I don't know how much interest there is in this subject but I believe if someone shows that something is possible others will follow and eventually attain even higher goals.

I just finished a vacation of about 3,700 miles. My data has been entered into the Ford Escape Database in our Compare Section.

I have always exceeded the EPA estimate of 29 Highway for my 2005 4WD. This time I was at about the 3,792 Curb Weight plus I weighed my front cover, step sides, and towing package to add another 163 lbs. Add driver weight of 221 lbs. and Camping Cargo weight of 287 lbs. and you have me on the road at 4,463 lbs. (or just over 2.2 tons) compared to a 2004 Prius at about 3,000 lbs. (including driver weight).

I began driving east from near Palm Springs, CA for a turn-around at Kansas City, KS. Along the way I went over 11.120 feet elevation and also used my AC Power for camping several nights. My overall MPG average was almost 39 MPG. I admit that it was downhill because my home is 4,000 feet and Kansas City is about 800. Along the way I had one tank that took me 585 miles and I could have gone another 55 miles. I also had a segment over 42 MPG.

On the way back I was trying to do some sightseeing and some writing for Eric Powers's HybridCars.About.Com so I did not pay as much attention to my mileage although I did drive slow as usual. I also camped out so my total hours of idle to generate power for the trip was over 24 hours. On the way back I averaged over 37 MPG but I was going uphill. I did have one tank over 43 MPG.

I have a great deal of respect for those early Insight and Prius people who set mileage records. I think pound for pound what I did over the past several weeks should rank fairly high in showing how this great car can achieve high numbers. I do not believe the new Highlander or Lexas will be able to touch me given their high weights and horsepower. I claim records for Hybrid SUVs.

I had hoped to give you all some information about the Ford plant where our car is built but you all know by now that the cars Ford builts are miles and miles better than the corporate suits that try to speak for them. I judge the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid AWD as 95% Perfect. I further judge that the Ford Corporates who locked me out of the plant are 95% Lame.

 

Well, I'd be interesting in hearing how you get such good milage.

 

Mike, I thought I was the only poster that got 40 plus MPG in the FEH. All I hear is complaints about people getting less than 24 MPG. My worst gas mileage was 29 MPG and I was driving hard, fast and with the A/C on just to see what I would get.

I will admit that I have to work at it to get above 38 MPG and its became a challenge with a reward. Can't wait till winter when I don't need the A/C and use drafting on the highway to see if I can match or beat your 43 MPG. Right now 40.25 is my best but I've learned some new tricks driving in the heat.

You must have the Nav. computer because I know I would never have learned to drive to get this kind of mileage without it.

I read post where people were saying they got to almost 40 MPH in EV mode and I did'nt believe them because I could only get to 35. Well I do now, as the FEH reached 8,000 miles, I started to get to 38 MPH in EV. Things get better with more miles and experience.

 

Just to add to this I just finished my 1st tank and it was at 17.5 mpgs when I drove off the lot at 10 miles on the odometer and when I stopped to fill up it showed 29.2 mpg. First tank baby! I'm on my way to the hypermiler club!!!

 

Hi Sdctcher:
___You have to be very careful when making a statement of that magnitude. Knowing what I do about the Toyota/Lexus HSD implementation, 37 will be pretty easy number to hit in either imho. The MDX on a longer highway drive is good for low to mid 30’s and god knows that thing isn’t in the same league as the FE capabilities of the RXh or the HH. There are some nuances about high FE from an HSD equipped automobile that are just beginning to be understood and all I can say is that there will be some very big numbers from an HSD equipped automobile in the very near future. Stay tuned …

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

 

Pardon my ignorance, I googled and came up with nothing so far...

Isn't the FEH also based on the HSD system, with the "eCVT" power split device and basically the same although much bigger and re-arranged as a Prius?

I'm confused and need some technical illustrations or sumthin'

 

Hi Schwa:

___Except it is not Toyota’s HSD … Different points at which the dead bands on both acceleration and deceleration are found.

___What was it that you were using google to find and what are you confused about?

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

 

Thanks Wayne for the caution but my point was to get a Highlander or Lexus person to respond - kinda like a good natured challenge?

 

Hi Sdctcher:

___I thought you might be toying with us a bit

___Currently, you have taken the Escape HEV to beyond where anyone has gone over a longer drive and I hope you will be the catalyst for others to achieve similar. Fortunately, your ego does not show in your many posts here at GH unlike many of mine. Whenever I get the insane notion that I am at the top of my game, I am humbled and rightfully so

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

 

My challenges are usually against myself. I have always tried to get others to push their cars to the fullest extent. I believe on level ground and without camping or stopping to sightsee I could have averaged 43 MPG for the entire 3600 plus miles.

I have run some figures of MPG/Lb. of Vehicle Weight vs. other hybrids:

My Car, a 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid AWD (4WD), with a Curb Weight of 3792 plus my weight of 220 plus my camping cargo of 287 plus my aftermarket accessories of tow hitch, steps, and front cover adding 161 I get a total weight of 4,460 lbs.

If I had driven a 2005 Toyota Prius with a listed Curb Weight of 2,890 and my same weight as driver for a total of 3,110 lbs. the Escape's loaded weight would be 144% that of the Prius so the Prius should get about 62 MPG. I would think that from 60-70 would be quite do-able.

If I had driven a 2005 Honda Insight with a listed Curb Weight of 1,881 and my same weight as driver for a total of 2,101 lbs. the Escape's loaded weight would be 212% that of the Insight so the Insight should get about 91 MPG. I believe that is near the record for the Insight.

If I had driven a 2006 Lexus 440h with a listed Curb Weight of 4,365 and my same weight as driver for a total of 4,585 lbs. the Escape's loaded weight would be 97% that of the Lexus so the Lexus should get about 42 MPG. I doubt it.

So I think that the Escape established itself within the club but it also allowed me to carry a whole bunch of cargo, run electricity all night if I wanted, and climb with 4WD to my back country camp site. Only the Lexus would have been able to do that and I doubt if Lexus can ever match gas mileage with any of us other hybrids.

Oh. By the way. The reason I always check my ego at the door is that I have more to be humble about than anyone else. I am a special education teacher and I teach that every one of us has something special within us that will trump someone else in this world.