Drive Control Modes - what's actually happening?

[midcoastme]

The section in the owner's manual is pretty general in it's description of using the drive control modes. I don't know any Ford engineers to ask, but I'm curious as to what are the various systems doing when a certain mode is selected.

For example: Eco - more economical driving. Sure. But what is the vehicle doing to make it more economical? More regeneration for the battery? More pressure on the gas pedal?
Or how about Sport...What are the truck systems doing to make my cvt transmission feel like it's shifting gears? I know the steering is electric assist...how is that affected?

Sometimes it's fun to know how things work...I'm just not going to take the truck apart to see how things work.
I just don't have enough room in the garage for any left over parts...

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[icegradner]

Usually the modes are linked to a few things, 1) Throttle response, ECO mode will have a less responsive throttle that requires more effort to get going fast, while sports mode would have a very aggressive throttle response. In ECO the system will simply tone things down, making everything run as efficiently as possible, from how the throttle is applied, to how power from the battery of the hybrid is used, down to how aggressively the system uses regenerative braking when you are off the throttle to return more energy to the battery. It's also more likely that the system will try to switch to battery power whenever possible.
2) Gearing. In the standard auto transmission, ECO it would setup the gear ratios to longer, while shorter for faster shifts in sports mode. In a eCVT system this would all be controlled by how much power MG1 sends to the wheels, since the gear set in the eCVT doesn't really change size like traditional CVT.
3) In many vehicles the electronic power steering will have different responses in different drive modes. It's all just how the motor in the electric steering assist turns the wheels, no fancy voodoo. Usually ECO modes are very light, and need more steering angle in corners, while sports modes give the steering a tight highly responsive feel.

 

[Sykotyk]

To follow the previous poster, in other cars, sport mode is usually a much tighter steering, while eco is a "boat on an ocean" feel. Very relaxed and forgiving. This gives less rolling resistance to the tires.

As for the transmission in the maverick, is mostly electrical control. Sport mode gives you much faster and higher response to the pedal. The running rpms and acceleration are quicker.

Eco is very relaxed and smooths out the touchy pedal for acceleration. Not bumping it into hybrid mode as quickly as normal or sport would. Also a much stronger regen.

Slippery, from what I've noticed, is like eco in terms of forgiving pedal and steering which helps in slick conditions from causing an accident. Tight steering and a touchy pedal aren't favorable in bad conditions. Also, just winging it here, the brake is much less prominent for regen. Which makes sense. Having the front wheels slowing faster than the rear wheels can make the vehicle go off kilter. Think jack knifing just without a trailer. You want a nice floating ride without sudden jerky starts and stops.

Tow/Haul is all engine all the time. Once in tow haul, the engine will run any time the vehicle is in motion. This greatly affects mpg but is making sure you have power when you need it. When my trailer is empty (about 400lb) I just run normal and take it slow. The tow haul setting is overkill. If you're maxing out, definitely run tow/Haul. Also in tow/Haul it feels like the mechanical brakes are working much more and much quickly on application. And the regen is about the highest.

And one thing about tow/Haul I'd like to know is why the artificial shifting sensation. There is no gears to shift. So my only thought is that maybe it's giving the electric motors a break at intervals in acceleration since the gas engine is doing most of the power production to the wheels.

 

[Darnon]

From what I can discern on the hybrid Eco is a nearly a flat subtraction of value from the throttle position crossing into mild braking which is why the regen is stronger. It's a little strange because you can be pushing on the throttle lightly but still in the actively regen braking region and slowing. Until you hit the 10% throttle point or so at which point you're effectively at 0 throttle and coasting.

Eco also widens the hysteresis on the cruise control. So it'll be willing to let the speed drop a little below the set point and not as rapidly mash on the acceleration to return to speed. I actually wish there was a standalone 'Eco Cruise' option like my prior Fusion had so I could get the calmer cruise control without needing to be in Eco drive mode all the time.

 

[Clarkdonbran]

Eco-acceleration is weak. The faces of the people behind me are priceless! Regen braking is strong. I feel way more in control of my speed. Just taking your foot off the accelerator slows the truck a lot but smoothly.
Sport-with these gas prices?!

 

[midcoastme]

I give the engineering group a lot of credit for the programming that went into creating the different modes.
I can only imagine a room with white board and colored markers where the group sat around thinking "What can we make this vehicle do?"

 

[DaveCactusGrayXLTH]

I give the engineering group a lot of credit for the programming that went into creating the different modes.
I can only imagine a room with white board and colored markers where the group sat around thinking "What can we make this vehicle do?"

That’s an appropriate quote. (Sorry to bring back an old thread but didn’t see a similar one?)
I’ve only had my Maverick for 5 days so still learning things. Haven’t heard any YT reviews mention this.
Sunday evening in cranky traffic and I realized I needed a Sport mode — and the Maverick took off like a scalded cat, the motor sounded like a GTI, and it was shifting!! Wtf?!
I’ve just been driving in normal or eco and working with brake coach and watching the electric miles adding up.
-Sport mode not only added shifting but also added lift-throttle “engine braking” like driving a manual — not sure how they do all that with an “eCVT” I know Ford engineered it very differently than Honda or Toyota or Subaru.
Now I’m going to have to try Sport again tomorrow lol.

