8,888.8 Miles Review (Sitting on the Tailgate)

[Halo9x]

How do you like that bed cover?

Aside the window tinting, it’s the best accessory I've added to the truck. It looks great and it keeps my bed looking good. Helps with mpg (at least a little) and because it’s aerospace grade Aluminum it will(or should) last the life of the truck. I got it from Truck2Go.co with a 5% discount. I had my dealer install it. Shipping was $150, so the total price was $1,007! Not bad for a retractable cover. If I had been able to install it, I could've saved $65. However, it was worth it to have someone else do it.

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[Halo9x]

How do you like that bed cover?

It is not water proof from going through a car wash but the water intrusion is very little. So, it is water resista.

 

[Halo9x]

How do you like that bed cover?

The sprayed in bed liner is factory installed but I highly recommend you do it. Not only does it protect your bed BUT it looks great while doing it.

 

[MaveRichard]

It's my happy place.

I feel the same way. SO many good memories with family, friends and kiddos already. Not to mention peaceful mornings alone by the lake.

That chair looks perfect for it! Do you know where you got it from? I would love a backrest.

Also - hard to tell - is that plywood or padding underneath the carpet? I have been considering trying to add something like this to make it even more comfortable.

Thanks!

 

[MaveRichard]

Interesting when you used thenumber 50% throttle, what that means is you were actually at WOT. Only difference is the further you push pedal toward the floor the higher your shift points become, giving the feeling of being faster.

Still and all a great write up..

I'm not sure what you mean by the first sentence. Are you referring to WOT as the ICE being at 100% load? Or pedal position? Throttle position sensor? Please help me understand.

I should be clear that when I say 50% power I am referring to the "power meter" on the dash. It does accelerate faster above 50%.

Thanks for the kind words!

 

[TedTX]

Sounds like a good memory.

Now that I think about it, I can remember a lot of fun views from the tailgate already. Thanks!

So late last night, at Ranch, sat on tailgate, forgot it rain, had horizonal dew and sat in it... cooled me right up. nice view and the perfect distance from the ground to backside. thanks for the tip.

 

[Phranc68]

I feel the same way. SO many good memories with family, friends and kiddos already. Not to mention peaceful mornings alone by the lake.

That chair looks perfect for it! Do you know where you got it from? I would love a backrest.

Also - hard to tell - is that plywood or padding underneath the carpet? I have been considering trying to add something like this to make it even more comfortable.

Thanks!

It's a piece of plywood with indoor/outdoor carpet on both sides cut to fit. I am considering mounting it permanently but still just slide it in and out.

 

[rlhdweman]

Picked it up in January 2023. My original order from November 2021. $28,345 MSRP > $26,006 out the door.

Lets talk fuel economy
I have driven fuel efficient vehicles since I bought my 2016 Ford Fiesta SFE 1.0L in early 2017. My average over 30k miles was 45.5MPG and I miss that 5 speed. I then bought a VW Passat TDI DSG and averaged 37.1MPG over 35k miles. The Maverick replaced the Passat.

According to the trip that I have never reset, I am getting 39.7 MPG. I drive in normal mode. Real life (Fuelly) shows that I have used 219 gallons of fuel in 8,417 miles as of the last fill-up = 38.4MPG

Worried it will be too slow?
Don't be. This is as quick as any (non-performance) car on the road to normal driving speeds. It really accelerates like an EV and I rarely find myself using more than 50% power. When I had the Passat I would be on the floor every time I got on the highway.

This "truck"
Just gets my people and my things where they need to be without complaints. Its quiet, efficient and inoffensive.

My favorite part
Is the tailgate. The height of it is perfect and I sit on it nearly every day. This was unexpected, but I LOVE IT.

I will probably replace
The factory continentals next year. Thinking Michelin CrossClimate2 right now, I had these on the Passat and they are amazing. I will stay at stock size 225/65R17 - Does anyone have experience with these tires on a hybrid? I am curious what kind of MPG sacrifice I will be making.

Photo Dump:

What caught my eye was towing a Polaris watercraft, I had 5 different ones from 93-2001, they sure were fun!

 

[MaveRichard]

What caught my eye was towing a Polaris watercraft, I had 5 different ones from 93-2001, they sure were fun!

My father has owned this one since new - 1995 SL750. Cover, trailer and even the trailer tires are still original but its been rebuilt multiple times at this point. I agree that these are some of the most fun ski's on the water.

I also have a 1998 Pro 785 in the garage too... but it doesn't get out as much these days.

 

[olderbudwiser]

I'm not sure what you mean by the first sentence. Are you referring to WOT as the ICE being at 100% load? Or pedal position? Throttle position sensor? Please help me understand.

I should be clear that when I say 50% power I am referring to the "power meter" on the dash. It does accelerate faster above 50%.

Thanks for the kind words!

