C-MAX Fuel Mileage. What are you getting?

[ptjones]

My MPG keeps going up with 1529mi and 762EVmi or about 50% with about 50% 55mph 50% city. Trips less than 4mi hurts mpg, My drive to work is only 2.5mi so this hurts over all mpg. My average so far is 44.6mpg. It's looking like my TOCGO mod (tape off center grill opening modifacation) is helping mpg, probably about 1mpg so far. It's easy to do and only takes a few minutes to put clear packaging tape accross the center opening in the grill. This allows the engine to heat up quicker and requiring less gas to heat the engine. It takes awhile to train yourself to get the most MPG out of the C-MAX. I find that you get better mileage if you into EV anytime you can, trying to charge the battery uses to many MPGs to recover from. With about 176mi on this tank I have 45.7mpg and slowly climbing. One suggestion to all C-MAX owners to check odometer with GPS to comfirm accuracy. Mine is off by about 1.5% or upto a mpg to the better.

[darrelld]

My MPG keeps going up with 1529mi and 762EVmi or about 50% with about 50% 55mph 50% city. Trips less than 4mi hurts mpg, My drive to work is only 2.5mi so this hurts over all mpg. My average so far is 44.6mpg. It's looking like my TOCGO mod (tape off center grill opening modifacation) is helping mpg, probably about 1mpg so far. It's easy to do and only takes a few minutes to put clear packaging tape accross the center opening in the grill. This allows the engine to heat up quicker and requiring less gas to heat the engine. It takes awhile to train yourself to get the most MPG out of the C-MAX. I find that you get better mileage if you into EV anytime you can, trying to charge the battery uses to many MPGs to recover from. With about 176mi on this tank I have 45.7mpg and slowly climbing. One suggestion to all C-MAX owners to check odometer with GPS to comfirm accuracy. Mine is off by about 1.5% or upto a mpg to the better.

 

Good info, can you post some pics of your mod?

[ptjones]

Here's a photo of my "experimental" TOCGO (Tape Off Center Grill Opening) mod. I just used heavy duty clear packing tape; one strip on the top opening, one strip on the bottom opening and the third strip overlaying the top and bottom strips. It is still open on both sides for a little air flow to the radiator. I did this to my 2010 Escape Hybrid and got a 2mpg increase during winter months. I'm trying to come up with some type of removable cover in the future.

Edited November 28, 2012 by ptjones

[darrelld]

Here's a photo of my "experimental" TOCGO (Tape Off Center Grill Opening) mod. I just used heavy duty clear packing tape; one strip on the top opening, one strip on the bottom opening and the third strip overlaying the top and bottom strips. It is still open on both sides for a little air flow to the radiator. I did this to my 2010 Escape Hybrid and got a 2mpg increase during winter months. I'm trying to come up with some type of removable cover in the future.

 

Thanks for the pics, may give this a shot once the temps start to drop. Right now our mornings are in the 50s.

[ptjones]

You are probably OK to do it as long as your are not using your AC. We are having simular temps here. I just noticed iam up to 59% EV on this tank.

[kechair]

Catejust, thank you for sharing your fuel efficiency observations. The Cmax is my first hybrid and I am trying to figure out how to get the best fuel efficiency results without totally changing (compromising) my driving style ie. I do not want to be a right lane driver all the time while people wiz past me.

 

Like nsteblay, I've been trying to stay in EV mode as long as possible whenever possible, thereby incurring repeated cycles of draining the battery to its lower threshold and having the engine constantly kick in to charge it back to an above threshold level. I suspected that somehow this was not the most fuel efficient way of utilizing EV. The initial 2 tanks using that strategy has resulted in about 37 mpg despite my best efforts. I thought about doing something different and have also decided to try fully charging the battery by engaging the ICE even when cruising at constant speeds below 62mph and not try to artificially engage EV every time by lifting off throttle completely, especially when the battery is at low charge. Catejust's observations above give me hope that this will enable higher mpgs. nsteblay, anxious to hear back from you to see how well this new strategy works for you.