 

[midcoastme]

That’s an appropriate quote. (Sorry to bring back an old thread but didn’t see a similar one?)
I’ve only had my Maverick for 5 days so still learning things. Haven’t heard any YT reviews mention this.
Sunday evening in cranky traffic and I realized I needed a Sport mode — and the Maverick took off like a scalded cat, the motor sounded like a GTI, and it was shifting!! Wtf?!
I’ve just been driving in normal or eco and working with brake coach and watching the electric miles adding up.
-Sport mode not only added shifting but also added lift-throttle “engine braking” like driving a manual — not sure how they do all that with an “eCVT” I know Ford engineered it very differently than Honda or Toyota or Subaru.
Now I’m going to have to try Sport again tomorrow lol.

It may be my imagination, but it seems like the steering "tightens up" a bit as well in sport mode. Trying slippery mode the other day it felt like the accelerator was a little less reactive, and the brake pedal seemed to have a little more travel. Could have been the boots I was wearing...

 

[MakinDoForNow]

That’s an appropriate quote. (Sorry to bring back an old thread but didn’t see a similar one?)
I’ve only had my Maverick for 5 days so still learning things. Haven’t heard any YT reviews mention this.
Sunday evening in cranky traffic and I realized I needed a Sport mode — and the Maverick took off like a scalded cat, the motor sounded like a GTI, and it was shifting!! Wtf?!
I’ve just been driving in normal or eco and working with brake coach and watching the electric miles adding up.
-Sport mode not only added shifting but also added lift-throttle “engine braking” like driving a manual — not sure how they do all that with an “eCVT” I know Ford engineered it very differently than Honda or Toyota or Subaru.
Now I’m going to have to try Sport again tomorrow lol.

Also try normal, econ, and slippery with the "L" button selected. It really steps up Regen braking. Good for stop and go traffic with brake hold on. You will rapidly fill the HVB to point engine braking activated so that's the time to turn off the "L" button!

 

[Master Blaster]

Also try normal, econ, and slippery with the "L" button selected. It really steps up Regen braking. Good for stop and go traffic with brake hold on. You will rapidly fill the HVB to point engine braking activated so that's the time to turn off the "L" button!

The problem with using L mode in city traffic is that you do not have any brake lights as you decelerate fairly hard. You're considerably increasing the odds that the inattentive jerk behind you is going to rear-end the vehicle and total it.

 

[HeyBales]

It may be my imagination, but it seems like the steering "tightens up" a bit as well in sport mode. Trying slippery mode the other day it felt like the accelerator was a little less reactive, and the brake pedal seemed to have a little more travel. Could have been the boots I was wearing...

Not boots - you are correct.

Little more range available on go pedal in Eco or Slippery to assist driver in trying to stay below the 10% power, above which the engine kicks in.
Acceleration in traffic is still not great and rather annoying to others trying to stay below 10% - at least where I live. Even as 5th car in line I better be hitting 15-20% minimum to keep up.

Braking is also gentler regen in both Slippery & Norm, so have to plan that stop if you really want to regen to 100%.
(in city traffic I find stops are too short and quick with lights and I'm going into physical brakes more often and easily not getting 100% regen potential).

In either mode, Slippery is more extreme than Eco, which is more extreme than Normal - which actually seems to match typical vehicle response for engine braking feel (due to regen), or pedal response to power.

I've had Rav4 with very sensitive initial pedal response so was already good at dealing with the difference between modes when I tried them all, and I already had calm braking down - so I just hang out in Normal now and get just as good MPG in my typical driving as other modes.
Highway I may recall to go into Slippery mode, but usually fast enough nothing but engine will ever be used anyway - so no point.

 

[The Real Maverick]

Slippery is the "gentlest" of any mode.
Gentle acceleration and gentle stopping. More coasting. More miles per gallon in almost every case.

 

[HeyBales]

Slippery is the "gentlest" of any mode.
Gentle acceleration and gentle stopping. More coasting. More miles per gallon in almost every case.

That's a good reminder on the coasting for anyone new to it.

If I'm watching the dash bar, I can easily get pedal at that spot for no coasting regen, but no blue battery use either.
But it takes focus in Normal mode. Perhaps a little too much focus compared to what traffic around deserves. And so not actually accomplishing that long coast as well as possible.

Slippery allows just driving without staring at dash so much - and still getting that easier coast benefit.

For my daily drives though the braking is what kills me in Slippery, but Eco I just don't appreciate the too fast slow down with heavy regen, again back to watching that blue bar to overcome it if desired.
At this point also out of habit to make the mode changes upon take-off. Trying to do mental math from the morning power-port Volts displayed to what I recall on turn-off the night before. Quick glance around neighborhood for different cars parked around, ect. That's enough memory engagement sadly.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

Slippery is the "gentlest" of any mode.
Gentle acceleration and gentle stopping. More coasting. More miles per gallon in almost every case.

It can be easier for most to get more MPG in slippery, However with care and practice standard mode can result in better mpg because driver is not limited by the restrictions of slippery modes ranges. Driver does not have to learn different pedal control tweaking for different drive modes. I find with the easiest for me to get over 55 mpg with the least effort and attention on a windy hilly road with a few almost 90° turns is with adaptive cruise on at 50 or 55 mph in slippery mode. Best with this has been 63 mpg but with standard mode and paying attention I have gotten 72 mpg. The less aggressive Regen/acceleration of slippery adaptive cruise is hard to beat.

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