Yeah - to "Mr. Leadfoot"! (I love him, I just don't let him drive my car...)

And I should qualify, that's 36 (35.8 now, but it should go back up on drive home) on the FE gauge, which will probably (if I can keep it up) translate to about 35 by calculation. I keep thinking "this IS the perfect tank", and then SOMETHING messes it up. I am just crossing my fingers on this one... so far so good. Interestingly, the first 125 miles or so of the tank, over which I averaged closer to 37 (gasp!), were a single, long drive from near Rochester (Canandaigua) back to Ithaca (including the deadly hill up to my house from Ithaca), over the usual "rolling hills" common in this area, averaging about 50 mph the whole way. DWL, low RPMs - that's the ticket.

I tried using "L" a bit more this morning, and still don't think it helps much. For example, I am going down a hill, I get the speed below 40, shift to "L", and sure enought, the ICE shuts right off (nice!). I still have to use the brakes a little, to keep the speed below 40, but maybe not so much. But then, after less than a minute, the ICE comes back on (at 30-35 mph). (Same thing happens in "D", but maybe not so fast.) I'm guessing this is because my battery is fully charged? Maybe it even gets there faster in "L"? After a little bit more it even revs up REALLY high again. If I do the same thing in "D" I can just coast down the hill, using slow (regen) braking, sometimes the engine will come on but only at 1K or so, and I get to the bottom with a full battery anyway.

I will still try this some more (I don't give up easily, particularly with potential mileage-boosting techniques! and I DO see how it helps in the city, though - mainly avoiding the "double tap" to shut down the ICE), but I wonder if there might be a difference in how the AWD uses "L" gear, that makes it respond differently? It is heavier, so the engine load might slow it down faster than the FWD. Also, maybe they do something with the AWD when you shift into "L" (like, put it into 4WD mode?), based on assumptions about when it will be used?

 

Sweetbeet, I responded to Scott about that high rev thing. Don't know if Scott has a AWD or not but this maybe a good question to ask at the Dearborn meeting. My ICE stays off below 40mph when I use the brake or shift to low going down a tall bridge (no hills here). I've never had a high rev like that. Would anyone else like to add to this problem? Would someone ask the question thats going to the meeting?

The low RPM method works for me also. Your getting great mileage for not using EV mode in a AWD. I wish my wife could drive like you. A trick I use to keep low RPM's is letting off the pedal like shifting a 4 speed during acceleration to a high speed. Letting off the pedal 3 or 4 times helps me control the ECVT from revs over 3,000 RPM's. I try to keep it under that between each slowly fake shift.

 

I also saw the high rev issue a few days ago when I got to the bottom of a fairly long but gradual downhill stretch. I thought someone said that the computer would do that if the battery was full. The explanation I saw said that it would use the ICE to make the motors work against each other. Mine went to about 2500 RPMs and only stayed there for a few seconds.

 

This happened to me once a couple months ago (posted about it here: https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...vior.2831.html ). It does it every now and then, usually after coasting down a hill. I don't worry about it anymore now that I know it isn't unique to my vehicle.

 

I do have a fwd. I would say that when I saw the engine rev up I had a suspicion that the battery was near capacity. Driving 90% hwy I my battery is almost always charged. It does not feel anywhere near as effective as downshifting a conventional automatic transmission though. I wonder if the ICE is acting as a load or the ICE is supplying power to dissipate the excess energy?

 

I spoke to soon, it happen to me today a few times. Its got to be something with over charging or charging to much in a short period. I've never had the problem before but my RPM's did not get over 2,000 as some have said. The engine just came on and for a second or two reved and went to normal. This was while in low coming to a stop or slowing down.

Also, I think I'm working on by best tank so far and this is with the A/C on normal recircle. It is rainny and cloudy so I don't need max A/C right now. I am really pushing the EV mode longer than ever before. I had to stop for 15 seconds more than I ever have today because the ICE wouldn't shut down any other way. Many have this problem. I'm getting the feeling that the FEH computer system doesn't like all the work I putting it through.

Good luck to all of you in Texas, Rita just brought a good rain and wind to us. Your not going to be so lucky.

 

Thought of something else to add while on this subject.

The tire that is used to slow down the FEH and turn the generator while we shift to "L" will get worn more I would think. Ray or anyone notice this that drive in low? Something to think about and rotation more often may help. Not sure if it is the right or left front tire either.

 

Is it just one wheel that is affected during regen? I had always assumed that it would be both front wheels.

I hadn't thought about tire wear at all and so far I haven't noticed any wear on the tires, front or back, on either Escape. I'll have to buy a tread depth gauge and start monitoring them. I'm pretty religious on tire pressure already so it will be nothing to add measuring tread depth to my routine. I normally change tires well before they are to legal limits so this shouldn't be a big issue here.

I guess in a way it would be better if there is only one wheel dragging during regen braking - there are three more to rotate into that position. Any accelerated wear in that position would take quite a while to wear out four tires. Even if both front wheels contribute, then rotating front to back would help a lot.

 

I would imagine it's both front wheels, and that the system basically just acts in reverse to the way it does when accelerating.

It doesn't make sense to me to have just one wheel do this... it could be dangerous too, causing the vehicle to pull to one side.

 

That is how I pictured it too Randy...

Remember how badly front wheel drive cars would torque-steer in the early years? It would probably be like that during decel.....