engine disable

[KenW]

Sorry if this is an obvious one but I've only had my Energi for a month.  Is there a way to disable the engine completely when you're running on battery charge? Every so often I'll get a message saying the 'engine is being enabled for system performanc'e.  I'd like to lock it out and continue running on the charge exclusively.

[Russael]

Closest thing you can get is running in EV Now mode.  If battery temperature reaches a set threshold (high temp or low temp) or your accessory draw exceeds a threshold (high defrost will cause heat and A/C to kick on which draws >10kw of current), the engine will kick on regardless.  They do that to protect the battery pack.

 

If you run the car out of gas (down to 1 gallon), then the car will remain locked in EV mode.  Beware - the car logs a LOT of data, and I'm placing bets that it knows when it runs out of gas and for how long.  If your battery pack has to work exceedingly hard and you experience a reduction in capacity as a result and try to make a warranty claim, they're going to pull all of that data and deny that claim.  That battery pack is >$9,000 out of pocket to replace before core charge; I don't know the dollar amount for the core.

 

So, in short... I don't encourage that. :)  I see your in Michigan too and the only time my ICE has started on me is in the dead of winter.  I haven't had it run since around March.

 

Glad to see another Michigan person on here.  I've seen about 6 more Fusion Energi's in the past month, but prior to that, I hadn't seen one since last year.  Seems all of them came out of the woodwork at once. :)

[KenW]

Thanks for the reply.  Although, I don't think it's an accessory issue.  I was driving home from work today on a 50mph surface street with only the radio on and the message showed up and it went to ICE for a minute or so (while I still had about 10 miles left on the charge and running in EV mode).  Not sure what it could have been protecting.

[Doug0716]

Were you in EV Now mode as Russael suggested?  If you were in another mode it doesn't always drain the battery before using the ICE

[Russael]

EV Auto seems to have different (more conservative) thresholds for turning the ICE on.  It'll do it under hard acceleration (including going uphill), and the temperature thresholds seem to be different for that mode as well.  EV Now does everything it can to keep the car in electric only mode.  It will only fire the ICE for the aforementioned conditions.

 

But I am curious... what mode do you usually drive in?  I keep mine in EV Now because, like you, I don't want my ICE running unless it's absolutely necessary. :)

[HotLap]

To add to the above, I've noticed that when I'm in EV NOW mode, (my standard mode for all city driving), and am driving aggressively, sometimes the "engine being enabled for system performance" comes on with plenty (10+) miles of batt left.  I've also noticed that if I ease up the ICE generally will not kick in??  Also, I have had the ICE kick in due to excessive batt temps, try and have your display in the Energi mode and it will generally tell you why the ICE is kicking in...these are fun cars and seems to be an infinite variability to the ways you can drive them.  I love the message that tells me to "Please Place Your Hands On the Steering Wheel" when I have the drive assist engaged and am showing someone how it will auto steer to keep you centered (within limits) in the lane...have no idea how it knows my hands aren't on the wheel (very nearby though)  :)

[KenW]

Thanks again for all the info.  12deg in the Metro Detroit area this morning...it's mid Nov!!  Anyways, ICE kicked on with the heat which is not surprising.  Still learning about this thing I guess.  Russael, for a few months I didn't see another Energi in the Metro Detroit area.  All of the sudden, I started seeing some.

[rbort]

Heat on is why the engine kicks in.  With no heat mine doesn't kick in but I have a Cmax which might be slightly different programming.  Defrost is also a sure bet to fire off the engine.

 

-=>Raja.

[Russael]

Thanks again for all the info.  12deg in the Metro Detroit area this morning...it's mid Nov!!  Anyways, ICE kicked on with the heat which is not surprising.  Still learning about this thing I guess.  Russael, for a few months I didn't see another Energi in the Metro Detroit area.  All of the sudden, I started seeing some.

 

I've been seeing more around now too, but they're still super rare.  There's someone who visits a person in my subdivision who drives a 2014 Energi, and I've seen another one a couple times at Meijer as well as while it is commuting (a white SE model).  I see hybrids more than I see the Energi model though.

 

However, I see significantly more CMAX vehicles.  Those are about half and half between Energi and Hybrid, but I've seen more Energi's of those than I have the Fusion.  And yes, I'm bad enough that I do look at every Fusion driving the opposite direction to see if it's a hybrid or Energi. :)

 

There was another Fusion Energi in one of the RenCen parking garages (Beaubien) that I was at during Halloween weekend, but that one came from out of state.

 

I've seen maybe a grand total of 3 or 4 Focus Electrics for about a 2 year period.

 

Saw a Tesla S on the road for the first time a couple weeks ago too (that was NOT at an EV show).

[Rexracer]

sorry to continue to be off topic. But I have noticed a sudden increase in Energi sightings. I normally see 1 a month, but I saw 3 last week, 2 in the same day!