Accelerating fast, still getting great FE

[Jmonty]

I love how I can stomp the gas pedal, get up to cruising speed, and use EV mode to still get over 50 MPG! I thought I'd pay for using the battery charge up with my next trip this morning, but everything was fine. (Of course I follow the speed limit and drive safely)

 

1.1 miles of pushing the ICE hard:

 

 

 

 

The power of this car was main along point for me as I wasn't looking for a hybrid at the time, and I'm just really happy it can be enjoyable to drive while saving $ on gas.

[Jus-A-CMax]

Yep I agree...there is nothing to say that accelerating slow is more FE (the ole 1 bar vs 2 bar argument - see the other threads). Sometimes it pays to load the engine and use the momentum and if you have a nice high charge, you will be using part of the SOC for the acceleration, effectively getting up to speed quicker at even less burn than pure ICE. However, this is a "it all depends" and one thing for certain, there is no charging except afterward in the glide phase (assume no EV kick in yet).

 

You can also burst P&G up a small grade as well.

 

Horses for courses :)

Edited August 10, 2013 by Jus-A-CMax

[Noah Harbinger]

While passing a truck with someone coming up from behind, I floored it (to make sure I'd stay out of the way of the coming vehicle) - the power almost scared me. It's the first time I'd pushed the pedal that far on flat land. 

[Jmonty]

^

 

lol

 

So I guess you've yet to test the traction* control?

Edited August 10, 2013 by Jmonty

[SnitGTS]

I agree, I bought this car because it is a great driving car, I love how it handles, there is plenty of room inside, the car itself feel solid, and *bonus*, it is a hybrid that gets 47 mpg!  My decision was always between the C-Max and the Focus, and in the end the C-Max was just the better car IMHO.  (and actually with all the gas I'm saving it is actually costing me less for the C-Max then the Focus despite the Focus being a cheaper car)

 

I don't do it much but I love to step on the gas once in a while, this car has some serious power!

[Jus-A-CMax]

The key to great hypermiling is to know when to utilize the power and when to conserve...cannot be thought. I am surprised that almost all of you don't realize the power of the CMax, which means you gotta play with the car some more...

 

I guess I got a head start because my real estate appraisal job forced me to drive in all terrains, streets/freeways and conditions in this great car... :)

Edited August 11, 2013 by Jus-A-CMax

[ScubaDadMiami]

I know that I very much feel the torque whenever I do the stomp and glide.  I use premium gas, which I suspect gives it just a little more oomph.

[GaryM]

I have been playing around a bit too to see how much power is still efficient. It is a bit funny how certain points use energy from the battery while other points are charging the battery. I have not completely figured out what is making this decision. I thought I had it figured out, but then it changed it's mine again on me. If I am not in a hurry, I like to roll it up to at least 10 mph in EV mode, then just roll it up to the second bar to stay with most "normal" traffic here. At the second bar, most of the time, it is charging the battery while accelerating. If I push it to the 2.3 bar area, then it goes to discharge and seems to stay there, but once in a while, I still see it go to charge, all on basically flat ground, and with the SOC graph in about the same place too. 

 

But I am really seeing that as long as you do not throw away energy, it does not matter a whole lot. All of our energy is coming from the gasoline, being burned by the engine. Your right foot and the computer decide where the energy is going to go. It can accelerate the car, which changes the gasoline chemical energy into kinetic energy of motion. It can push the car up a hill, this turns the chemical energy into potential energy, stored in the weight at a height. Or it can turn a generator and charge a battery, turning the chemical energy into a stored charge in the battery, a form of chemical energy as well. As long as the engine is not too far out of it's efficiency window, these conversions are all pretty efficient, and the energy can come back out of all of them too. The momentum of the kinetic energy in the car moving is slowly turned into latent heat through the friction of the car's moving parts, the air rushing around the body, and the tires rolling on the ground. Some of it can also be captured back with the regen braking or coasting up a hill to make it into potential energy too. Driving back down a hill brings the potential energy back into kinetic energy by accelerating the car across the ground. 

 

All in all, the only real place you throw energy away into heat is when you must resort to the friction brakes. putting the energy of the moving car directly into heat you can never get back. Doing the long light stops will always be the best, but there are those times, you just have to scrub off the speed. Gotta hate those short yellows with photo cop red light cameras. I have to jam the brakes coming to one at least once a day. Actually saw a 25% brake score, YUCK!!

