the evening and leaving it on overnight.

Goes ICE off in less than 2 miles on the way out to the main road. Then it goes ICE off when speed drops enough while driving just as in summer. I'm seeing about 30 mpg in these temps.