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1) this is a mechanical requirement of the power split device. When the planetary gears are stationary, sun RPM = - ring RPM, or the planetary gears aren't stationary. 2 & 3) Generator rotational direction is not necessarily correlated with power produced. It's too easy to change polarity of the applied field as Generator passes through 0 RPM. Why would the generator would ever use more power than unavoidable parasitic losses? 4 & 5) I don't see how any of this matters when the Motor is running at 9000 RPM. Given that's fixed, Generator and ICE RPM move in a fixed relationship, shown in your data. Any chance you're looking at the ratios too hard? Frank

Block heaters in summer... in the South, no less. No one saw this coming.

I was just putting some numbers to the SOC effect you suggested, for comparison with your observations. I quoted the data so my ranges would make sense. The numbers work out so that 1/distance is the fractional error - 10 miles = 10%, 100 miles = 1% - due to starting/ending SOC variation. That makes this a 1-sided tolerance; it's +/- 10%. And no, not having as much fun without a daily commute to give me data. Too much short trip with AC. Hope you both enjoyed Maine, and the trip home! HAve fun, Frank

Here's a link to some data Plus 3 posted regarding 12v battery life by geographic region. http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/4887-hvb-health-from-obdii-data-analysis/page-2?do=findComment&comment=62376

Here's something to consider. With some assumptions, usable SOC is about the same energy as 0.01 gal. of gasoline, or 1.28oz. (assumes 129MJ/gal., 3.6MJ/kWh, 1.4kWh total HVB capacity, with a 25% average access capacity (40% accessible capacity @ 5/8 use)) At high mileages, mileage is very sensitive to small changes in fuel consumption. - at 50 MPG (2 gal./100 miles), a 10 mile trip uses 0.2 gal., so the battery is a 1 in 20 effect - 5% - at 66.6 MPG (1.5 gal./100 miles), it's a 6.7% effect - at 80 MPG (1.25 gal./100 miles), it's a 8% effect ... it's always 1/10 of the mileage at 10 miles. - at 5 miles, the effect is doubled - at 20 miles, the effect is halved Now, how does your mileage data look? Have fun, Frank

12v lead/acid batteries have a finite life, but... you're in cold country, where batteries last. Mine has never had a 12v issue, but it's an SEL with the big screen and MFT. I mention it because early SE's had 12v battery issues just like what you describe. Do a search in the forum. The check out may be in order. Have fun, Frank

Just for accuracy, EV+ has nothing to do with start behavior; the timing's off. Only a long term owner would notice. - EV+ was present at purchase, 10/2012 - current start behavior first observed after 14E02, the second PCM reprogramming, 12/2014. Start behavior since 14E02 (Where to look) - EV until ICE threshold crossed (Empower display) - ICE on but all power EV for a short time (Engage display) - then ICE RPM rises to take over propulsion load. (MyView with tachometer & coolant temp) And it remains odd to me that Energi users are so interested in EV+, when they have an EV button. "Hybrid EV+" does not satiate button-envy. Have fun, Frank

And whenever possible, do this while charging! Don' accelerate quickly to speed; take your time. You'd really like a high SOC when you switch to EV. Frank

It would appear you are incapable of understanding what I'm saying...

The best way to get that is with a -1 or -2 wheel change. My 215/60-16 snow tires (on steel rims) are within a few percent of OEM circumference. There are 15" options I didn't explore due to limited options in snows. Frank

I get this on turns, as if a little lateral acceleration shifts the brakes from regen to friction, and there's a delay when it switches. The one thing I should mention is I've had recall 14S03 applied, due to a hard RCM failure. Odd things happened before that recall that haven't since. Have fun, Frank

You can cook on an engine. V-8's are great; lots of heat between the heads. I can't see anything more than warming in a C-Max, and you'd likely need some disassembly to access anything hot enough to be useful. Then it depends on your driving mode; we try to keep the ICE off most of the time, so the engine may spend a lot of time below normal operating temperature. You might be better off with an electric warming cooler. Have fun, Frank

Yes, Toyota's plug-in has always been Li-ion, and they've started switching the rest of the line over. There were none on the market at C-Max introduction. As to the rest... I think you're a great example of Ford's success with the feature. You even quoted he right piece; the mental attitude they wanted to engender in their owners: " '... we'd try to turn the engine off more.' " Imagine if Consumer's Union had had a clue how to do this... perhaps they failed to view the piece you linked. That piece is "marketing" where you never tell your real intentions The BS is the unsupported opinion that: "EV+ is not about being good to your battery for storage at all." I explained how it works, but you've ignored that. Need I add that Ford's engineers are smart? That Ford keeps the important stuff - intellectual property - secret. And you've got an Energi! That disqualifies your opinions regarding EV+ operation. You've never used it. But you can't see that either. That's why I called BS. HAve fun, Frank

