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Below zero temperature mileage.......


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On my recent drive in Iowa, the car thermometer was showing from -6F to -10F most of the time. The Fuelly average for that drive was 32 mpg. (Trying to attach an image.) 

 

post-1445-0-46761600-1389197543_thumb.png 

 

The temps obviously cast a pall on our fuel efficiency efforts. Towards the end of the drive, the winds were letting up. It was then I could high mile and pop into EV on the down hills. When you're driving into a thirty mile per hour headwind at sixty, it's really like driving ninety miles per hour! (Even the cross winds are a killer.) 

 

[Edit] If you are in Iowa you can generate a custom wind rose here: http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/sites/dyn_windrose.phtml?station=CID&network=IA_ASOS

Edited by bemyax
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My 33 mile trips on the freeway at 70mph with temp of -15. I was only able to get 34.6mpg. This morning temp was +13 I got 40.2mpg. I have found that 50 is magic temp. I jump to 47 - 50mpg. Can't wait to get back up there on Friday

Do you have Grill Covers? I don't remember, last night  on 6mi trip on FWY I got 46.1mpg 18*F OT with everything taped up. :)

 

Paul

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Do you have Grill Covers? I don't remember, last night  on 6mi trip on FWY I got 46.1mpg 18*F OT with everything taped up. :)

 

Paul

 

Maybe you could ask the moderators to provide you with your own thread for your grill cover advertisements. That way you wouldn't have to spam every other discussion with the same comments.

 

Just a suggestion.

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My 33 mile trips on the freeway at 70mph with temp of -15. I was only able to get 34.6mpg. This morning temp was +13 I got 40.2mpg. I have found that 50 is magic temp. I jump to 47 - 50mpg. Can't wait to get back up there on Friday

 

I think that higher highway speeds tend to somewhat negate the disadvantage of the engine running due to the cold. At those speeds the engine has to run anyway to provide more power and will also provide cabin heat.

 

I have also found that temperatures around 50 provide the border between really good and really bad mileage. Those temps will also make running without climate control (only seat warmers) tolerable.

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+1 to heat on the hwy, Rifleman

 

I'm taking the expressway to work so I get heat, and because hwy driving doesn't seem as temperature sensitive. I got 33MPG today at 10F, and that's with no EV available for most of the trip, regardles WT, and full EV only when EV+ turned on near work. Not as much fun, at all!

 

Have fun,

Frank

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My typical day is 140 miles of service calls (typically 9 service calls per day totalling 140 miles). My first stop saw 24mpg because the engine ran the entire time. By my second stop the average was over 30mpg. It took the entire 9 stops to be at 40mpg average. That is 40mpg for the entire day. Basically, my first stop or two sees 30mpg or less, then the reast of my trips see well over 40mpg (maybe 43mpg or so). So, by the end of the day my average was at 40mpg. Again, this was at ten below zero the entire time.

 

Matt

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Maybe you could ask the moderators to provide you with your own thread for your grill cover advertisements. That way you wouldn't have to spam every other discussion with the same comments.

 

Just a suggestion.

Sorry you feel that my comments are "spam" - I am trying to encourage people to address the issue of poor winter mpg. I didn't start out to sell grill covers but after posting pictures, several individuals asked if I would make grill covers for them. I can assure you that there is no real money to be made here...it's just a hobby. There are all kinds of things C-Maxers can do on their own and my grill covers are only one option. I've even used carpet tape over my grill covers to make sure no cold air gets into the engine compartment! It's not pretty but real effective!

post-143-0-01128200-1389224116_thumb.jpgPaul

PS I believe Ford should have provided grill covers and engine block heater for ALL C-Max's. It is my understanding the engine block heater is standard for cars sold in cold climates.

Edited by ptjones
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We just got our C-Max, so we've only had a chance to see what the fuel economy would be any time except when it's extremely cold. I got like 26 mpg last night, but that was driving around in the parking lot with my daughter while my wife shopped. I didn't expect much. 

 

Is it normal that you can hardly seem to keep the car in EV mode when it's cold? Aside of the engine running to warm the car, that is. 

 

I'm going to tell the wifey that she's going to have to button up if she wants to get good fuel economy! LOL

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We just got our C-Max, so we've only had a chance to see what the fuel economy would be any time except when it's extremely cold. I got like 26 mpg last night, but that was driving around in the parking lot with my daughter while my wife shopped. I didn't expect much. 

 

Is it normal that you can hardly seem to keep the car in EV mode when it's cold? Aside of the engine running to warm the car, that is. 

 

I'm going to tell the wifey that she's going to have to button up if she wants to get good fuel economy! LOL

Do you have MFT?  If you do, you can use the Hybrid display on the main screen and it will give you an indication of why the engine is on.

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No

 

I don't have any. Weather in winter around here  is usually 20's at night and 30's days with some drops into the teens. Never thought I would need them.

Grille blocking is helpful even in warmer weather.

Validation for the benefits of grille blocking

http://transportevol...rm-this-winter/

 

Even with temps in the 50s you'll benefit.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I live in Minnesota and we've had our share of cold days this winter. I was easily getting 47 MPG in the summer and fall.  Since the cold weather has hit my mileage has dropped significantly.  I do believe it is better than last year mostly because the threshold for EV was raised to 80 MPH.  

 

Good mileage is strictly a function of the amount of time spent in EV mode.  If I turn the heater off I can get much better mileage.  If I want to stay warm I have to burn more gas.

 

Here is what I've been experiencing: (My commute is 21 miles 70% congested freeway and 30% side roads)

 

-23F (yes it was that cold) I was barely getting 30 MPG

 

-10F I am getting about 33 MPG

 

0F I am getting somewhere around 35-36 MPG

 

+ 32F I start to get into the 40's

 

Again, I could do better if I turn the heater off but I'm not going to  :nonono:.  The heated seats are awesome.

 

Right now my lifetime average is 39.4 MPG (18K) - it will drop a bit more this winter.  By next October which will be 2 years I think I'll be at 43 MPG lifetime - even in cold Minnesota!  

 

Love the car.  Some of the plastic on the side internal door pillars is warping.  At some point I'll bring it in to get it fixed. The My Touch system has been much better since the upgrades but is still problematic at times.  

 

Nick

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  • 1 month later...

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