Hybrid braking tips to maximize MPG?

[HeyBales]

Thanks. Nice to see.
I would like to see HV SOC on the same chart.

Also does brake pressure always go up at 11 mph or just in this case? Do you have multiple examples?

Ok, it does not always. Thinking amount of brake press may matter.

I don't recall what was going on here, maybe a red light going green with traffic, because I didn't have to stop completely as brake pressure never came on and brake was let go at 5 mph, but almost coasting to 0. So no
Had been slowing from 29 mph, ICE was on because below 40% SOC.
Maybe brake pedal being 1 mm or less mattered.

Here's another same trip.
From 25 mph braking to a stop, ICE on below 40% again.
Amps higher with ICE but still in regen, brake pressure started at 11.2 mph. Brake pedal over 1 mm. Still not upwards of 3mm a hard press comes in at.

This is the full stop info - dug into pads for whatever reason initially, but backed into total regen again with no pressure applied at 18 mph. Until that 11.2 mph auto-pressure overlap with regen. The max brake pressure at 5 mph had pedal at 0.8 mm from then on. Was actually at 1 mm at 7.5 mph.

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[HeyBales]

Alright, that answers my question.
I was not looking for anecdotal evidence. Your graph and data proved to me that while my truck says I’m still in 100% regenerative mode, the trunk in fact is applying the physical brakes!
Bob

Ya, the EV and Brake Coach must be showing if you are getting the max they will allow.
So 100% recovered - of what they were going to allow.
Totally in the regen box as speed slows - not counting the pads they are going to gently use.

As commented on - some overlap works a whole lot better than switching from regen to the pads.

I might see if I can find a hill that allows a speed with that light brake pedal at constant below 10 mph - say going down a hill in slow traffic.
Would that ride the brakes the whole way to some degree? (seems like it)
That might be a case for Low mode taking the whole load - and hoping the goofball behind you can tell that despite no brake lights - you are not speeding up.

 

[gzebrick]

I'll also note that looking at the amps, the EV battery often supplements the ICE even though there's not much info on the dash to show it. I'll see +20 to +30ish amps out under light acceleration though the dash 'gauge" doesn't appear to show any EV component (all grey bar).

I think the ideal situation is to get where you're going with about 35-40% battery left over (below 33% the gas engine runs regardless of load) - if you arrive with a mostly depleted battery you've gotten all the ev juice out of it for the trip (and still have30% for reverse).

 

[Timothyd]

Speaking of 2022-2024 FWD hybrids:

Low will take the truck out of pure EV mode and spin the engine at 2500 to 3500 RPM without fuel in many cases.

This is wear and tear compared to not spinning at all.

Higher probability of this the higher your speed.

Higher probability of this the higher the HV battery state of charge.

Higher probability of this the steeper the downgrade.

Almost certain to happen if you are coasting and accelerating due to being on a downgrade.

Nearly certain to happen if you coast in L longer than 10 or 15 seconds.

50% probable to spin up the engine if the truck senses you are maintaining speed but not slowing (or not slowing as quickly as it thinks you should) due to downgrade (or really strong tail wind! )

I would say Ford allows it.
I would not say Ford "encourages" it.
That would be a liability for them.
(No brake lights lit while slowing; sometimes dramatic slowing, example using L on an UP-grade.)

Slippery is the gentlest of all modes.
Gentle acceleration profile.
Gentile braking / regen profile.
Designed to aid with your avoiding slip & slide on icy roads.

Lower regen (and extensive coasting) is key to super high MPG.

When I want zero regen, I'll coast in N sometimes. This truck coasts for miles, free of charge, when road conditions allow it.

Slippery mode is next best thing to freewheel coasting. Once you get used to it, it feels like you have a tailwind pushing you full time. Yields highest MPG with least effort.

Side effect of less transmission drag is: your brake lights will come on SOONER because you learn to tap the brake pedal sooner giving people behind you MORE reaction time. Opposite of L mode.

9 out 10 people who use slippery every day for full tank to get used to it say it is their favorite mode now. But you have to give yourself time to adjust.

I've never pushed my 'low' button but but I'm getting over 48mpg. Mostly just driving it easy and always keeping it in economy mode and taking care to keep that braking meter in the green. Any more fussing around wouldn't be worth it. Been riding the motorcycle mostly anyhow that gets 70mpg.

 

[Timothyd]

Alright, that answers my question.
I was not looking for anecdotal evidence. Your graph and data proved to me that while my truck says I’m still in 100% regenerative mode, the trunk in fact is applying the physical brakes!
Bob

Don't think so unless you're doing it.

 

[Speed2000]

Y'all are over complicating this. Driving with a saucer full of piss on the dashboard will beat the EV coach everytime.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

Y'all are over complicating this. Driving with a saucer full of piss on the dashboard will beat the EV coach everytime.

