Newbee Hybrid vs Plug in...

[Ford4LIfe]

So question is.... the only difference between the two is the Hybrid alone has a 1.4kwh battery and the Plug-in has larger 7.6kwh?  However they both supply the electric motor, with the option of the plug-in able to run on that battery alone.  

 

I just bought the 2014 Plug-in Titanium model, 50kmiles.  It only registers 8 miles on a full charge.  

 

1.  Though I may not be able to go the full 21 advertised miles on battery alone, I should (with a 7.6kwh battery) be able to last longer in hybrid mode than a regular hybrid and before having to buy a new battery?  Or is there separate areas of charging in the battery pack...one for hybrid and one for plug-in?

 

2., Has regenerative breaking been recharging the battery, even when my battery is showing 0 miles?

 

3. Where can one purchase a new battery pack besides Ford?  Greentec auto only deals in Nickle metal batteries, not Lithium.

 

 

Edited March 1, 2022 by Ford4LIfe

[cr08]

7.6kwh is the full plug-in+hybrid capacity. In reality ~5.5kwh is the plug-in portion and this is what the capacity would be brand new. As a used vehicle, it very likely could be lower by now due to normal battery degradation and depending on how the previous owner drove it.

 

The miles listed should not be relied on as it is not an accurate indicator of real battery capacity. The vehicle guesses this number based on a number of factors like recent driving habits, ambient temp, climate usage, etc.. If you want to determine the real battery capacity, do the following steps:

 

1) Fully charge the battery.

2) Drive the vehicle in EV mode. If in a colder climate currently try not to use heat. Anything that will force the ICE to be started will invalidate these numbers. Things that can do this are full WOT acceleration in EV Auto, high climate usage in low ambient temperatures, or using defrost (The vehicle will choose defrost in Auto mode on the climate control if it is under 32f outside, as an FYI).

3) Once the plug-in charge has been depleted and it drops into hybrid mode (ie: The battery display on the dash no longer shows the miles and switches to the 'flat' battery display), stop the vehicle somewhere safely and shut it off. The trip summary on the left screen will show the kwh used and that should be the current real capacity of the battery. Generally speaking anything over 4kwh is still good. 3+ is 'ok' but getting degraded.

 

====

 

Regarding your other notes: Regen braking is always active. Even if the plug-in charge is depleted and it is oeprating in hybrid mode. The hybrid mode still cycles the battery under normal operation as that is one of the biggest improvements in fuel economy.

 

Regarding replacement packs, I couldn't tell you off the top of my head. I know there's a few companies who offer refurbed packs but don't have names. I can tell you that to the best of my knowledge I haven't seen anyone yet confirm they've pursued replacements that were not done under warranty (this is VERY rare in itself. Ford doesn't warranty any level of degradation, just outright failure which most owners have not run into).

[Ford4LIfe]

On 3/1/2022 at 11:31 AM, cr08 said:

7.6kwh is the full plug-in+hybrid capacity. In reality ~5.5kwh is the plug-in portion and this is what the capacity would be brand new. As a used vehicle, it very likely could be lower by now due to normal battery degradation and depending on how the previous owner drove it.

 

The miles listed should not be relied on as it is not an accurate indicator of real battery capacity. The vehicle guesses this number based on a number of factors like recent driving habits, ambient temp, climate usage, etc.. If you want to determine the real battery capacity, do the following steps:

 

1) Fully charge the battery.

2) Drive the vehicle in EV mode. If in a colder climate currently try not to use heat. Anything that will force the ICE to be started will invalidate these numbers. Things that can do this are full WOT acceleration in EV Auto, high climate usage in low ambient temperatures, or using defrost (The vehicle will choose defrost in Auto mode on the climate control if it is under 32f outside, as an FYI).

3) Once the plug-in charge has been depleted and it drops into hybrid mode (ie: The battery display on the dash no longer shows the miles and switches to the 'flat' battery display), stop the vehicle somewhere safely and shut it off. The trip summary on the left screen will show the kwh used and that should be the current real capacity of the battery. Generally speaking anything over 4kwh is still good. 3+ is 'ok' but getting degraded.

 

====

 

Regarding your other notes: Regen braking is always active. Even if the plug-in charge is depleted and it is oeprating in hybrid mode. The hybrid mode still cycles the battery under normal operation as that is one of the biggest improvements in fuel economy.

 

Regarding replacement packs, I couldn't tell you off the top of my head. I know there's a few companies who offer refurbed packs but don't have names. I can tell you that to the best of my knowledge I haven't seen anyone yet confirm they've pursued replacements that were not done under warranty (this is VERY rare in itself. Ford doesn't warranty any level of degradation, just outright failure which most owners have not run into).

 

That helps, and thanks!  Plan on having this car for the next 15 years hopefully.  My 2005 Ford Focus with 230K still runs good, but I was looking for newer technology...

Edited March 1, 2022 by Ford4LIfe

[Wheatridger]

Three months later, you've probably gotten your car and formed your own opinion. Here's the differences I've noted between my 2014 Hybrid SEL and 2017 Energi Titanium

- 65 mpg vs. 38 mpg. Yes, for real!

- the Energi spends a surprising amount of time in EV, even when maintaining speed on a flat highway. 

- Energi Titaniums were with active noise cancelation, which makes a big difference. It's the quietest car I've ever had.