Does cold affect FEH?
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Active Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 141
From: St. Paul, MN
Does cold affect FEH?
I currently have an '05 Escape XLT V6, and love it to pieces. However, I recently changed jobs and do a lot of city driving, so my MPG have dropped to 19.5 (on a good week). I'm looking into a hybrid, but have heard some questions arise on whether the cold adversely affects hybrid batteries. Has anybody experienced problems with cold? I live in Minnesota. Thank you.
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 212
From: Chicago
Re: Does cold affect FEH?
Your mpg will drop quite a bit, but will still easily exceed the 19.5 your V6 is providing. Here's a plot of my mileage vs. temperature from 9/06 until now. The left Y axis is mpg and the right Y axis is ambient temperature.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 221
Re: Does cold affect FEH?
?Cheers,
rcomeau
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Active Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 141
From: St. Paul, MN
Re: Does cold affect FEH?
Thanks everyone. Now, a related question--will I miss horribly my V6 if I get the hybrid or is it peppy enough? My only 4 cylinder experience was a Saturn coupe and I think a golf cart could have passed me in that. 
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 33
From: Huntersville, NC
Re: Does cold affect FEH?
Peppy?
It is a 4 cyl but when all motors kick in it is surprising. >50 acceleration is typical for a 4 banger. My expectations were low so I'm very happy with acceleration at all levels.
The plus side is that just last night from Anderson, SC to home at 70+ mph (no flames please) I averaged 37.5 mph with mild (safe) drafting.
-R
It is a 4 cyl but when all motors kick in it is surprising. >50 acceleration is typical for a 4 banger. My expectations were low so I'm very happy with acceleration at all levels.
The plus side is that just last night from Anderson, SC to home at 70+ mph (no flames please) I averaged 37.5 mph with mild (safe) drafting.
-R
Last edited by rdinatal; Apr 13, 2007 at 12:54 PM.
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 17
From: Seattle
Re: Does cold affect FEH?
...When I take off from a light, I can squeal the tires if I want to. When I want to pass a slow truck on the Highway, I can punch it and get to 80 quickly if I want. It defrosts quickly. The stereo system will go as loud as I need it to. It handles bumpy stretches well. It drives in the snow like I would expect an SUV to drive. It is not overly loud in the cabin (but it gets louder with the back seat folded). When I am accelerating up a steep hill, it revs up higher than you might be used to (but, I'm told that is normal). When I filled the back with gravel, it still handled well.
Is this the kind of stuff you wanted?
-Scott
Is this the kind of stuff you wanted?
-Scott
Scott
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 141
From: St. Paul, MN
Re: Does cold affect FEH?
Thanks again. It sounds like there's pretty much no reason not to get one. I love my Escape now, and to get one that will save me gas money and gets me a tax break seems a no-brainer.
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 33
From: Huntersville, NC
Re: Does cold affect FEH?
The savings in gas is across the board, the tax savings is dependent upon your individual tax status. I was able to take advantage of $2600 for 2006 but others have differed...
If you like your v6 then you should be very satisfied with the Hybrid.
-R
If you like your v6 then you should be very satisfied with the Hybrid.
-R