That and someone else said glue a pointed spike or spear to the steering wheel pointed at your chest.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

I'll also note that looking at the amps, the EV battery often supplements the ICE even though there's not much info on the dash to show it. I'll see +20 to +30ish amps out under light acceleration though the dash 'gauge" doesn't appear to show any EV component (all grey bar).

I think the ideal situation is to get where you're going with about 35-40% battery left over (below 33% the gas engine runs regardless of load) - if you arrive with a mostly depleted battery you've gotten all the ev juice out of it for the trip (and still have30% for reverse).

Below 30% battery SOC the gas engine is forced on to charge.

But it's walking a tightrope to keep the engine off between 30% and 35%.

 

[Timothyd]

Y'all are over complicating this. Driving with a saucer full of piss on the dashboard will beat the EV coach everytime.

Well, that .....works. I've also heard driving like you have a egg on your gas and brake pedals.

 

[dochawk]

An unpopular opinion, hit the L button, 100% regen every time

not quite.

I'm seeing that when a light turns yellow while traveling the speed limit in a 45, there is a range in which you should stop for which it is impossible to stop in time purely on region. (however, this being Las Vegas, most people hit the gas instead of slowing. It's dangerous to slow on a yellow without checking your rear view mirror!)

I was (pre hybrid) in the practice of coasting up to the red light anyhow. Why race up to it?

In an ICE, my physics brain had me decelerating early to reduce speed so as to take longer to get to the light, letting me keep more velocity that I wouldn't have to re-accelerate . . .

I do it on my bike so I don't have to put my feet down and shift more.

After that last accident, I simply won't go on a road on my bicycle. It goes in the back until I get somewhere to ride.

But. hey, I'd never been to a trauma unit before! (but plenty of ER).

 

[HeyBales]

Don't think so unless you're doing it.

He means despite the fact the EV Coach won't show going into the pads at any speed down to a stop if careful with the brake pedal - they are indeed brought in somewhere from abouts 11 mph down to a stop if you are pressing enough but still in regen area.
System just doesn't show it.

 

[HeyBales]

Fwiw my observations are on my 25 lariat AWD hybrid. Definitely no change in engine rpm ( displayed rpm in real time via obd2 and car scanner) when engaging L mode and on throttle. Seems to only affect regen.

The expected use case is when you’re going down a long hill and don’t want to ride the brakes that much.

I realized later - where down hill is involved and you are looking for max regen. Especially longer downhill, but any.
Hitting LOW is not the only way.
Because the hill may be such you are needing to fiddle with the Go pedal to remove some regen to coast at the correct speed.
But for the hybrid - just use this - max regen will be applied if needed, or whatever level is needed. If it's not enough or HVB charged to max, ICE will be spun up for air-braking assist at whatever speed helps.


Grade Assist
How Does Grade Assist Work?
This feature helps maintain vehicle speed when driving down a slope. The system uses a combination of engine motoring and regenerative braking to maintain vehicle speed.

Note: You could hear engine speed increasing and decreasing. This is normal operation.

The system activates when all the following occur:

• Your vehicle is on a downhill slope.
• The selector is in drive (D).
• You release the accelerator pedal.

 

[rivermaverick]

Brake sooner so you have to apply less pressure. If you break late, resulting in breaking hard you won't get 100%. If you have a distant red light and nobody directly behind you, coast to slow down gradually then brake when getting close to the light if necessary.

When I learned to drive, a loooong time ago the credo was 'look ahead, anticipate, down shift'. I know you can't down shift the hybrid but the 'L' button will give you max regen braking. Beware, it does not illuminate the brake lights though.

 

[h1k3rb]

When I learned to drive, a loooong time ago the credo was 'look ahead, anticipate, down shift'. I know you can't down shift the hybrid but the 'L' button will give you max regen braking. Beware, it does not illuminate the brake lights though.

Hitting the brakes in a hybrid is like downshifting with smoother control, until that last few mph before a full stop anyway. L is more aggressive but I don't find it useful for the way I drive. My first four vehicles (2 VW beetles, VW bus and a '64 Chevy II) had manual transmissions and I don't miss down (or up) shifting at all.

 

[JTMO]

Sounds like some here are driving their hybrid like they're playing a video game, trying come up with the highest score.

Yes we do, even my wife is into it.

2025 Lariat Maverick AWD
●Econ mode must be set each time as normal mode is default. No way to default it that I know of.
●L selector if in town adds to regeneration.
●Turn off the AC or heat and use fresh air only if possible.
●Anticipate and use regenerative braking
●Did a Sunday to Tahoe yesterday, 29 mpg up the mountains all Hybrid.
Kirkwood to Sutter Creek 99.9MPG 50 mins 38 miles with 29.8 on electric... downhill lol.
Sutter Creek to home 46.8mpg over 47 miles of country roads and suburban city streets.

Do I win the game?

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