Honda does not use the Sanyo battery. Honda (Insight and early Civic versions) wired their hybrid batteries in a series (think Christmas lights) pattern and when one battery cell goes bad, all cells are effected. Honda has a greater SOC range--up to 80% if I remember correctly--than Ford. Honda's system does not include the seperate heating and cooling system as Ford has for the Escape Hybrid battery. There items "could" contribute issues with durability. Go take a look at their site and elsewhere and one can find reports of hybrid battery issues.

 

But why did it raise the SOC to 55% then burn it and raise it again immediately after? Thats what confused me is that it was continuing to do it and I'm sure it would have done it a 3rd time if I hadn't had to accelerate up some hills because it was starting to charge again.

 

In my opinion your battery was doing a conditioning strategy but was interrupted both times due to your driving conditions. The dead giveaway was your drop in RPM to 1,500 and an instant MPG of 75mpg. I've seen a complete battery conditioning where the SoC went to 83% and then discharged using only the traction motor at 60mph getting 95mpg. I'm not sure but if your battery can't complete a full conditioning, it may continue to try till it does.

GaryG

 

Honda, Toyota, Ford,... all Hybrids have the cells wired in series.

Honda does ( or did ) allow a 20% to 80% SOC range on the NiMH cells.
As you know, Ford typically only allows 40% to 53%.

This, IMHO is why Honda's fail sooner.
My past 3 cell phone batteries, first one was NiMH last two, LiIon, have lasted me about 2 years exactly. They of course, have a wide range of discharge. Could make it last 10 years, IF everyone was willing to use only 30 min. of talk time every day.
-John

 

Good to know, I was wondering if this was a feature that I was just not able to take advantage of before. It must have done enough because I was trying to encourage it to continue but hasn't happened since. Thanks.

 

Wow you guys are getting over 30mpg right off the bat in a brand new 09'? I've taken a few 200+ mile trips already in my 09' and highest I've gotten is almost 29mpg (calculated at fill ups). I was blaming it on being new...I must suck at driving this thing Honestly on the long trips I guess I've been driving it more like a normal car...cruise control etc...I do pay attention to not speed to much and I never accelerate hard and try to keept the rpm down but man I'm way off what some have mentioned getting in brand new 09's...

 

You can really boost your mileage in all the FEH/MMH. My first tank from start-up and testing at the factory was 38.468mpg from the first mile to 592.6 miles at my first fill-up. The dealer filled the tank at delivery but it was a low fill. So far at my last tank, I have 4,658 miles and have pumped 102.374 of E10 in my tank which gave me a lifetime MPG average of 45.5mpg. The tank I'm working on now is about 51mpg on E10. The Nav Sys tank average reads 53.5mpg right now with over 100 miles. The '09 gets much better mileage than my '05 FEH on E10. Cold starts and short trips kill my averages but when she is warmed-up I hitting the 60mpg range often in the City.

This is what the new test results of the '10 Ford Fusion Hybrid:

"Ford claims the Fusion will get at least 39 mpg city/ 37 mpg highway when the EPA numbers are calculated in the coming weeks. Portalatin got 46 mpg on the first segment of the drive route and 43.5 mpg on the hillier second part. Among the journalists on hand, Car and Driver's Steve Siler recorded a 43.6 mpg result on the first part. After Drew Phillips and I switched places for the second segment, I achieved 43.1 mpg, which is a very impressive number for Ford's new mid-size sedan"
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/09/autoblo...-fusion-hybrid/

I think the FFH will be good for 60mpg tanks myself.

GaryG