[Recumpence]

I just had my best day ever. I drove 126 miles (averaging about 35 to 40 mph most of the time) and saw 52.2mpg the entire day. :~)

 

Oh, as for taping off the grille, one thing to bear in mind, the C-Max has louvers that open and close to regulate engine temp. You have to look closely, but you can see them inside the grille opening. You may actually be seeing an aero increase more than a temp increase.

 

Lastly, I gassed up today and saw 47.9mpg for that entire tank. This was volume calculated, not the dashboard reading. My dashboard reading is off about 1mpg.

 

Matt

Edited November 20, 2012 by Recumpence

[ptjones]

Recumpence if you look at your lower grill opening you will see the louvers. The center opening is closed off from lower opening and has no louvers. I did the same thing with my Escape Hybrid and gained 2mpg in the winter time.

[Recumpence]

Ahh, OK, you are correct.

[RobT]

I was at 45.0 mpg on my first fillup. On my second fillup I was at 45.5 mpg. I'm not quite at half-a-tank and my read is 45.7. I can see the engine doing better, reaching more mpgs in gas mode. Many stretches are 40 mpg GAS and the 60+ mpg EV, which wasn't happening when I first drove the car. I am having more cold mornings and that doesn't help things. My odometer is around 1300 right now. I'm happy that the numbers are going up. I'm sure I'd be above 46 if I reset the mpg calculator. Most of this is hwy miles...my commute is 53.7 miles each way. I'll be racking up the miles shortly so I'm happy with 46+. If the gas engine will keep me around 40 mpg, I'll be happy. It's all about working the peddle.

 

By the way, this is not a California vehicle. This is an East Coast vehicle where folks drive less than 65 on the freeway. If you're in California and you want to keep up with traffic (72 to 80 mph or more), I'm thinking it will be hard to get 47 mpg.

[kechair]

I am happy that there are owners getting close to the EPA 47mpg. Trying to figure out what I'm doing 'wrong'. One factor may be weight. Anyone who is getting mid-40's or higher care to share what load you are carrying ie. how many people total in the car? I drop off my kids at school, carpool with my wife into the city, then do the reverse on the return trip, so I always have at least two people in the car at all times.

[joe]

I'm curious to know how frequently you (all of the above forum members) apply the Grade Assist - the control switch on the side of the gearshift lever?

And if you use it, under what conditions, e.g., step hills, approaching stop lights, etc.?

[ptjones]

Kechair, I'm sure weight has an affect on MPG. Have you checked your odometer with a portable GPS yet? Put my TOCGO mod on your C-MAX, look at previous post and you will probably gain 1.5MPG just from those items. I do recomend safe drafting which means far enough back so that if the peason in front of you slams on their brakes you have enough time to react and slam on yours. SEMI's are great drafting partners because they punch a big hole in the air. You can get farther back and they can't out brake you. One note about drafting behind SEMI's, they can kickup rocks from running on the side of the road so you want to stay to the left side of your lane to avoid getting hit by rocks. Next you want to get into EV mode as much as you can, the higher the percentage EV to engine mode the better your MPG. Do not use cruise control as you can do a better job than it can. Finally it would appear that most people are improving MPG thru the combination of improving driving technigue and the breakin period for the car. It's a challenge to do better each time you drive and then the car tells you how good of a job you did. WOW! machines are running the world! Good Luck

[darrelld]

I have used it some, need to monitor engine rpms to make certain there is no wasted energy from the ICE engine braking. According to the manual the computer determines how to balance the 2.

[RaPieR]

Next you want to get into EV mode as much as you can, the higher the percentage EV to engine mode the better your MPG."

Next you want to get into EV mode as much as you can, the higher the percentage EV to engine mode the better your MPG.

 

Is this done on the highway? So far my observations have been to maximize EV mode in slower speed driving and where there is plenty of stop and go to charge the battery to maximize mileage but using this technique has been horrible for the highway/interstate. I drove a hundred miles or so in Houston with plenty of elevation changes and I was easily able to meet/exceed the 47mpg rating my keeping the battery charge up and using constant throttle so I was slowing or increasing speed depending on the hill but always within 50 to 65MPH.

 

I drove 385 miles further south on straight flat roads with cross winds and a speed limit of 75 and I was only able to record 38.9 on the trip. The C-Max would no longer slowly charge or hold the charge on the battery at 75MPH speed limit. It was constantly using the electric motor to help maintain speed and the mileage would drop once the charge dropped and it would start charging again.

