According to Brian Bradkowski, a Ford Engineer doing customer service that spoke to me on the phone last week, the only break in period for a Cmax is purely mechanical and will give no more than 1- 3% benefit. So do not expect too much. He assured me there was no program or other "break in adjustments" that have any effect, just what happens with all auto engines. Personal results, in Chicago winter driving, are just in the mid 30s and very disappointing. Why does the slightest hill or touch of accelleration cut off the EV? It seems to bounce back and forth weather. The Cmax seems to be set so that less use is made of the EV motor when going faster than about 15 mph. Or perhaps it is more noticable than on the wife's Prius (in which I get about 43 mpg in the same weather). One thing I did notice is that the Prius almost always goes to EV when stopped at a light and my Cmax is not. Could the battery need charging that much more than the Toyota's? I have to admit the solid contruction, quieter ride, and better acceleration are positives and I hope that Ford Engineers will make some firmware changes that bring the mileage up. It would not take many changes on how and when the EV contributes to make a difference. I also wish the salesman and brochures had been more honest about the mileage when I bought it and they promised near 47. I might still have bought considering the quality of rest of the vehicle. Even now I hear them and service staff talk about a 4-5 mpg break bonus when as above Ford's engineer says this does not exist. BTW the Ford Customer service staff, except for at first one CS manage repeating the "break in" misinformation, could not have been better to deal with. They do seem to care.