It's been a while for me but, with drive by wire vs drive by cable. By wire the engineering staff controls how far the throttle plate opens as the pedal is depressed. The old figure was 8 degrees the throttle body plate was Wide Open. Now at this point (just making ups numbers here) your vehicle may shift at 2000-3000 rpm per shift, if pedal is depress further shifts may happen at 3000-4000 rpm, feels like you are going faster as you hold the lower number gear longer.

At pedal to the floor shifts happen at 6,000 plus. This kinda created a wow factor as you may say I only had my throttle half way down and it really took off, I reality your were at WOT just earlier shifts.

 

[MaveRichard]

It's been a while for me but, with drive by wire vs drive by cable. By wire the engineering staff controls how far the throttle plate opens as the pedal is depressed. The old figure was 8 degrees the throttle body plate was Wide Open. Now at this point (just making ups numbers here) your vehicle may shift at 2000-3000 rpm per shift, if pedal is depress further shifts may happen at 3000-4000 rpm, feels like you are going faster as you hold the lower number gear longer.

At pedal to the floor shifts happen at 6,000 plus. This kinda created a wow factor as you may say I only had my throttle half way down and it really took off, I reality your were at WOT just earlier shifts.

I think I understand what you are saying and if I do, this is largely the reason for drive-by-wire. It runs the engine at a higher load than the pedal position would suggest for the sake of efficiency (BSFC).

The ICE in the hybrid runs near 85% load and “shifting” is done by varying the speed of the generator/starter motor in the transaxle.

Think of the skinny pedal as an…. acceleration request pedal. You tell it how much you want, and between the traction motor, starter/generator, ICE, battery charge percentage, coolant temperature, wheel speed, drive mode, etc. the truck makes a decision of how to most efficiently/effectively accomplish what you are asking for.

Other members have shown this before, but when driven efficiently the ICE will get about ~20MPG during the time that it is running in city driving.

 

[Maverick Grabber]

Picked it up in January 2023. My original order from November 2021. $28,345 MSRP > $26,006 out the door.

Lets talk fuel economy
I have driven fuel efficient vehicles since I bought my 2016 Ford Fiesta SFE 1.0L in early 2017. My average over 30k miles was 45.5MPG and I miss that 5 speed. I then bought a VW Passat TDI DSG and averaged 37.1MPG over 35k miles. The Maverick replaced the Passat.

According to the trip that I have never reset, I am getting 39.7 MPG. I drive in normal mode. Real life (Fuelly) shows that I have used 219 gallons of fuel in 8,417 miles as of the last fill-up = 38.4MPG

Worried it will be too slow?
Don't be. This is as quick as any (non-performance) car on the road to normal driving speeds. It really accelerates like an EV and I rarely find myself using more than 50% power. When I had the Passat I would be on the floor every time I got on the highway.

This "truck"
Just gets my people and my things where they need to be without complaints. Its quiet, efficient and inoffensive.

My favorite part
Is the tailgate. The height of it is perfect and I sit on it nearly every day. This was unexpected, but I LOVE IT.

I will probably replace
The factory continentals next year. Thinking Michelin CrossClimate2 right now, I had these on the Passat and they are amazing. I will stay at stock size 225/65R17 - Does anyone have experience with these tires on a hybrid? I am curious what kind of MPG sacrifice I will be making.

Photo Dump:

I picnic on the tailgate and my grandson watches soccer games under the tonneau when it's cold or

 

[olderbudwiser]

I think I understand what you are saying and if I do, this is largely the reason for drive-by-wire. It runs the engine at a higher load than the pedal position would suggest for the sake of efficiency (BSFC).

The ICE in the hybrid runs near 85% load and “shifting” is done by varying the speed of the generator/starter motor in the transaxle.

Think of the skinny pedal as an…. acceleration request pedal. You tell it how much you want, and between the traction motor, starter/generator, ICE, battery charge percentage, coolant temperature, wheel speed, drive mode, etc. the truck makes a decision of how to most efficiently/effectively accomplish what you are asking for.

Other members have shown this before, but when driven efficiently the ICE will get about ~20MPG during the time that it is running in city driving.

Should have pointed out I have zero idea how this relates to Hybrids.

 

[JimParker256]

Should have pointed out I have zero idea how this relates to Hybrids.

And there's the key statement... It relates only very tangentially to hybrid vehicles, because there is no "shift point" with an eCVT... The eCVT creates an "infinite" number of "gears" (gear ratios) within its min-max range. You're never in the "wrong gear" with an eCVT.

And contrary to OlderBud's earlier point, 50% throttle in the Maverick Hybrid definitely does NOT mean that you're actually at WOT. The engine goes to an "optimal" RPM (for the load demanded) and stays there as the eCVT changes the "gear ratio" to create optimal acceleration. The fuel injection system will supply more or less gasoline to the ICE to maintain that RPM as the engine load changes. Going uphill will require more power - therefore more fuel flow. Going downhill will require less power - therefore less fuel flow.

