Does Hybrid Eco Mode make much MPG difference?

[GreenLady]

According to the post right before yours you do.

I believe the post before mine is an XLT hybrid so I still don’t know if the Lariat stays on eco mode in the 23 MY.

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[JBryant]

I’ve found it does add a couple miles both in city and on my monthly trips. I stay in eco mode and don’t seem to have to switch to every time. Maybe that’s a Lariat thing? I wonder if you have to switch to eco in the 2023s?

Lariat hybrid, like other series, defaults to normal and must be switched each time. There are threads here about mods that keep it in whatever mode you set, but require wiring and modifications.

 

[Mav_RICK]

Lariat hybrid, like other series, defaults to normal and must be switched each time. There are threads here about mods that keep it in whatever mode you set, but require wiring and modifications.

That’s what I have seen the consensus to be.

 

[GreenLady]

Lariat hybrid, like other series, defaults to normal and must be switched each time. There are threads here about mods that keep it in whatever mode you set, but require wiring and modifications.

Thanks, now I’m anxious to actually check the dial mode if I ever get my truck back for the airbag recall. In the past I only changed the mode when I wanted to switch to normal to test. Otherwise it stays in eco.

 

[JimParker256]

Much is subjective, and yes the eco must be selected each time you start the truck. I think the biggest difference is how you drive. If you are easy on the accelerator, you will get better mileage and if you stand on it... worse mileage. I've read that Eco is worth a mile or two per gallon, but I forget it once in a while and I cannot see a big difference.

I have accidentally put the selector on tow or slippery and I can hear the engine screaming.

LOL, I'm pretty confident you didn't hear the engine "screaming" in slippery mode, and it's pretty unlikely for that to happen in Tow/Haul mode, either. Slippery mode effectively slows (calms) everything down to avoid sudden bursts of power or brakes. Tow/Haul mode will allow the engine to rev higher than "normal", but is primarily focused on maintaining your speed uphill / downhill. It's not going to make your engine "scream" unless you have floored the accelerator - which will "rev" the motor in every mode...

What will get your engine revving (pun intended) is Sport mode, with it's fake gear shifts to artificially cause it to "sound" sort of like a standard automatic transmission.. To me, that mode is tota lly ridiculous in a hybrid vehicle with eCVT, as it defeats the entire purpose of the eCVT. But that's a whole other discussion.

Slippery mode seems to adjust the power delivery so that it is proportionally reduced (compared to Normal mode) during the first portion of accelerator pedal movement, to help prevent wheelspin (and subsequent loss of control on slippery surfaces). But if you completely depress the pedal, you still get plenty of power. Slippery mode also appears to greatly reduces the regenerative braking force (ostensibly to prevent locking up a wheel during deceleration).

Why is that a good thing? Well, it allows you to spend more time "coasting" without either ICE or electric power being used. And coasting is even better than driving on electric power - infinite mpg! At speeds all the way up to 55-60 mph, you can accelerate gently to the speed limit (or just above), then lightly lift off the accelerator and "coast" for a while. Do this until your speed starts to drops a little, and very gently feed back in some power - just enough so the electric motor engages. You can then cruise along on electric power for as long as the "blue bar" shows power available, then start the cycle over. (EV Coach is really helpful as you are learning this technique.)

Using this technique the other day on one of the slower highways (65 mph speed limit, but most folks were driving about 60), I was able to keep up with the right-lane traffic while also obtaining 50+ mpg. Driving on roads with 35-55 mph speed limits, I more typically see 52-57 mpg.

 

[JimParker256]

I've seen about a 1-2 mpg bump in highway driving in Eco mode. I dislike the heavy regeneration when I'm in town so I tend to leave it normal drive mode and it allows for more coasting and easier transition from charge/electric to Hybrid, in my opinion. We do have some hyper milers on this forum though that swear by slippery mode but the super soft brakes make me feel uneasy in that mode.

Just an observation about "super soft brakes" in Slippery mode: That is entirely under your control. It requires more pedal travel to achieve higher braking force than you experience in Normal mode, but the power is there when you need it. Again, the "less grabby" brakes (to put a positive spin on it - LOL) are intended to prevent wheel lockups on ice/snow or other slippery surfaces. Just as with the accelerator, as you go further into the brake pedal travel, the brakes "tighten up" progressively to where you can achieve max stopping power in Slippery mode just as in Normal mode. It's a "pedal travel" versus "brake pressure" differential.

Once you get used to it, you learn to plan for stops further ahead, and slow more gradually. Basically, you learn to drive as is you have an open-topped aquarium full of very expensive tropical fish in the bed of the truck, and you're driving to prevent "sloshing" any of those $$ fish out of the tank when you accelerate / stop. The braking coach usually tells me I'm in the 95-100% energy recovered area when I do this well. If I fail to plan ahead (or someone cuts over into my lane right in front of me), and I might see 50-60% energy recovered...

