What's the better driving strategy on long uphill/downhill stretches (my home area)?
I seem to find in low gear (or light braking) I'm frequently overcharging (starting the ICE).

I don't have the NAV, I'm judgiing by the "ammeter".
The "instant economy" display isn't much help.
It generally reads full bars or none.

I wonder if staying in D(rive) vs L(ow) and pulse acceleration might be the most economic strategy.
Any opinions/experiences?

 

I always use low on the downhills except when I don't care how much I accelerate. If I am trying to keep the speed down, then low it is. If the ICE comes on due to overcharging there is no fuel being burned, it is using the engine as a means of draining the batteries. Over 40 mpg the gas engine runs no matter what.

Going uphill, L or D makes no difference as far as gearing goes so I tend to leave it in whatever it was in when I hit the hill.

 

I follow your strategy, but it doesn't "feel" right in my area.
Most of the roads I travel are 40+ ish MPH speed limits, long up and down hill runs.
Running in low gear downhill forces the overcharge revving to 4000 RPM frequently.
"Riding" the brakes with the gearshift in drive leads to the same kind of response (from the regenerative braking).
I just wonder if someone has a feel for the optimum strategy in this terrain.
(I'm still getting used to revving the engine without using fuel as a good thing).

 

You could always coast in neutral. If you are already in EV mode, it will stay there as long as you are in N. As long as traffic and speed limits allow, there shouldn't be a problem with using N.

You could always just stay in D and capture what regen it will take. I try to stay off the brakes in situations like that to avoid any loss to friction.

 

I've recently adopted the "N" approach for downhills; as long as you keep your speed under 40, the ICE won't come on. I know they say it doesn't use fuel if you are just burning off extra battery charge, but my gut still doesn't like it! "N" does the trick for me, when the battery is full and I need to brake to avoid flying down a curvy mountain road. I guess I'll go through brakes a bit faster than the "L" gear users, though.

I, too, have long wondered (and experimented) about the best way to climb those long hills (I think my area is like Steve's, and I also don't have the Energy/Nav option in my FEH). Lately, I've settled on keeping the RPMs as low as possible, without letting my speed drop below 30-35. If there is someone behind me, I sometimes have to speed up, as my hill is mostly a "no passing" zone, but I try to keep the rpms at or below about 2500, with an occasional burst to 3K if I'm really slowing down too much. I don't know if this is the best way, though. I'd appreciate any advice on the uphill section.

I have recently purchased a Prius, which comes with the lovely energy display diagram (and I've learned to P&G with it already!) and a better instantaneous FE output (gives the actual MPG in numbers, rather than the mostly useless FEH "bars"), so I'm hoping it will give me some better information about different ways to go up the hill. However, I've alreadly noticed substantial differences between the two vehicles - the FEH seems to have more momentum going down hills, for example; the Prius "regenerates" energy from the wheels whenever you take your foot off the gas, not just when applying the brake (according to the little diagram, anyway); the Prius is a bit more aggressive about shutting off its ICE when not needed. I'm sure I'll discover more - I've only driven 160 miles in it so far!

 

You mean against the Non A/N system display. The A/N has actual MPGs in numbers, and the power display to see how your energy is flowing.

 

Neutral is a good stategy for going down hills under 40 MPH.

Using the brake pedal will only use the friction brakes in Neutral.
You won't be trying to pump energy into an already full battery.
Neutral also won't spin the engine at high RPM to act as an engine brake.

It's not quite correct to say that "low" gear spins up the engine to 4,000 or more to use up extra electricity. That's not what it is doing.
It is simply using the engine as a giant air compressor, and creating resistance to slow you down. It is true... the pistons are moving, but no fuel is being used. They are being pumped "cold" just to help slow you down.
Semi trucks do this all the time. Like a "Jake Brake".

Neutral will only keep the ICE off at speeds under 6MPH or a dead stop.
Neutral will NOT keep the ICE off when "coasting" above 6MPH.

There are distinct engineering reasons for this that I won't go into.

Be advised, if you shift to Neutral with the engine on, and you are stopped, or moving less than 6MPH, it will NEVER shut off either.

-John

 

I don't know where you get this stuff. I have coasted in mine in neutral at well over 6 mph without the ICE coming on. Guess it comes with having not one, but two, weird Escapes.

Must be a distinct engineering reason for that too.

 

To funny Ray, but I'll have to check because John may be right on this one. Its funny also about the "N" he came up with with coasting all of a sudden on yahoo. Xcel's ideas keeps getting stolen. Now we find that cardboard in front of the radiator is xcel's idea. Lets just be happy to help one another.

GaryG

 

Ray and Gary.... PLEASE READ AGIAN what I said.
I give 100% facts that have been tried and true.
You misunderstood what I wrote. What I wrote is correct.

I have the Escape Hybrid Technical Service manual and have read at least 50% of it verbatum. When I find out something new in it, I go out on the road or into the garage to get a full understanding of it first.

I have spoken to Ford engineers directly, in person, who specifically work on the FEH.
I have a short list of email contacts and phone numbers with Ford Execs and Ford Hybrid engineers and frequently bounce ideas and questions off them.

I am very careful to what I say, and try to be as clear as possible.
I do not appreciate the skeptics out there, and the rude comments.
If I choose to stop posting, it will only be your loss.
I'll still be getting 45 MPG tanks in a 4,000 lb vehicle in the dead of winter.

I think Gary G is the only one who comes close to my MPG.
I have an advantage of thin Denver Air, but the disadvantage of below 0'F days.
And unlike Gary, I drive at 65-70 MPH half the time and still keep tanks around 40 MPG.

If you don't think my ideas work, fine... choose not to belive it.

Just let me know when you start gettting 45 MPG tanks week after week.

-John