finkins

The experienced insurance rep on assessing the damages initially suggested that the repair would cost between $4000 and $5000.  He took multiple pictures of the car, but at home I didn't have the heart to do that at the time. He way undercosted the final repair. The Cmax is one double-fill Oreo cookie under the hood!

The air bags did not deploy, as the car had enough weight to plow on without much sudden decelleration. And the car is high enough that we did not have any real fears that the animal would invade our windshield, thank goodness.

Interestingly, our provincial insurer indicates that panic stops, or sudden evasive manoevres to avoid a road animal causes much higher total insurance cost with other vehicle and personal injuries than just steaming on into the unlucky animal. My initial reflex to do this was apparently correct. Still, bloody painful.

A few weeks ago, I was returning from a holiday on the BC mainland, driving into Victoria on Vancouver Island in the traffic mass coming south from the ferry terminal on a four-lane highway, when all of a sudden a deer was right in front of my Cmax.

I had about one second to reflect on what to do. I elected to take my foot off the accelerator, and drive straight into the animal, (I had little choice) as it would create the least insurance claims and injuries for the traffic around me. I hit the poor deer dead centre at 75k/hr killing it, was able to drive home, and reported my sorry tale to local police.

My Cmax did not fare well. After some weeks because of issues getting repair parts, my collision repairman returned my car wonderfully rejuvinated, but an insurance bill of $11,200 not counting my rental vehicle costs which they covered as well.

Dear deer indeed!

I am a 70 yr old owner of a new C Max SE in Victoria on Vancouver Island. Almost 4000k on the odometer.

My first ever North American new car purchase. (Datsun, Volvos, Mazda, Honda, Toyota, Subaru).

I was a bit dubious at the beginning of this search, but....

My wife and I couldn't be happier with our purchase. Solid car...so quiet that you forget it is running...tons of room both front and back and overhead...very adequate storage in the back...comfortable seating, especially in the front where it counts....terrific high stance easy visibility all around...lots of nice small features, lighting, great radio and console, storage areas, electrical outlets etc...and all this and I am getting 5.3 to 5.4 litres/100k for mileage. Oh, and it drives like a dream come true.

I am quite happy with this gas consumption. After all, there is no other car its equal that delivers anything better. I tried the competition, and Ford won the wager. Why would I even consider buying a car slightly better on the gas figures, that I really preferred not to drive?

Seems straight forward to me...

The use of ICE to charge batteries makes sense under certain conditions like when ICE could be running at the most efficient areas of the BSFC curve if charging.  The stored energy from such efficient charging will be used when ICE would have had to run in very inefficient areas of the BSFC curves (like acceleration and lower speeds).  Even with the charging and EV mode operational losses, overall efficiency of the hybrid system improves with such operation.  

 

Also, I have run tests at 70 mph and the amount of recharge from ICE was minimal even with a 55% or so battery level (level was virtually constant within +- a few %).  In other words, from an efficiency standpoint, the PC algorithm chose to not run ICE harder to charge the battery at 70 mph to its full level likely because it was not going to be an efficient use of energy.  Also, once coasting down to a slower speed from 70 mph (and also going down steeper hills) ICE would shut down and there would be regeneration from such coasting which would increase the battery level to near 100% very quickly.  So, the system does capture energy when going down hill and also when slowing down not using the brakes.

 

One more point, there is no engine braking going down hill or coasting to a stop.  The engine is not spinning (rpm are zero).  The "braking" one feels is the motor being used as a generator and recharging.  When one engages the "grade assist", engine braking will occur along with the generator "braking."

Hi there;

I am new in this endeavour, and am trying to learn as much as possible to increase milage figures. Just got my new C Max.

I am pleased to hear that when I am drifting down a hill, no ICE, no EV drain, that there is regeneration happening. Do I have that right?

All the talk seems to be around braking regeneration, not coasting recharging. Why is that?

If I need more than just "generator" braking downhill, am I better to brake, or engage the "grade assist" to provide engine braking, from an energy efficient standpoint?