What’s your EV coach “blue bar” length?

[CuriousGary]

Thanks Curious Gary...I knew most of what you said except cruise control..which I will try, but how can I get back into Electric if I can't let of the gas pedal, I mean electric pedal? I thought using your right foot to vary speed can get more charge to the battery (clear as mud?)

The idea is to take your foot off the throttle (gas & electric pedal) briefly to go into electric mode and then gently apply pressure.

Your battery charges when you go down hill or apply the breaks. Then you can use the charge later to drive the electric motor.

You should set the dash board so you can see the EV Coach all the time. Are you seeing this? If not i will give you instructions.

I am not all that technical. You should follow members such as GPSMan for good advice on maximizing miles per gallon with your hybrid.

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[son of a ..sven]

Yes, I have EV coach on all the time. I think I have a handle on everything but the truth will be when we take a trip using the interstate. Town miles, all 265 of them so far. Thanks again, and I have a friend moving to Atlanta now..but he likes the Outback they have an won't hear of anything else.

 

[CuriousGary]

Yes, I have EV coach on all the time. I think I have a handle on everything but the truth will be when we take a trip using the interstate. Town miles, all 265 of them so far. Thanks again, and I have a friend moving to Atlanta now..but he likes the Outback they have an won't hear of anything else.

Interstates are not always mileage killers. When they are crowded and speeds are slow, it is easy to get your truck into electric mode. I do a trip about once a week of 56 mi RT where i generally get 47 mpg on average. Last trip like this i took, i got an average of 52.5. The interstates around Atlanta are hilly and generally congested. On a trip to FL and back (about 1,500 mi) i got between 36 and 38 mpg. Lots of flat interstate in south GA and FL and i drove maybe 70 mph to stay up with traffic.

Your hybrid truck should drive well and get good mpg’s on interstates.

 

[CuriousGary]

Yes, I have EV coach on all the time. I think I have a handle on everything but the truth will be when we take a trip using the interstate. Town miles, all 265 of them so far. Thanks again, and I have a friend moving to Atlanta now..but he likes the Outback they have an won't hear of anything else.

Lots of Outbacks in Atlanta.

 

[son of a ..sven]

Interstates are not always mileage killers. When they are crowded and speeds are slow, it is easy to get your truck into electric mode. I do a trip about once a week of 56 mi RT where i generally get 47 mpg on average. Last trip like this i took, i got an average of 52.5. The interstates around Atlanta are hilly and generally congested. On a trip to FL and back (about 1,500 mi) i got between 36 and 38 mpg. Lots of flat interstate in south GA and FL and i drove maybe 70 mph to stay up with traffic.

Your hybrid truck should drive well and get good mpg’s on interstates.

In Oregon, it's getting to be like California...people in the fast lane ( usually 2 lanes in each direction here) go over 75, probably 80+ is the norm and the slow lane is crowded with Semi Trucks..going anywhere from 60 to 70 mph. Guess I will find out what happens on our next trip that will be our first trip. Yeah, Outbacks everywhere...had a few myself.

 

[GPSMan]

Well done, GPSMan. What did you do to achieve 53 mpg on a tank? Recently I averaged 52.5 mpg on a 56 mi round trip on crowded hilly Atlanta area interstates in rush hour. I think this is pretty good. (Usually I average about 48.5 mpg on this trip which i take about once a week.)

Now I need to work on my relatively short local trips. Getting the truck warmed up seems to be an issue. Winter temps have now subsided. Any suggestions?

My cumulative mpg’s are 42.0 on the dash on 5,000 mi on the truck. This includes from 36-38 on a 1,500 mi trip to FL and back from the Atlanta area.

Lower speed is going to net higher MPG almost always.

Using EV coach is the best built-in tool I have found.

Coasting, whether with the aid of slippery mode or just using a careful foot, will boost MPG.

Anticipate conditions ahead.

Aftermarket OBDII read-out like a "ScanGaugeIII" is also helpful.

Use EV miles whenever possible.
If you are not using your battery pack, you are hauling around a charged pack "just in case" you need it, which is just extra weight without purpose most of the time.

Use EV miles whenever possible.
If you are not using your battery pack, you are hauling around a charged pack "just in case" you need it, which is just extra weight without purpose most of the time.

ALSO... it is best to drive your last mile in EV. Park with a low battery. It will recharge VERY fast during the next warm-up cycle. Most of the time the battery is fully recharged BEFORE the engine is warm. This way you can get useful work done while warming up.

 

[CuriousGary]

Lower speed is going to net higher MPG almost always.

Using EV coach is the best built-in tool I have found.

Coasting, whether with the aid of slippery mode or just using a careful foot, will boost MPG.

Anticipate conditions ahead.

Aftermarket OBDII read-out like a "ScanGaugeIII" is also helpful.

Use EV miles whenever possible.
If you are not using your battery pack, you are hauling around a charged pack "just in case" you need it, which is just extra weight without purpose most of the time.

