Cold engine vs. warm engine

[Adair]

Interesting observation (to me, anyway....I'm easily amused)

 

Yesterday afternoon I stopped at the grocery on the way home, then drove the 2 miles to my house. The mileage for that 2 miles, with the engine warmed already from the rest of the drive from work, 1/2 battery,  55 * outside, was 82 MPG!!! I know, I know, not realistic over longer miles, but still fun to see.

 

This morning I had to stop back at the same store on my way to work. Same exact distance, virtually flat roads, but 45* out and cold engine. That 2 mile trip was 17.8MPG!!!

Edited May 14, 2013 by Adair

[fotomoto]

I do a nearly identical 20 mile route twice a day with the biggest difference between the two being a completely cold engine in the morning with the typically cooler morning temps.   The difference between then and the afternoon trip is usually a difference of 4-7mpg's (lately 43am/48pm) even with more wind in the afternoons.   Later when I run evening errands with a now very warm engine and very comfortable air temps., I get 50 to nearly 60mpg's on those outings.  

[spyburn]

Great info.  So I can tell my boss I can't come into work early.....or at all in the 3 weeks of winter we get here in South Texas...because I get crappy gas mileage?  Anybody think that will fly?

 

Yeah.....I thought not.  Sigh.......

[Adair]

Great info.  So I can tell my boss I can't come into work early.....or at all in the 3 weeks of winter we get here in South Texas...because I get crappy gas mileage?  Anybody think that will fly?

 

Yeah.....I thought not.  Sigh.......

 

Uh, no, probably not. And don't expect a whole lot of sympathy from those of us in the north during those 3 weeks either.....just sayin' :hysterical:

[spyburn]

I won't be looking for sympathy during our 3 weeks of winter. I LIVE for our 3 weeks of winter!  It's the only thing that gets me through our 10+ months of unbearably hot summer!

[Adair]

I won't be looking for sympathy during our 3 weeks of winter. I LIVE for our 3 weeks of winter!  It's the only thing that gets me through our 10+ months of unbearably hot summer!

I need to live there  :woohoo:  

[SnowStorm]

So, would one of those cold weather engine heaters help?  Plug it in at home and then start off with a warm engine.

 

The other morning hit on mileage could be EV+.  It runs the battery lower than usual coming home but (pay me now or pay me later) you then have to charge it that much more next morning.  I hope EV+ really is an overall "plus" - it seems like a cool feature.

[Edsel]

In my experience the car wants to "burn off" any charge left from the previous trip.  When the ICE kicks in there is an EV assist until the charge is brought down to a certain level.  When I noticed this I decided EV+ was probably worth keeping on.  Does anyone have EV+ off and see something different?

 

 

 

So, would one of those cold weather engine heaters help?  Plug it in at home and then start off with a warm engine.

 

The other morning hit on mileage could be EV+.  It runs the battery lower than usual coming home but (pay me now or pay me later) you then have to charge it that much more next morning.  I hope EV+ really is an overall "plus" - it seems like a cool feature.

[hybridbear]

So, would one of those cold weather engine heaters help?  Plug it in at home and then start off with a warm engine.

 

The other morning hit on mileage could be EV+.  It runs the battery lower than usual coming home but (pay me now or pay me later) you then have to charge it that much more next morning.  I hope EV+ really is an overall "plus" - it seems like a cool feature.

A block heater absolutely helps. In MN they are standard on the cars and since the EBH warms the engine up to the temp it needs to go into EV mode you spend a minimal amount of time running the ICE when first starting for it to heat the emissions components. It makes a noticeable difference in fuel economy

 

In my experience the car wants to "burn off" any charge left from the previous trip.  When the ICE kicks in there is an EV assist until the charge is brought down to a certain level.  When I noticed this I decided EV+ was probably worth keeping on.  Does anyone have EV+ off and see something different?

This is because the car doesn't want to rev the ICE when it first turns on. This is actually very bad for your MPGs because since the ICE is running very inefficiently when it first turns you are only seeing instant MPGs in the 20s even while draining the battery. The best way to stop this is to flip the car into L for a few seconds as soon as the ICE kicks on. Once you put it back into D it won't go into this fuel wasting mode again

[Edsel]

This is because the car doesn't want to rev the ICE when it first turns on. This is actually very bad for your MPGs because since the ICE is running very inefficiently when it first turns you are only seeing instant MPGs in the 20s even while draining the battery. The best way to stop this is to flip the car into L for a few seconds as soon as the ICE kicks on. Once you put it back into D it won't go into this fuel wasting mode again

 

Thanks for the tip.  I've been using this method with great success.  I can usually get to a main road from my house (or work) in EV only.  Now I start in low when I get there and shift to drive at about 15 MPH.

[BIG ROCCO]

Here in Phoenix, we have really mild Winters and really hot Summers.  In all of our previous cars, I have noticed the best MPG in the Spring and Fall - the engine warms up really quickly, doesn't cool off much when parked, and there is no AC needed.  Summertime AC use takes it's toll, but the worst mileage is in the Winter - about 10% less than Spring/Fall.

 

Can someone please explain EV+ and how to turn it on/off?  Thank you

[fotomoto]

Can someone please explain EV+ and how to turn it on/off?  Thank you

 

Sure.  Go into the setting menu on the left screen display.  It's under the driver assist sub-menu.  Toggle on or off.  

[ScubaDadMiami]

Unless you are talking about the "+," in particular.  The C-MAX has a GPS that learns your destinations.  Once it learns the ones that you go to over and over, such as your home, it will run the last part of the trip in EV.

 

You can expedite this learning process for a location by turning the C-MAX on and turning it off eleven times, if I remember correctly, at that location.

Edited May 31, 2013 by ScubaDadMiami

[fotomoto]

EV+ will also let you run the battery SOC (state of charge) lower than usual to hopefully ensure you make it to that EV+ destination on battery and not fire up the ICE.