battery at half charge on a new 2015 SEL hybrid wagon

[syncmax]

We just picked up our 2015 SEL model with options package 301A (navigation and SONY sound). I am still familiarizing with the SYNC system. One thing I noticed after I drove out of the lot was that the battery indicator on the left hand side screen was at half mark and it didn't change as we drove the 25 miles home. Is this normal? will the battery eventually charge to full capacity? should I be concerned if it continues to be only at half charge? thanks

[Ephethean3]

The battery never really reaches full charge. It is a constant ebb and flow of charge to the battery. Most of the time mine sits between 1/3 and 1/2 of max but there are times when it nears full depending on ICE use and topography. You should see the little hat (^) at the top of the charge bar when the battery is being charged and at the bottom of the bar when discharging. You should read the owners manual and some of the posts in these forums for information on maximizing the use of the electric motor and keeping the Engage and Empower screens in the blue.

 

Welcome to the group and enjoy learning all you can about these great cars.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Ephethean3

[plus 3 golfer]

The battery symbol is not an indication of the capacity of the High Voltage Battery.  It's a proxy for the operating range of the HBV.  The normal operating range of the HVB is generally between about 40% and 55% State of Charge (SOC) of the full capacity of the HVB.  The maximum operating range is between near 30% SOC (generally need to use EV+ and very slow speed to discharge the HVB to lower 30%) and about 70% SOC (need significant regeneration by coasting down a long grade using grade assist or brake from a high rate of speed to charge the HVB near 70%).  

 

So what you are seeing is normal - you'll likely see what looks to be about 1/3 full to maybe 3/4 full battery symbol.

 

Here's a graph that shows the relationship between the actual SOC and the battery symbol display.  Note: if you are seeing about 1/3, the SOC is around 40%.  If you are seeing about 75%, the SOC is around 55%.   By operating the battery as such, we should see a long, long HVB life.

 

[ptjones]

Most of my EVing is done with a SOC of 38% to 47%, quite often less. :)

 

Paul

[fbov]

The battery symbol is not an indication of the capacity of the High Voltage Battery.  ...

A lot of good data that a new owner may not understand. Plus3 is one of our most technically savvy posters, who is using a data logging system to capture data from the car while driving. He has plotted data showing actual HVB charge vs. the dash display.

 

The key message is that this is how Li-ion batteries should be operated for maximum service life.

 

As to the HVB SOC bar display... there's a lot more going on when you look at the HVB bar with the other display modes. EMPOWER display includes a curved power display that changes color from white to blue when you switch to EV mode. The blue outline is an on-off threshold for the switch back to ICE (internal combustion engine) power.

 

That ICE on/EV off threshold depends on SOC and vehicle speed. When you have high SOC, the car lets you use more EV power. As the SOC falls, it becomes easier to switch on the ICE. I'll wager that's what was happening on your drive home: you were switching back and forth between ICE, EV and EV-assist (uses both ICE and EV). The beauty of this car is you can do that and never notice the change.

 

Now, drive down a long hill, and regen braking will max-out SOC. Same thing in winter, when the ICE runs because it's too cold to operate properly, regardless the driver's needs.

 

Become sensitive to the on/off threshold, and use EV+, and you can run charge down quite a ways, and that's a good thing. EV+ is a location-based mode that raises the on/off threshold when you get close to common destinations. Ford wants you to store the car at low SOC, because that's good for HVB life.

 

Regardless, welcome, and

 

HAve fun,

Frank

[stevedebi]

We just picked up our 2015 SEL model with options package 301A (navigation and SONY sound). I am still familiarizing with the SYNC system. One thing I noticed after I drove out of the lot was that the battery indicator on the left hand side screen was at half mark and it didn't change as we drove the 25 miles home. Is this normal? will the battery eventually charge to full capacity? should I be concerned if it continues to be only at half charge? thanks

Just a side note: the amount of battery you see displayed in the left hand driver window is not the actual battery percentage. It is the percentage of the operating range, which Ford limits so that the battery will last longer. I beleive the lowest the battery will go is 20%, and the highest is around 70% of actual capacity.

 

I'm sure someone will post the actual numbers once they see this post...

[Adrian_L]

Personally I love gadgets and gauges.  It would be great to do away with the efficiency leaves nonsense and have two or three customizable gauges on the right hand display, such as actual battery state of charge or transmission oil temp or engine oil temp etc.

[ptjones]

The lowest normal SOC is 32%, but I have seen 27% when first starting in the morning. Apparently the computers did something overnight. This was a little surprising with the ICE jerking to start immediately. The highest I've seen was I believe 80% caused by getting home with HVB pretty well charged at 69% and then cooling off overnight which increases the charge level, I see it happen all the time overnight. It is pretty cool to have the car act like an Energi for the first 30 seconds in the morning running off the HVB.  :)

 

Paul

[fbov]

The lowest normal SOC is 32%, but I have seen 27% when first starting in the morning. Apparently the computers did something overnight. ...

Or there was a little capacity recovery.

After all, this meter measures voltage, and voltage on a cell is just a proxy for its energy content. I'm not surprised the SOC is a little lower after a long rest at low temperature.

 

Frank