 

On the flip side, I had a bit of fun with a guy driving a Hummer H3. After I out pulled him twice from a start, he rolled down his window and we talked a bit. We "Staged" at another red light and he went for it. I rolled into the power, and again, pulled out over 2 car lengths on him before 50 mph and he had nothing left. He could not believe I get 45+ mpg, and even on that drive with those runs, I still got 44.3 mpg when I turned off the key. Thanks for driving a hybrid, indeed.

[Jus-A-CMax]

I know that I very much feel the torque whenever I do the stomp and glide.  I use premium gas, which I suspect gives it just a little more oomph.

C'mon...according to most posters here, theres NO DIFFERENCE, you're imagining it.... :twister:  I must say, you and I have very good imagination :hi5:

[Jus-A-CMax]

I have been playing around a bit too to see how much power is still efficient. It is a bit funny how certain points use energy from the battery while other points are charging the battery. I have not completely figured out what is making this decision. I thought I had it figured out, but then it changed it's mine again on me. If I am not in a hurry, I like to roll it up to at least 10 mph in EV mode, then just roll it up to the second bar to stay with most "normal" traffic here. At the second bar, most of the time, it is charging the battery while accelerating. If I push it to the 2.3 bar area, then it goes to discharge and seems to stay there, but once in a while, I still see it go to charge, all on basically flat ground, and with the SOC graph in about the same place too. 

 

But I am really seeing that as long as you do not throw away energy, it does not matter a whole lot. All of our energy is coming from the gasoline, being burned by the engine. Your right foot and the computer decide where the energy is going to go. It can accelerate the car, which changes the gasoline chemical energy into kinetic energy of motion. It can push the car up a hill, this turns the chemical energy into potential energy, stored in the weight at a height. Or it can turn a generator and charge a battery, turning the chemical energy into a stored charge in the battery, a form of chemical energy as well. As long as the engine is not too far out of it's efficiency window, these conversions are all pretty efficient, and the energy can come back out of all of them too. The momentum of the kinetic energy in the car moving is slowly turned into latent heat through the friction of the car's moving parts, the air rushing around the body, and the tires rolling on the ground. Some of it can also be captured back with the regen braking or coasting up a hill to make it into potential energy too. Driving back down a hill brings the potential energy back into kinetic energy by accelerating the car across the ground. 

 

All in all, the only real place you throw energy away into heat is when you must resort to the friction brakes. putting the energy of the moving car directly into heat you can never get back. Doing the long light stops will always be the best, but there are those times, you just have to scrub off the speed. Gotta hate those short yellows with photo cop red light cameras. I have to jam the brakes coming to one at least once a day. Actually saw a 25% brake score, YUCK!!

 

On the flip side, I had a bit of fun with a guy driving a Hummer H3. After I out pulled him twice from a start, he rolled down his window and we talked a bit. We "Staged" at another red light and he went for it. I rolled into the power, and again, pulled out over 2 car lengths on him before 50 mph and he had nothing left. He could not believe I get 45+ mpg, and even on that drive with those runs, I still got 44.3 mpg when I turned off the key. Thanks for driving a hybrid, indeed.

 

Yep, you're slowly feelin it...glad to see and you'll go a long way and eventually in the 700 or even the 800 club...Use the force Luke

 

PS I'll throw this out there...I don't think anyone whos ever "reviewed" the CMax understand whats under the bonnet...well, maybe mpgomatic.com....doing a 7.5 secs is no lil feat for the power, imo...Corsair vs Zero, thanks for coming but adios.

Edited August 11, 2013 by Jus-A-CMax

[salsaguy]

Gary m, have you tried to use the power flow map on the large screen to help you determine why  your ice is running and why its not and why the battery is charging or not? if not then try that for a day or so.

 

note:if you haven't updated to MFT 3.5.1 then you won't see this info screen.

[Jmonty]

i don't want it to seem like i always get over 50mpg, my tanks are always easily over 41 mpg though (pre-update).  

[Noah Harbinger]

C'mon...according to most posters here, theres NO DIFFERENCE, you're imagining it.... :twister:  I must say, you and I have very good imagination :hi5:

 

There's no delusion quite like self-delusion! Time and time again, people are happier with things they pay more for, regardless of whether there is any benefit.

 

Doesn't at all mean that's the case here, but… it's very hard to prove objectively. 