 

[JimParker256]

I’ve found it does add a couple miles both in city and on my monthly trips. I stay in eco mode and don’t seem to have to switch to every time. Maybe that’s a Lariat thing? I wonder if you have to switch to eco in the 2023s?

Sorry, but the Lariat is just like the other trims in this regard. Every time you start the engine, it resets the drive mode to "Normal"... It's well documented, and is the subject of many posts about how to defeat this annoying "feature." The only "reliable" solution I've seen involves hacking the circuit to "electronically" push the button for you on startup. And even that one isn't bullet-proof, apparently.

If you're not consciously turning it on every time you start the truck, you've either trained yourself to subconsciously do sp, or you're simply not actually operating in Eco mode all the time.

 

[JimParker256]

I have a Lariat Hybrid, and my truck is always in Eco Mode when I start up. My dealer must of set it up some way. I have used slippery to see if I could get better MPG, but unless I was going on a long trip on a highway, I never select another mode. I'm always around 42 mpg that's good enough for me.

Find how your dealer made that happen, post it here, and if it's verified as working, I'll give you $200 for finding the solution that thousands of MTC members have been pursuing for almost two years without success. I'll be more than happy to be proven wrong and pony up the money!

 

[son of a ..sven]

>>>>>>>>>>>"I have a Lariat Hybrid, and my truck is always in Eco Mode when I start up. My dealer must of set it up some way. I have used slippery to see if I could get better MPG, but unless I was going on a long trip on a highway, I never select another mode. I'm always around 42 mpg that's good enough for me."

And I will chip in another $200!

 

[GreenLady]

>>>>>>>>>>>"I have a Lariat Hybrid, and my truck is always in Eco Mode when I start up. My dealer must of set it up some way. I have used slippery to see if I could get better MPG, but unless I was going on a long trip on a highway, I never select another mode. I'm always around 42 mpg that's good enough for me."

And I will chip in another $200!

Thank you for posting! I was beginning to doubt my mind

 

[GPSMan]

Yes... to be honest MPG does not seem to be affected by Octane. But I did not do any Scientific testing.

I will tell you that the hybrid runs much smoother on the Ultra - 93 oct. I know I will get a lot of push back on this but, my truck suffers from the "shudder" problem where, when the engine shuts off the drive system when slowing down and regenerating experiences a drive train shudder. I have found this is because the engine is not shutting down correctly it is stumbling. Well in short the higher fuel Octane improves this situation, much less noticeable. So to your question, no I don't think the fuel type really affects the gas mileage, but it does improve the driving experience in my XLT Hybrid.

If this is the case, then 105 octane (available almost everywhere) should make the shudder go away!

I'm willing to give it a shot and boost all the way to 100+ and see what happens but I feel the 93 octane is probably a placebo effect. I'll go to 100+ with low expectations and see what happens.

 

[GPSMan]

Does it really make much difference in MPG? I read you have to switch to it each time you start up.

For the record modes ranked Highest MPG to Lowest

1. Slippery
2. Eco
3. Normal
4. Sport
4. Tow/Haul

Tow Haul and sport are too close to call. Unless you are towing, then it's for sure last place.

HTH,

 

[son of a ..sven]

For the record modes ranked Highest MPG to Lowest

1. Slippery
2. Eco
3. Normal
4. Sport
4. Tow/Haul

Tow Haul and sport are too close to call. Unless you are towing, then it's for sure last place.

HTH,

Not doubting you at all, but I have tried slippery mode, and to my uneducated mind it feels like there is not a much regen going on when slowing down...maybe that's just me..

 

[icegradner]

For me, even getting 42 mpg..I have to work at it. Maybe the Hybrid was designed for retired people...just an errant thought.

Nope, I'm under 40, always driving over the speed limit by 5-10MPH. It really depends on your commute, traffic, use of the cabin heater, ambient temperature. I find it hard not to get 40+ MPG in this truck, I mean I have to force it to stay on the ICE to get worse than 42MPG. Even when I'm cruising on the highway at 60-70MPH (no speed limits over 60MPH locally) I'm on the battery at least 1/4 to 1/2 of the time. Always in normal mode.

 

[Reconditioner]

Does it really make much difference in MPG? I read you have to switch to it each time you start up.

My hybrid startup routine is: foot on brake; parking brake off; selector to D; 5 pushes on mode; two pushes on OK. Just over 9000 miles; 14 months; 42+ mpg. I mostly avoid the interstate, but I am retired and have lots of time.

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