plugless PHV driving stories

I'm figuring in 2015, the PIP will be getting 20 miles per gallon. I might even go Ford Energi this year if they offer intro deals. 20 miles of EV would really push my mileage up. And with 120V, I could probably run 300 foot extension cord to the street to charge up at home giving me 40 miles of EV out of 96 daily commute miles.

 

sweet.

 

Volvo says it is aiming for its V70 AWD with 60 miles of EV out in Europe in 2012, end of this year. I'd never use gas for 90% of my driving.

If that's available in 2015, I'd go that route but if Energi gets 20 miles EV and Fords willing to deal to get cars on the road, I might be driving an Energi to Park City this winter.

 

I just returned from Reno today to Citrus Hts, CA. START: 4 bars on gas tank. Distance: 121 miles, Consumption: 98 mpg. That is up 7200 feet and down the other side of the Sierra Mountain. I 80 Interstate. Finished with 4 bars on gas tank. Did a lot of hyper mile-ing and stacking. Entered my street and ran out of EV charge at the same time. Min speed: 55 mph. Max speed: anything legal and conducive to greater EV charging. The PIP is incredible!

 

True, the car really does not ever run out of charge, whether in EV or HV. You may not be able to visually verify a charge on the displays. It is very likely that a continuous charging of both EV and HV portions of the battery is simultaneously proceeding while at the same time this energy is being used. It is not until a nice downhill roll "Happens" and the surplus charge shows on the screen (s)

 

How can the same posts appear on pages 2 and 3 ?

 

The MID stands for the Multi Information Display, and is the display atop the dash in the center. It's described in better detail on page 266 of the manual, but is referenced all throughout the manual. The Display Audio Unit or HDD Nav unit is what I mean by the MFD. There's a Car button on the Display Audio Unit that comes with the Base model that takes you to the Consumption/Energy screen. If you have the HDD Nav unit in the Advanced model, you have to hit "Info" and then select either Consumption or Energy from the list of choices.

 

Aha, that clears things up really well. I have the advanced technology version so didn't have a Car button. Thanks.

-

 

Isn't that annoying when that happens John? Yet the mileage is still quite good. A similar thing happened to me today, unexpected visitors from Germany required a trip to my sons place. But I insisted upon charging first. So with about two big20 mile segments up, plus the same two big segments back down plus charging at his place, ended up with 108 mpg. As long as one can charge its not difficult to show 100 % improvement over previous generations. And that's incredible.

 

i'm trying to refrain myself from charging this morning. i'm going to see my father today for lunch. it's about a 60 mile trip and i really want to see actual hv mpg's vs my 08 which used to get around 65 on this trip. it's so hard not to plug in when you can tho!

 

okay, here's the deal: did not plug in this morning. started out with 1.5 miles ev range. waited for the ice to kick in and hit the trip reset. drove 28 miles to my fathers part suburb stop and go, part highway 55 mph. a/c on 79 all the way with oat of 84. high humidity, so this small reduction in temp keeps the cabin comfortable. picked yp my father and brother, about 330 lbs of dead weight. drove 6 miles to lunch and let my lead foot brother (mercedes 500sl) drive back. then 32 miles home. total: 72 miles. cons: 72 mpg. avg. speed: 28 mph. this would have been 62-63 mpg's with a/c on in my 08, pretty sweet!

 

That is sweet. So a PIP is going to deliver substantially higher mpg than regular hybrid when both are driven as hybrids.

 

Looks like it could be that way but we obviously need more than one man's anecdotal evidence to call it Gospel.

 

couldn't agree with you more. not very scientific and now i can't wait to try it without the a/c. we need more experimentation here people!

 

Absolutely. The question is how much extra regenerative and excess engine power is available to fill the extra battery capacity of the PIP absent utility charging. From Bisco's run above, quite a bit, boosting the hybrid mpg to 72 mpg.

 

and to be fair, i never had another gen III so i don't know if or how much better the pip is than that.

 

I don't think 300 ft extension cords are a good idea. Too much resistance to do what you suggest. But I'm just a CPA; perhaps an EE can chime in...

 

Good call, from the sounds of people that have had both the Gen III can do just a bit better than the Gen II.