Here's a nice tutorial on DC electrical motor characteristics; the last figure summarizes basic characteristics nicely. http://lancet.mit.edu/motors/motors3.html And one explaining a lot of Prius details. (Keep an eye on the axes; power, energy and RPM characteristics are shown repeatedly, along with everyone's favorite, "output.") Note that the torque curve flat spots at low RPM are due to current limits. http://www.roperld.com/science/Prius/PriusPhysics.htm So, yes, at 0 RPM (rest), the traction motor has all the torque it'll ever have. This is why modern locomotives are diesel-electric, and before that, steam. They share this characteristic. Makes for great pull off the line, but part of the tire noise is due to the tires' focus on economy and life, not traction. HAve fun, Frank

This is a great site for battery information. This page specifically addresses longevity factors. http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries Ford can control maximum charge level and depth of discharge, and they do what they can for reliability. Key Life Test results say they did a good job here. Ford has no control over he user. In fact, Ford "knows" we owners are idiots, they have decades of warranty data. So they design idiot-proof turbochargers that won't cook the oil when you shut them down hot. That EV+ is intellectual property value is a bonus; Ford put some really neat things into this car. It's too bad sales didn't greet the innovations. Have fun, Frank

I call BS. Got any credentials behind it, or are you just spreading uninformed personal opinion? Li-ion battery technology may be new, but it's well known that high charge levels accelerate failure, and life after storage is extended if stored with less than half charge. Then look at the feature, which is the only one I know of, in this car, that crosses the engine/entertainment CPU barrier. (Absence of such a barrier gets you on 60 Minutes.) GPS is part of entertainment, so it's clear that Ford made a specific exception to data crossing the barrier. Then there's the sophistication... it's not just keeping track of where you turn the car off. It's tracking how far away you are, and HVB state of charge. Higher charge will activate EV+ sooner, at greater distance from your destination. That's not simple. Now, ask why Ford would invest in a such a complex-but-useless feature... and perhaps you'll understand the true value of your post. The last bit is to ask why it's not a Prius feature? They don't use Li-ion batteries in hybrids. This ain't rocket science, if you just do a little digging. HAve fun, Frank

Let's hope they learned from Fiat/Chrysler's design... http://variety.com/2016/film/news/jeep-recall-anton-yelchin-1201828785/ Frank

Trip 2 oil change is a great idea! Mine hasn't been reset since the 13B07 PCM reprogramming. It seemed like a good idea except for a lack of digits on the displays (they roll over too fast). Maybe next change... Frank

+1 For those times when you need to scoot... Honestly, my only pet peeve is stray light and reflections. I blacked out a lot of it but the instrument cluster trim is criminal use of chrome. There's also a flat panel above the glove box that finds the Sun in devilish ways traveling North in the morning... So many aspects of this car are spot-on. I especially love the headlights in snowstorms. Have fun, Frank

Until sunset. As it starts to get dark, your light color dash, reflecting in the glass, will do a great job of obscuring the road in front of you. They're black for a very good reason. Frank

You could move North... It's hard to beat 30 MPG when it's below zero, too. Frank

Wheels are different in the brochure, and fog lights are missing. Of course, consumer could be different from fleet... we'd like block heaters, too! Frank

This rust will be much more common in colder parts of the country that use road salt to treat roadways, especially if you're getting good regen braking scores. And I like the way cwstnsko is thinking, and I know where I can implement it on a regular basis to maintain a little brake wear. Thanks! Have fun, Frank

Grill blocks are a standard hypermiling modification. Lots of happy mod'ers out there. Paul's done his homework, knows where Ford needed the excess cooling capacity (steep grade at high ambient temp). Very little chance of overheating unless you drive long, steep hills in Summer, and then, you just take them off, or pass on them in the first place. Paul drives to GA to AZ on a regular basis, so he has experience through TX. He's documented lots of good data. albeit in many posts... Have fun, Frank

Fusion is bigger... 8" in wheelbase to go with that longer body. It goes into legroom, 4" more in front, 2" in back, and the width into more hip and shoulder room, all a the expense of headroom. It's more of a cockpit-style seating, where the car tries to fit like a glove, consistent with it's less-utilitarian mission in the model line. Frank