Normal operations battery vs hybrid

[Spiffy]

Really new to this truck. 2022 f150 platinum hybrid.
When starting from stop using ev coach I have about an impossible job of keeping it in electric. I accelerate super slow. No matter how slow I accelerate it goes into hybrid right away. There doesn't seem to be much reserve in the battery. Even when cruzing at 30mph feathering the throttle it won't run in electric for more than a few seconds.
I ran torque pro on it and the result was 42% battery life left. Now a 5 buck app is bit to be trusted for sure. The truck has 4400 miles. Is there a better way to check the battery?

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[Aron]

Really new to this truck. 2022 f150 platinum hybrid.
When starting from stop using ev coach I have about an impossible job of keeping it in electric. I accelerate super slow. No matter how slow I accelerate it goes into hybrid right away. There doesn't seem to be much reserve in the battery. Even when cruzing at 30mph feathering the throttle it won't run in electric for more than a few seconds.
I ran torque pro on it and the result was 42% battery life left. Now a 5 buck app is bit to be trusted for sure. The truck has 4400 miles. Is there a better way to check the battery?

Recall that it's a 1.5KW battery, which is very small by electric car standards, and this is a very heavy truck (comparitively). I wouldn't try to treat it as a standard hybrid vehicle by trying to drive in electric mode...especially from a dead stop. It's not going to stay in electric mode unless you accelerate VERY slowly.

My feeling is that there's a reason that Ford markets it as a "powerboost" rather than a "hybrid"--it's designed to boost the power of the internal combustion engine (ICE) rather than replace it like a traditional hybrid electric motor would. I feel like that's also why they don't slap a "hybrid" sticker on the tailgate; they seem to really want to avoid that confusion.

I haven't really tried to monitor the state of charge (SOC) of the battery, so I don't have any firsthand experience there. However, several other well-known members have used that one or similar apps, so your reading is probably a good one. 42% SOC after a dead stop--especially if you're just starting out for the day with a cold engine--seems reasonable.

I have heard from a number of others that the best way to engage the electric motor consistently is to accelerate up to speed using the ICE as you normally would, and then as you coast you can tap the brakes slightly, which should trigger the shift to electic. And then you can maintain speed with the electric motor for a while.

I hope that you enjoy your new PB truck as much as I am!

 

[UGADawg96]

Paging @Snakebitten who is the forum SME on the PB battery.

From my exp, the truck only uses the battery when going down hill or cruising in the 30-40mph for less than a minute at a time.

 

[tbinmd]

Battery is small, but depending on where you live and how cold it is, the battery in the winter really sucks, as the cold kills what range is available.

 

[cheesedogf150]

I agree with @Aron
If you accelerate normally up to speed and let the battery take over to maintain that speed it works great.

 

[LHoffmanjr22]

Battery is small, but depending on where you live and how cold it is, the battery in the winter really sucks, as the cold kills what range is available.

Agreed. In Northern Illinois as the temperature gets below zero, I notice much less time spent in electric only, which impacts the gas mileage I get. I got my Powerboost in the middle of Winter last year, and spent many months really disappointed in the system overall. When it finally got warm, I was pleasantly surprised. I still couldn't take off from a stop in electric unless I basically idled to speed, but it stays in electric much longer once I am at speed. I couldn't believe the difference between warm and cold weather.

 

[Spiffy]

Ya. I have to idle off of Start. I will try the tap break maneuver. Cool information. I guess I was expecting a different result. There was a couple videos where they claimed to get 800 miles on a tank. They didn't say how many people they pissed off behind them at a light. Love the truck already. No range anxiety!!!

 

[Spiffy]

I haven't really tried to monitor the state of charge (SOC) of the battery, so I don't have any firsthand experience there. However, several other well-known members have used that one or similar apps, so your reading is probably a good one. 42% SOC after a dead stop--especially if you're just starting out for the day with a cold engine--seems reasonable.


That 42% I mentioned wasn't a soc number. It was some calculation from the obd app that said 42% battery life left. That could be taken both ways. Maybe it meant soc? Doesn't matter it was reported from a 5 dollar app.

 

[Aron]

Ya. I have to idle off of Start. I will try the tap break maneuver. Cool information. I guess I was expecting a different result. There was a couple videos where they claimed to get 800 miles on a tank. They didn't say how many people they pissed off behind them at a light. Love the truck already. No range anxiety!!!

I've had my range show 700+ miles, without any real attempt at adjusting my driving habits to extend it much (I tend to use Eco mode, but don't generally try to force it into electric mode). I have no doubt that you can get it to more than 800 miles if you use it the "right" way for long enough.

The range number seems to have a real recency bias; when I towed a heavy trailer for a few hundred miles a few weeks back, that dropped my fuel efficiency way down for those few days, and the next fillup only calculated about 500 miles of range (using the same fuel). I expect that as I drive it more in ways that encourage higher fuel economy (basically, not towing or hauling heavy loads), it'll again display higher range when I fill up next.

 

[Snakebitten]

Paging @Snakebitten who is the forum SME on the PB battery.

From my exp, the truck only uses the battery when going down hill or cruising in the 30-40mph for less than a minute at a time.

You can call me anything you like. But I don't know what a SME is. I feel flattered though, knowing you.

I'm a flatlander, so no downhill/uphill EV data. However, if ambients are warm enough and the trucks reached adequate operating temperature for the various fluids onboard, I have EV cruising at 50mph cruising daily. (it's a stretch of rural road with 45mph posted)

Of course the SOC for the HV battery has to be in the high 50's or low 60's SOC. And it will last for however long it takes to deplete down to 42-44% SOC. It's not quite a minute.

I screen shot'd such a moment
Notice the Amp draw to sustain 49.1 mph (Speedometer indicated numerical 50)
Regenerative braking can INPUT double that amperage!
That's why I believe these pids can TEACH you how to best manage the Hybrid system, based on the real time circumstances, which allows you to enjoy the trucks ability to be efficient, but without necessarily hypermiling and missing out on the ~600ftlbs of torque when the occasion calls for it.

I have had EV mode kick in at 59mph. I know that specifically because I was seeing if I could get it at 60mph cruise. The SOC was in the mid 60% and the Powerboost logic was refusing to increase it further from ICE. I reduced ACC by 1mph and it triggered EV.

Anecdotal, of course, but it makes me wonder what the cutoff speed is for flat land EV?

 

[UGADawg96]

You can call me anything you like. But I don't know what a SME is. I feel flattered though, knowing you.

Subject Matter Expert

 

[Snakebitten]

And acronym dufus.

But I KNEW you were saying something nice!
Thanks.

 

[Randomseed]

It’s not the battery charge making it go to ice, it’s the request for tourque going over what the electric motor can give. You can crawl to 60mph if you have the patience in electric only.

 

[Tosh]

That 42% I mentioned wasn't a soc number. It was some calculation from the obd app that said 42% battery life left. That could be taken both ways. Maybe it meant soc? Doesn't matter it was reported from a 5 dollar app.

Torque Pro is fine - it's output is accurate, as long as you provide accurate input (meaning don't use El-Cheapo OBD adapters).

In summer I get up to 20% of electric time (distance) but in winter it's tough to get above 10%.

When my truck is un-laden (just me, no passengers or cargo) I can get it to start moving on electric by driving it like a golf cart. This is not recommended if anyone is following.

I find the best strategy is to use ICE to get the truck up to speed, then back off the go-pedal. It often maintains cruising speed on battery for about 1/2 mile.

The EV Coach view can be helpful - you can see an approximation of your battery charge level vs your electric load level.

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