Use EV miles whenever possible.
If you are not using your battery pack, you are hauling around a charged pack "just in case" you need it, which is just extra weight without purpose most of the time.

ALSO... it is best to drive your last mile in EV. Park with a low battery. It will recharge VERY fast during the next warm-up cycle. Most of the time the battery is fully recharged BEFORE the engine is warm. This way you can get useful work done while warming up.

How is ScanGuageIII helpful? What does it tell you? Also, how does warming up your engine by driving help to improve mileage?

Thanks for your reply.

 

[GPSMan]

How is ScanGuageIII helpful? What does it tell you? Also, how does warming up your engine by driving help to improve mileage?

Thanks for your reply.

I got the SG for two main reasons: to always know the exact SOC of my battery, and to know the exact temperature of all the components when towing. For the latter, should the need arise, I can slow down well before any "damage has been done already, pull over safely now" message comes up on the dash. Those lights and warnings generally tell you when you have gone too far right? Like low oil (pressure) comes on when you are about empty, not when you are a quart low.

For the first, knowing exact SOC helps you drive. Hard to explain, but it changes the decisions you make, or at least helps guide your decisions.

It's all half a MPG here, half a MPG there, but taken collectively, it all adds up.

For the warm-up you have two choices assuming you start in residential and don't get on a highway within 30 seconds of turning the key:

A) Warm-up at high idle while still in your driveway, going slow, and/or at several stop signs and/or stop lights WHILE NOT CHARGING,

or

B) Warm-up at high idle while still in your driveway, going slow, and/or at several stop signs and/or stop lights WHILE CHARGING.

Ya gotta warm up the engine one way or another. In A it can spend gas just to warm up. In B it can charge while warming up. Kinda like two-for-one.

If you are driving too fast to make EV practical within the first minute, the point is moot. It will not matter. I want to get "work" done (charging) while I'm forced to idle during warm-up. Once the engine is warm, there is no idle.

Oh, and the simple thing, so simple I forget to mention it is: put 5-10 psi more in your tires. My fronts are at 40, my rears at 44 psi right now. It costs you nothing, and really helps more than people give credit for. (Also low pressure lowers more than people would guess.). Like my MPG is in the top 10% off all owners, my tire tread life is also generally in the top 10% of all owners. A little stiffer tire will outlast a softer one, hands down, case closed. I'm not recommending you double the pressure. I do highly recommend adding 10% to 20% more pressure. The factory stock tires on my past two cars both exceeded the tread life ratings by a large amount.

 

[GPSMan]

In Regards to my long high speed trips this weekend, if you recall from earlier above:

Doing 75 & 80 on Southbound I-5:

"Had 36.3 MPG indicated on the dash.
Had 37.8 MPG at the pump which I don't believe. Must had topped off higher before leaving, and less after reaching destination.

On the return trip I had more time. Chose to stay in the right lane and drive 60 mph instead. Expected to post a phenomenal number to the board here. I was foiled by strong headwinds. Even with cruise set to 60 mph and taking 8 hours instead of 6.5, only have 38.9 MPG indicated. Air conditioning on a low setting all day."

I just refueled after the return trip. Let the car sit Sunday. Drove an extra 20 miles today before getting gas, mostly freeway at 55 mph.

Trickled gas in slowly. Went 3 click past the stop. Topped off best possible to get 13.676 gallons to go in. Was at MTE=15. Drove 569.7 miles.
Net by hand = 41.65 MPG.

Seems the computer was biased low from all my high speeds. I did better than indicated.

 

[Eagle11]

Hey guys, I came across somebody else’s dash image in EV coach showing their “blue bar” quite a bit larger than I’ve ever seen mine,

Size doesn't mean everything.

 

[GPSMan]

Known Data:

The HV Battery is programmed to operate between 30% and 70% charge.

Braking and Regen in L can input up to 30% in one minute.

Charging with gas at idle will input about 10% per minute when the battery charge is low.

Charging with gas at idle will input only about 2% per minute when the battery charge is high.

Therefore, it is more efficient to charge a low battery than a high battery. Any EV owner will corroborate this.

 

[Eagle11]

Known Data:

The HV Battery is programmed to operate between 30% and 70% charge.

Braking and Regen in L can input up to 30% in one minute.

Charging with gas at idle will input about 10% per minute when the battery charge is low.

Charging with gas at idle will input only about 2% per minute when the battery charge is high.

Therefore, it is more efficient to charge a low battery than a high battery. Any EV owner will corroborate this.

Since the maverick doesn't have a battery gauge to see if this all true, we will need to go with this.

 

[GPSMan]

Since the maverick doesn't have a battery gauge to see if this all true, we will need to go with this.

I put an aftermarket one in mine.
Readings come from the OBDII port under the dash, above your left knee.

 

[Eagle11]

I put an aftermarket one in mine.
Readings come from the OBDII port under the dash, above your left knee.

You have a link for one?

 

[JimParker256]

You have a link for one?

Here is your link to the ScanGuageIII site.

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