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2016 Hybrid Limited To 62 MPH EV


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Ford's specs for the 2016 show a top EV speed of 62 mph!  We're back to the original value for 2013s!  What's going on?  The 2015 still shows 85 mph!  Can anyone confirm the following items:

  1. Does the 2016 model actually limit you to 62 mph maximum EV speed (as original 2013s did)? Would like to hear from someone who has a 2016 model.
  2. Has anyone had "updates" on earlier models go from 85 mph back to the 62 mph value? It wouldn't surprise me.

If true, why the change?  Is it related to the transmission problem?  2016 NRGs still have the 85 limit (but they have the tranny coolant pump).

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It depends on terrain.  At 65 mph with "rolling hills" I go into EV a lot, and with even a modest downhill slope the power drops to near zero.  A 4% grade will cause regen at 65 mph.  OTOH, flat land at 55 mph will keep the ICE on constantly.  For me, an upper limit of 85 is certainly not needed but 62 is too low.  I frequently drive a long Interstate grade that is about 4% with a 65 mph speed limit.  ICE stays off the whole way down and I need the entire HV capacity for regen - sometimes it tops out completely and regen stops!  It would be very disappointing to go the whole way down with the ICE running (or slow to 62 mph - most undesirable).

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Is there any benefit of being able to go above 60 in EV?  I can't imagine that above 60 in EV  the batttery won't last very long before the ICE came on to charge it back up.

 

I'm trying to remember on my stints above 60 if the ICE was running or not...

I think so but it is more keeping the ICE off than running on EV.  I would assume that if it will not go into EV then the ICE will not shut down.  I have many times been able to go some distance with just EV.  I would mainly look for an area to where I am descending for a while and then put it in EV.  The ECO cruise will do the same thing.  I think it helps. 

 

I do wonder why they changed the programming on the 2016.   Does that mean that an update is coming for ours to switch it back?  

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Ford's specs for the 2016 show a top EV speed of 62 mph!  We're back to the original value for 2013s!  What's going on?  The 2015 still shows 85 mph!  Can anyone confirm the following items:

  1. Does the 2016 model actually limit you to 62 mph maximum EV speed (as original 2013s did)? Would like to hear from someone who has a 2016 model.
  2. Has anyone had "updates" on earlier models go from 85 mph back to the 62 mph value? It wouldn't surprise me.

If true, why the change?  Is it related to the transmission problem?  2016 NRGs still have the 85 limit (but they have the tranny coolant pump).

The 2015 page isn't loading right now. However, I note that the Energi is still showing 85 MPH. It seems strange, considering that the Energi basically becomes a hybrid under highway conditions. But the larger battery does allow for more storage on hills and etc. It is possible they simply decided to try and save the battery for the hybrid models.

 

I go into EV all the time at 70 MPH, which is typical speeds here in SoCal.

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Perhaps not on level ground... I've done the Rochester NY - Columbus OH run a number of times, and my mileage is always worse in NY.

 

The difference is in terrain; I-90 in NY runs along the coastal plain from ancient Lake Iroquois. The gentle hills aren't steep enough to EV down at highway speeds, but at lower speeds, they make for long EV-powered glides. 

 

Ohio from I-90 to Columbus has rolling hills, the legacy of glacial end moraines deposited as ridges across the state. Ohio hills are steep enough to maintain speed in EV mode for long periods, and as we all know, more EV = More MPG.

 

Have fun,

Frank

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I've had all updates done and my 2013 in the last 15 minutes or so ran at 74 mph in EV mode on slight downgrades.  :)

They basically reflash the entire system every year; the updates are fixes and do not necessarily upgrade the entire system to the newest standard. The 2013 is quite different from my 2014, or the 2016. It will be interesting to see if someone actually has this happen on their new 2016.

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I know my top EV speed in my 2013 is 86mpg using Garmin GPS. ;)  I would think a minimum EV speed would be 70mph. I just talked to my FORD Sales Manager and he looked it up in his order books and It says 85mph max EV Speed. :yahoo:

 

Paul

If that is true, someone at Ford copied the original 2013 C-Max specs into the 2016 year page.

