Learning how to drive my hybrid

[MavGeek]

2026 Maverick XLT hybrid. Purchased it 8 days ago. Driving it around town and 2 trips to my cabin. Today was the first day, going home from my cabin (about 82 miles), that I felt I was beginning to get it.

It seems to be a lot about having a soft touch to both the accelerator and break. Am I right? Half the trip is highway and the other half is slower stop-and-go through small towns. I used normal mode today through the small towns and Eco mode on the highway. I achieved 51.5 mpg. I tried to keep it under 65 mph on the highway.

I figured, with today’s gas prices, I’m saving about $15 round-trip from my previous non-hybrid vehicle. Not earth shattering but interesting nonetheless. Free money is always good!

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[El Kabong]

"ECO" mode gives a very soft pedal feel, it mutes your throttle inputs and gives a little bit more aggressive regeneration. Some folk here like it, I experimented with it and found it to be useful when in the city. It does not do much for you on the highway as the ICE will be running most of the time on the highway.

You can train yourself to "hypermile" if thats your thing. Search for the "pulse glide" method or similar, lots of threads about this

I've only had the Maverick since April. Now I just leave it in Normal mode all the time, works pretty well.

 

[MavGeek]

"ECO" mode gives a very soft pedal feel, it mutes your throttle inputs and gives a little bit more aggressive regeneration. Some folk here like it, I experimented with it and found it to be useful when in the city. It does not do much for you on the highway as the ICE will be running most of the time on the highway.

You can train yourself to "hypermile" if thats your thing. Search for the "pulse glide" method or similar, lots of threads about this

I've only had the Maverick since April. Now I just leave it in Normal mode all the time, works pretty well.

Thank you for your input.

The same drive in normal mode netted me 40.6 mpg. Quite a difference.

I will not “hypermile” as it’s dangerous to me and other drivers.

 

[El Kabong]

Thank you for your input.

The same drive in normal mode netted me 40.6 mpg. Quite a difference.

I should mention that it's been mentioned that your hybrid won't actually be broken in until it has a couple of thousand miles (or around 5k miles or something like that). Once you get there you should be seeing what your MPGs really will be like. At the moment I don't recall my lifetime average MPGs but it's around 39.x I think, just under 40.

Some trips net me 70MPG or more (running errands to local shops, ~2 miles at low speeds it runs mostly on battery).

Just remember: do NOT overfill the gas tank. Pump until it clicks off, wait ~30 seconds, pump until it clicks again, and STOP pumping gas. Continuing to force gas into the truck can cause evap system problems resulting in a trip to dealer service.

Welcome to the hybrid gang and enjoy the truck!

 

[A112358]

Turn on the EV Coach display to get a better sense of how the system is switching from the ICE to the EV battery to charging mode.

 

[MavGeek]

Turn on the EV Coach display to get a better sense of how the system is switching from the ICE to the EV battery to charging mode.

It seems to come on for breaking but i haven't seen it for anything else. Ill check my settings. Thank you.

 

[Prickly Pear]

I use ECO almo65st all the time, even on the Freeway. If I keep it under 65 I consistently average over 50MPG. When I come to a flat or downhill section I let off on the gas a little and it drops into battery mode. I can hold my speed steady or lose a mph or two before the ICE kicks in or the elevation changes. Not really hypermiling but sort of a pulse and glide technique.

 

[A112358]

The expression "YMMV" is literally true in the context of hybrid driving.

 

[MavGeek]

I use ECO almo65st all the time, even on the Freeway. If I keep it under 65 I consistently average over 50MPG. When I come to a flat or downhill section I let off on the gas a little and it drops into battery mode. I can hold my speed steady or lose a mph or two before the ICE kicks in or the elevation changes. Not really hypermiling but sort of a pulse and glide technique.

In my short trials to the cabin: Normal only mode got me 40.6 mpg. Eco only mode got me the same 40.6. Then i tried the combination: Normal in the slower stop-and-go areas and Eco only the highway: 51.5 mpg.

Of course i have a lot more trial and error to go. Lots of variables . I don't want to turn it into a chore but just figure out what i‘ll do going forward.

Taking a trip in 2 weeks to NC with the Edge. Not hybrid but still has the Modes to choose from.

 

[MavGeek]

The expression "YMMV" is literally true in the context of hybrid driving.

There are certainly lots of variables as in most comparisons.

 

[MickG]

Wonder how to get 40+ mpg? My '25 Lariat awd w/ tow pkg always shows @ 38.5 mpg. Retired & don't drive much more than to golf course & back; @ 7k miles / year. Not complaining but others do better. Should I use 91 vs 87, or something else?

 

[MavGeek]

Wonder how to get 40+ mpg? My '25 Lariat awd w/ tow pkg always shows @ 38.5 mpg. Retired & don't drive much more than to golf course & back; @ 7k miles / year. Not complaining but others do better. Should I use 91 vs 87, or something else?

I’m just using 87.

 

[HeyBales]

Eco reduces the AC desire to get temp to set point quick. So save the HVB a bit.
And slows the cruise control response to get back to speed. May keep you in EV a tad longer, or at least gentler on the ICE.

Other than gas and brake pedal feel - that's it.

So it helped YOU drive more economically.

So this engine is no different than others - a calm response on accelerations help gas mileage.

What is different though - in your normal driving scenarios you may find spots where that calm ICE usage makes it take longer to say get up to speed or up an incline - and you are missing time being in EV mode where it's reduced power ability could take the whole load.

So eeking out of a stop sign or stop light, or limping up that hill trying to stay in EV mode - could have you drain the HVB to the point the ICE will now turn on and/or longer merely to recharge.
And it would have been better to just get on up using the ICE, and then let the EV take over for the down hill or flat section where it can be used.

Nothing worse than hitting the Go pedal just a tad too much approaching an intersection - turn on the ICE - it's almost to 30% SOC on the HVB, so the ICE is going to keep running to charge to 40% - and you hit a stop light.
ICE runs the entire time and finally shuts down - and the light turns green.
Arghhhh!

I have some inclines almost as bad but I learned way back.
If I hit the start of the incline at 45 mph, and slowly drop to 40 the speed limit by the top - my battery can be totally run down and now the next long flat/down section has no EV mode usage because the ICE is running.
I wasted the HVB on the shorter uphill and had nothing to use on the longer flat/down.
Not good for MPG.

Things like that - hopefully you'll learn.

EV Coach helps a lot on that. Not sure the 25/26 is as helpful, but same idea.

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