Edited August 12, 2013 by Noah Harbinger

[mtb9153]

Was sure great to be doing 65 on local freeway today running full EV, no more snotty looks from drivers who didn't like me doing 62mph for the last 11months.  Next month on the 20th is Maxus 1st birthday :clapping:

[SnowStorm]

Was sure great to be doing 65 on local freeway today running full EV, no more snotty looks from drivers who didn't like me doing 62mph for the last 11months.  Next month on the 20th is Maxus 1st birthday :clapping:

Oh, I couldn't agree more.  Not sure I ever got a snotty look but I could sure imagine them - "there goes another hybrid" :rant:  - 6 miles DOWN the mountain at 62 mph to keep the ICE off.  Now its roll right up to the limit and still charge the battery all the way down!. :skateboard: Gotta love that. :)

Hadn't thought about birthdays but that's right - one year olds :play: are coming up.  Is that build date or delivery/purchase date?  And who has the oldest car anyway?

[Jus-A-CMax]

If its build date, its October for me, if it pick up date, its Dec 6 for me...may be I get to celebrate TWICE...yah!

[Jmonty]

Finally!  This evening I found myself stopped at a red light next with a Prius V right next to me.  so, I was able to show off the acceleration potential of my mighty CMAX  :yahoo:

 

I left that car so far behind, lol
 

 

 

 

:rockon:

 

 

and I still made 54+ mpg on an over 30 mile trip.  earlier in the day it was 65 mpg but the ole lady was nagging me to speed up on the way back of the 2nd trip.

 

now if I could just upgrade my stereo and get some window tint I'd be almost completely satisfied.  (well, that and some aero mods for better interstate mpg)   

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 25, 2013 by Jmonty

[Jus-A-CMax]

Hee....c'mon now, you know the rest of the world won't believe u dragged off a Prii and let alone got more than 50+ MPG, its NOT POSSIBLE. It was a down hill and the Prii had an headwind that you were "lucky" to avoid....crap, crap...crap...crap....

 

 

....well done ;)

[Jmonty]

Hee....c'mon now, you know the rest of the world won't believe u dragged off a Prii and let alone got more than 50+ MPG, its NOT POSSIBLE. It was a down hill and the Prii had an headwind that you were "lucky" to avoid....crap, crap...crap...crap....

 

 

....well done ;)

 

 

haha

 

they probably don't even consider attempting to beat someone off the line.  

 

#drive it like you stole it

 

 

and, hopefully i'll hit 600 miles with this tank for the first time.  depending on how my wife drives it today, but she's usually pretty good.

[StoBro2]

The C-Max is also pretty good at beating 8-year-old Malibus off the line when necessary.

 

In my neck of the woods traffic engineers like to throw in a disappearing right lane after a traffic light. The right lane is supposed to merge left. Most sane drivers stay in the left lane to avoid having to attempt the merge into traffic. Others use the right lane to floor it when the light turns green and jump ahead of everyone else. I will sometimes accelerate a little faster from the light so the impatient driver in the right lane has to at least work a little harder to get ahead. I was pleasantly surprised when the C-Max actually jumped ahead and stayed there. It felt empowering to be able to "win" a stoplight race for a change. In a hybrid, no less.

[Noah Harbinger]

Oh, I couldn't agree more.  Not sure I ever got a snotty look but I could sure imagine them - "there goes another hybrid" :rant:  - 6 miles DOWN the mountain at 62 mph to keep the ICE off.  

 

I think sometimes I drive more aggressively than I would have in my old car, because I don't want "them" to have an opportunity to be smug. 

[Jmonty]

I was cruising around today, taking care of a few things and hitting the gym, and was happy to see 50.0+ MPG on trips where I accelerated as fast as possible at a few stops.

 

A rear view camera would be nice to observe peoples' faces when they see a car with a "hybrid" label pull ahead of them :D

 

Good luck finding a better performing vehicle that gets equal or greater MPG! WITH THE INTERIOR SPACE!

Edited September 21, 2013 by Jmonty

[PapaJ]

Yeah, the C-Max is quicker than people think. Its sub-8 second 0-60 time is very respectable, although the sounds the e-CVT makes under full throttle are not too inspiring.

[Jmonty]

Yeah, the C-Max is quicker than people think. Its sub-8 second 0-60 time is very respectable, although the sounds the e-CVT makes under full throttle are not too inspiring.

The speed was a main selling point for me.

 

I keep meaning to Google how people have boosted power on the Prius, but it'd be out of curiosity. I'd assume a large exhaust and air intake would boost horse power by about ten easily, but if anyone had done that I'd be surprised.

 

I wouldn't want a fart can sound either, I can't stand that..

Edited October 7, 2013 by Jmonty

[Jmonty]

i did just manage to get a 26.7 MPG on a short trip where i almost always get 50 mpg, LOL

 

but i did get to the front of the pack for all 3 of stop lights and buried the pedal each time   (i had previously dropped off the family to go get some brews)

 

 

:rockon:

 

 

**drive it like you stole it crew**