Sudden and dramatic drop in fuel economy

[switchmitch]

I have a hybrid Maverick. Have had it since march.
All of a sudden today the fuel economy plummeted, specifically when the gas engine would kick on (relative to previously)
Even rolling through a parking lot of accelerating very slowly the instant MPG would read single digits, like 3-7mpg. Previously it would have been much higher. (power usage gauge would be reading like 5-10% power, just out of the green zone.

The electric motor still kicks on as expected but the gas engine never really got higher than 20mpg and that was momentary.

This was all around town driving on flat roads, drive I previously would have gotten 40+ and over 50+ MPG were well down in the 20's and 30's

What could be going on?

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[JP4AZ]

I don't have a Hybrid yet so I don"t have any experience to share for you. Are you suddenly using the Air Conditioner now that it is getting hot?

 

[Shay]

Summer Heat

 

[TedTX]

Heat. Hybrid batteries need to be forced cooled over Summer temperatures. Just one of the unexpected Maverick hybrid issues. Not a wide spread issue for other hybrids. It will go back to normal once high temperatures are below 90. Park in shade. Avoid hot streets, black asphalt, driving after 2pm. Etc.

 

[switchmitch]

I don't have a Hybrid yet so I don"t have any experience to share for you. Are you suddenly using the Air Conditioner now that it is getting hot?

Nope, all the variables I can think of remain the same as before

 

[switchmitch]

Heat. Hybrid batteries need to be forced cooled over Summer temperatures. Just one of the unexpected Maverick hybrid issues. Not a wide spread issue for other hybrids. It will go back to normal once high temperatures are below 90. Park in shade. Avoid hot streets, black asphalt, driving after 2pm. Etc.

I don't follow.
The electric motor operated fine, the battery drove roughly 75% of the drive, the problem was only isolated to when the gas engine was on and the fuel usage was much higher than previously.
The hybrid motor seemed to be running the same

 

[switchmitch]

Summer Heat

But if heat has been the same previous days of driving why would that drop fuel economy all of a sudden if the heat has been the same.

Also does heat have a 75%+ reduction impact on a gas engine? Never heard of that before

 

[K5Blazer]

Summer heat and a/c going now losses me 2-3 mpg, just like every other car I’ve ever had.

The kind of loss the OP is talking about isn’t from a/c

 

[switchmitch]

Summer heat and a/c going now losses me 2-3 mpg, just like every other car I’ve ever had.

The kind of loss the OP is talking about isn’t from a/c

Agreed.
I was looking at 75+% loss from the gas engine instant fuel economy and roughly 30-50% loss overall from the total drive stats.

 

[Vaportrail]

My mpg takes a huge hit, the longer we sit still in traffic, with the AC on-

But it gets really hot here...

On the bright side, everything has performed flawlessly (so far) and most importantly the AC is fantastic-

I've got a thousand miles on mine and stood on it in sport mode today, for the first time.

It's got enough pep to be fun...

 

[Senior Master Ford Guy]

Just thinking outside the box here on your mpg drop, you're truck isn't leaking fuel somewhere under the hood and ready to catch fire is it ? I mean, they do have a recall on some for possible fuel and fuel vapor leaks

 

[Billy Howell]

I have not had this problem with my hybrid Maverick. But last week my 2023 F150 showed 3 mpg. I reset my trip odometer. And it went back to 22mpg. I guess it was a glitch.

 

[Photoguy]

This explains so much. Thank you to whoever included the YouTube video

 

[rivermaverick]

Look at your home electricity bill! Air Conditioning uses a lot of energy.
(On the plus side you can turn of your water heater - hot water comes our of the cold tap!)

 

[Hardening2753]

I have not had this problem with my hybrid Maverick. But last week my 2023 F150 showed 3 mpg. I reset my trip odometer. And it went back to 22mpg. I guess it was a glitch.

The ye old take a hammer to it

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