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If that is true, someone at Ford copied the original 2013 C-Max specs into the 2016 year page.

Could be.  If so, I sure hope the programmers don't pull the same trick - copy over the 2013 code that causes modules to wake up in the dead of night and run the 12V battery down!  :lol2:  (OK, sorry, that wasn't very funny - just an excuse to try out that lol2 guy!)

Anyway, still waiting on a 2016 owner to test the EV limit.  Nothing like some real data.

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  • 1 year later...

I just picked up a 2015 and it's primarily my wife's car to replace the VW TDI we are giving back to VW.

When I drive it next time I will see if it goes into EV above 65mph.

 

But here is the thing if you are going downhill at 75mph with the engine on it still isn't using any fuel.  It shuts

off the injectors when coasting.  My 2003 Vibe GT even does this when coasting in gear.  I hooked up my scanner

yesterday and when coasting down hill in gear the short term fuel trim stays at 0%.  But if I go to neutral and 

coast the short term fuel trim jumps around.

 

My TDI does the same thing.  So it really isn't a bad thing the ICE is running.

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I just picked up a 2015 and it's primarily my wife's car to replace the VW TDI we are giving back to VW.

When I drive it next time I will see if it goes into EV above 65mph.

 

But here is the thing if you are going downhill at 75mph with the engine on it still isn't using any fuel.  It shuts

off the injectors when coasting.  My 2003 Vibe GT even does this when coasting in gear.  I hooked up my scanner

yesterday and when coasting down hill in gear the short term fuel trim stays at 0%.  But if I go to neutral and 

coast the short term fuel trim jumps around.

 

My TDI does the same thing.  So it really isn't a bad thing the ICE is running.

Is your HVB full?

 

Paul

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I just picked up a 2015 and it's primarily my wife's car to replace the VW TDI we are giving back to VW.

When I drive it next time I will see if it goes into EV above 65mph.

 

But here is the thing if you are going downhill at 75mph with the engine on it still isn't using any fuel.  It shuts

off the injectors when coasting.  My 2003 Vibe GT even does this when coasting in gear.  I hooked up my scanner

yesterday and when coasting down hill in gear the short term fuel trim stays at 0%.  But if I go to neutral and 

coast the short term fuel trim jumps around.

 

My TDI does the same thing.  So it really isn't a bad thing the ICE is running.

If you are coasting in gear down hill (assume ICE is in closed loop operation), then ICE and the traction motor are not being used for propulsion by definition and are off no mater what the speed.  As soon as either the traction motor or ICE supplies power for propulsion the car is no longer coasting.  The traction motor can supply propulsion by itself up to a speed of 85 mph depending on load requirements.  ICE may need to startup if the traction motor can't meet load requirements.   When the EV limit was 62 mph, ICE would always startup with speed greater than 62 mph when not coasting (the traction motor always spins proportionately to the speed of the vehicle).  Most have seen the actual limit slightly higher than the 62 mph.  I could stay in EV mode up to about 66 mph when the limit was 62 mph.

 

IIRC, according to Ford the change from 62 to 85 mph was done because consumers wanted to see their car in EV mode more often.  IIRC, Ford never touted this as a fuel savings change. Having said this, a hypermiler now has another tool to use (EV only speed up to 85 mph) and perhaps by learning how to best use this tool, the hypermiler can increase their FE above 62 mph.

Edited by Plus 3 Golfer
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I use a ScanGaugeII, it's more expensive $159, use to be $119 4yrs ago. :sad:  I was happy when they raised the max EV speed to 85mph, because I use EV 40-50% of the time when driving on the FWY.  Had fun with 20-30 mph tail wind going clear across NM about 360 miles averaging around 70mph and 60 mpg.  :yahoo: Even with the winds changing to a cross wind in TX and OK, I still averaged 55mpg and 51.7%EV when I filled up in OK City. :)

 

Paul

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I just bought a 2016 C-Max SE.  EV works up to 85 mph.  I haven't been impressed with Ford's web sites lately.  It is difficult to get accurate information.

 

I'm using the Automatic OBD II.  I supports a broad set of software and comes with built in GPS and cellular access.  No monthly charge either.

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