If you are accelerating at 50% power, and you actually "floor" the throttle, the engine will almost certainly turn faster than it was turning at the 50% throttle position, and you can hear the RPM settle in at that higher "rev point" for a while. As you back off the throttle (presumably as you approach the desired speed, or the limits of your sanity given road conditions), the ICE will drop the RPM back into the "most efficient fuel burn" range and sit there until ICE power is no longer needed.

What's interesting to me is the way the "power demand curve" (throttle position sensor) versus "power produced curve" changes with the various engine modes. In all modes, full throttle = full power (max combined output of ICE+Electric). But in Slippery Mode (as an example), if press the pedal to the same point that would produce 25% power in Normal mode, you get a significantly smaller power percentage (maybe 12-15%). Basically, the computer is supplying less torque to the wheels so they are less likely to spin on a slippery surface. But as you press harder on the accelerator, the "request vs demand" curve ramps up (sort of like a logarithmic scale, but not that exaggerated) so that by the time you get to the "floored" point, both "request" and "demand" are at 100%.

Eco Mode does something similar, but perhaps less aggressive reduction in "demand" at the lowest levels of "request". But folks who complain that Eco Mode is "slow" just aren't pressing the throttle far enough. (Though why one would bother to go through the process of selecting Eco, only to defeat any fuel mileage improvements by trying to maximize acceleration is beyond me. But to each his own, I guess...)

Tow/Haul mode changes that "request vs demand" to optimize torque at lower speeds and throttle positions, but still hits 100% on both request and demand scales at full throttle position.

And I don't even want to go into the weird machinations of Sport Mode.... "Hey, I know! Let's take away that smooth, jet-like constant acceleration feeling and replace it with the old-fashioned, herky-jerky sensations of the past..."

 

[MaveRichard]

And there's the key statement... It relates only very tangentially to hybrid vehicles, because there is no "shift point" with an eCVT... The eCVT creates an "infinite" number of "gears" (gear ratios) within its min-max range. You're never in the "wrong gear" with an eCVT.

And contrary to OlderBud's earlier point, 50% throttle in the Maverick Hybrid definitely does NOT mean that you're actually at WOT. The engine goes to an "optimal" RPM (for the load demanded) and stays there as the eCVT changes the "gear ratio" to create optimal acceleration. The fuel injection system will supply more or less gasoline to the ICE to maintain that RPM as the engine load changes. Going uphill will require more power - therefore more fuel flow. Going downhill will require less power - therefore less fuel flow.

If you are accelerating at 50% power, and you actually "floor" the throttle, the engine will almost certainly turn faster than it was turning at the 50% throttle position, and you can hear the RPM settle in at that higher "rev point" for a while. As you back off the throttle (presumably as you approach the desired speed, or the limits of your sanity given road conditions), the ICE will drop the RPM back into the "most efficient fuel burn" range and sit there until ICE power is no longer needed.

What's interesting to me is the way the "power demand curve" (throttle position sensor) versus "power produced curve" changes with the various engine modes. In all modes, full throttle = full power (max combined output of ICE+Electric). But in Slippery Mode (as an example), if press the pedal to the same point that would produce 25% power in Normal mode, you get a significantly smaller power percentage (maybe 12-15%). Basically, the computer is supplying less torque to the wheels so they are less likely to spin on a slippery surface. But as you press harder on the accelerator, the "request vs demand" curve ramps up (sort of like a logarithmic scale, but not that exaggerated) so that by the time you get to the "floored" point, both "request" and "demand" are at 100%.

Eco Mode does something similar, but perhaps less aggressive reduction in "demand" at the lowest levels of "request". But folks who complain that Eco Mode is "slow" just aren't pressing the throttle far enough. (Though why one would bother to go through the process of selecting Eco, only to defeat any fuel mileage improvements by trying to maximize acceleration is beyond me. But to each his own, I guess...)

Tow/Haul mode changes that "request vs demand" to optimize torque at lower speeds and throttle positions, but still hits 100% on both request and demand scales at full throttle position.

And I don't even want to go into the weird machinations of Sport Mode.... "Hey, I know! Let's take away that smooth, jet-like constant acceleration feeling and replace it with the old-fashioned, herky-jerky sensations of the past..."

This is a good summary of the drive modes and how they are not "too" relevant with fuel economy. But at the same time using different modes in different situations can lead to better results. For example - ECO Mode causes the cruise control "resume speed" programming is much more gentle and efficient compared to Normal Mode. The increased regen braking also can help depending on local traffic and elevation conditions but the same can be said about slippery mode on the opposite side of the spectrum.

I drive in normal mode because I want me, as the operator, to know exactly how my vehicle is going to respond to various inputs without adjusting anything when I get in it, for safety and regardless of fuel mileage.

If you floor a hybrid the ICE goes to exactly 5600 RPM.

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