[ptjones]

I have a trip 4 times a week about 17.5mi each way, hilly and several signals and speed limit is mostly 55mph. I think my technique works for shorter distances or congested Hwys.I have made two 70mi trips around Atlanta FWYs at 55-70mph and was able to get low 50'smpg with some drafting. It sounds like on longer trips and higher speeds your technique works, were you doing any drafting? Generally I don't go faster than I can draft on the fwy unless I'm in a hurry. If you put my TOCGO mod on your car let me know how much it improves your MPG on HWY driving. Other people were saying not using cruise control improved HWY MPG, I never use it. I currently have 44.6 avg MPG, 45.6mpg this tank.

Edited November 22, 2012 by ptjones

[CassidyB]

I recently stopped using ECO Cruise and started using the Empower display. I'm able to keep it in EV mode a whole lot longer. A forty mile trip today averaged 48.9.. I really didn't think it was possible..

 

 

[xSZYDx]

Just did my first commute to work in my new C-Max today and it is 13 miles and 95% highway and got 44.2 mpg while driving around 65-70mph (speed limit on highways in Phoenix are 65). Barely any miles on it since I bought it yesterday.

[robodog61]

Hello, We just got our C Max last Saturday and it has only 200 miles on it. What a nice ride. I rode it from the dealer to home which was about 60 miles. The car started with 15 miles on it. When I got home, the computer gas mileage was only about 30, but has been steadily climbing and is now at 36 or so. I have owned a Prius for many years and noted that no matter what I did, I would get in the upper 40's in winter and low 50's in summer. I intend to reset the lifetime MPG after the first gas fill. So far, I am impressed with all the displays. I use Eco cruise a lot and I think that keeps it in EV mode longer than I could. I also set up the "my view" with tach and temp. I mostly use the Empower. It takes quite a bit of getting used to compared the Prius. The menus are fun and informative, but I think they are overly complicated.

[rkk]

I posted this in another thread but this might help some people achieve better mileage if you are new to hybrids.

 

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1510

[JacobS]

My milage is 2200. Mostly highway havy and middle traffic. My begining mpg was around 37.After 900 miles it grew up to 38.4 and stuck there. Hard to beleive that I'd ever have promised 47mpg. I don't know what to do with that. May be somebody have any suggestion?

[nsteblay]

I've come to the conclusion that to achieve EPA requires implementing certain driving techniques.

 

I started using the Pulse and Glide technique recommended by hypermilers. In my trips yesterday I was averaging over 50 MPG. Instead of accelerating slowly to my desired speed I "Pulse" to get there quickly, let off the gas so that EV mode kicks in, resume pressing the accelerator but do it lightly not to kick in the gas engine again and Glide. I am able to spend much more time in EV mode this way and my mileage skyrocketed.

 

The other advantage about the approach is I didn't have people on my tail when accelerating from a slowdown or stop. The CVT actually allows for decent acceleration.

 

The C-Max is ideal for this approach - I think was designed with P&G in mind. The dashboard gauges make moving from gas to EV mode very easy. I found after doing for a while it became second nature.

 

Here is an article that was posted on the forum. It describes the EPA test in details and the foibles of it. It also describes the hypermiling techniques.

 

http://www.cleanmpg....read.php?t=1510

 

Here is my post where i describe my experience in more detail.

 

http://fordcmaxhybri...-regarding-mpg/

 

Nick

Edited November 22, 2012 by nsteblay

[Recumpence]

Recumpence if you look at your lower grill opening you will see the louvers. The center opening is closed off from lower opening and has no louvers. I did the same thing with my Escape Hybrid and gained 2mpg in the winter time.

Nope, you are incorrect. There are moving louvers in the center grille as well. Mine is an SEL. Maybe this is not the case with the SE models, but mine absolutely has louvers in both the lower and center grilles.

 

Matt

[aschofer]

Anyone interested in improving their real world MPG, should review this article

 

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1510

[rkk]

Anyone interested in improving their real world MPG, should review this article

 

http://www.cleanmpg....read.php?t=1510

 

You are right. While some of the techniques are easier in a hybrid they can work well for any vehicle.