Took it on an out of town trip and the efficiency was not great.

[n2585722]

Couldn't make it there from Belmead on 10% or I would have. Mid Texas is a horrible charging desert on the weekend.

I guess the EA one at the WalMart in Waco was out. That was the one I tried to go to but there was a long line and I was still over 50% from 85% getting there from the Outlet mall so Went back without charging. I did find out I can go 175 miles at 85% and still have 17% left. I was mainly doing the trip to Waco and back to get an idea of what I should expect as far as miles per KWH. I got mine in December and have never been on a long trip in it. I have no issues around town. I can go a week without needing a charge. There shows to be a Tesla in Temple and one in Jarrell that show in Ford pass if you have the adapter to use them. I have not been to either of them though.

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[Murse-In-Airy]

Efficiency is directly related to speed. So, o, other than slowing down there really isn’t anything you can do.

based on driving the same 110 mile trip IN 80° weather I can get:
3.3 miles/kwh @55MPH
2.8 miles/kwh @65MPH
2.2 miles/kwh @75MPH

Drag increases as speed increases so efficiency has to suffer.

My GT-PE is a lot of fun when I don’t have far to go. Pretty boring when I have to go far so I need to be efficient.

 

[bruceski88]

TL : DR version: Is there anything that can be done to improve the highway efficiency of our Mach-E other than driving slower?

Long Version:
Drove it from the Austin area to DFW and back with some driving around in Fort Worth. Efficiency on the way there was being reported as low as 2.1 miles per kwh, granted I did have a headwind, but still. I stopped in Waco to top off at EA and departed at 76% per ABRP, well, it started dropping like a rock after that going northbound. I backed it off under the speed limit out of concern for the battery SOC. When I found a car going slow in the right lane, like 65 in a 75, I tucked in behind them. My aim point was the EA charger on the west side of Fort Worth at a Sams club, in order to meet family members who had been driving in from the West Coast in their ID.4, so we could both charge and then go to dinner before we flew off to the Dominican Republic on a red-eye out of DFW.

After a week in the DR, we saddled up to drive back to the Austin area and the performance wasn't much better. We stayed overnight before we departed back for Austin as it was after 11pm before we got our baggage and got to the car. In the morning the battery was at 71% and ABRP advised me that I would need to top up before leaving the DFW area. When I put 1% more in ABRP it advised me I could make Waco, but that I would have to limit my speed to 70mph. Doable, but I elected to top up. That was a mistake, as we went to an EVgo in a HORRIBLE neighborhood in SW Dallas, but whatever. Almost got hit by a Hellcat fleeing the police on the way to the station, also. Screamed WTF right in front of my 8 year old also. So then ABRP says we need to charge to 93% for the most efficient trip home, well, my wife started getting antsy at 88% so we unplugged and drove to the Buc-ees in Temple, I still had 26% battery left so maybe we didn't need that top off after all, had I planned for Waco. Mercedes branded Chargepoint at this location, said it was capable of up to 400Kw. Wow. Well after a brief bump to 120Kwh, it scaled back to the low 70s, that was a letdown. I guess maybe because it was already 95 outside? who knows. Anyway after 26 minutes I pulled off at 80% and we made it home with 53% as planned so my wife could run her errand without having to charge. The miles per KwH was around 2.5 on the return trip, so a little better, but I had higher expectations going into this deal.

So, yeah.

We have the AWD with the standard battery. I was never expecting miracles as far as range goes. But I wasn't expecting the per KwH efficiency to be so bad with this car. I'm not sorry we bought it, we really enjoy the car. But if we get a 2nd EV it's going to have to have better highway efficiency than this, along with preferably a bigger battery.

What do you guys with the standard battery and RWD get as far as miles per KwH? I'm a little disappointed. For comparison my parents' ID.4 usually gets around 3-3.3 miles per KwH. They have the larger battery with RWD on their car. It is not nearly as fast as our car, but, I'd give up a little speed gladly for better battery efficiency.

Make sure tires are pumped up to 40 or 41.

 

[tuminatr]

TL : DR version: Is there anything that can be done to improve the highway efficiency of our Mach-E other than driving slower?

Long Version:
Drove it from the Austin area to DFW and back with some driving around in Fort Worth. Efficiency on the way there was being reported as low as 2.1 miles per kwh, granted I did have a headwind, but still. I stopped in Waco to top off at EA and departed at 76% per ABRP, well, it started dropping like a rock after that going northbound. I backed it off under the speed limit out of concern for the battery SOC. When I found a car going slow in the right lane, like 65 in a 75, I tucked in behind them. My aim point was the EA charger on the west side of Fort Worth at a Sams club, in order to meet family members who had been driving in from the West Coast in their ID.4, so we could both charge and then go to dinner before we flew off to the Dominican Republic on a red-eye out of DFW.

After a week in the DR, we saddled up to drive back to the Austin area and the performance wasn't much better. We stayed overnight before we departed back for Austin as it was after 11pm before we got our baggage and got to the car. In the morning the battery was at 71% and ABRP advised me that I would need to top up before leaving the DFW area. When I put 1% more in ABRP it advised me I could make Waco, but that I would have to limit my speed to 70mph. Doable, but I elected to top up. That was a mistake, as we went to an EVgo in a HORRIBLE neighborhood in SW Dallas, but whatever. Almost got hit by a Hellcat fleeing the police on the way to the station, also. Screamed WTF right in front of my 8 year old also. So then ABRP says we need to charge to 93% for the most efficient trip home, well, my wife started getting antsy at 88% so we unplugged and drove to the Buc-ees in Temple, I still had 26% battery left so maybe we didn't need that top off after all, had I planned for Waco. Mercedes branded Chargepoint at this location, said it was capable of up to 400Kw. Wow. Well after a brief bump to 120Kwh, it scaled back to the low 70s, that was a letdown. I guess maybe because it was already 95 outside? who knows. Anyway after 26 minutes I pulled off at 80% and we made it home with 53% as planned so my wife could run her errand without having to charge. The miles per KwH was around 2.5 on the return trip, so a little better, but I had higher expectations going into this deal.

So, yeah.

We have the AWD with the standard battery. I was never expecting miracles as far as range goes. But I wasn't expecting the per KwH efficiency to be so bad with this car. I'm not sorry we bought it, we really enjoy the car. But if we get a 2nd EV it's going to have to have better highway efficiency than this, along with preferably a bigger battery.

What do you guys with the standard battery and RWD get as far as miles per KwH? I'm a little disappointed. For comparison my parents' ID.4 usually gets around 3-3.3 miles per KwH. They have the larger battery with RWD on their car. It is not nearly as fast as our car, but, I'd give up a little speed gladly for better battery efficiency.

Is your car completely stock ? Do you have aftermarket wheels or non stock tires? Speed has a sizeable impact on efficiency. If I drive 65mph my GTPE will get 2.8. - mi/kwh if I drive 80mph it will get 2.3 or so.

 

[Brons2]

Must be your AWD. Routinely travel San Antonio to Dallas at 2.5-3.3 doing the Speed Limit (I35 not the toll road). Always get better efficiency from SA TO DFW not the reverse. However, the charging desert between Austin and Waco is a BIG problem. Last trip waited three hours in Belmead for a charger. That was the last straw. ICEing it to Dallas from now on.

The Bucees in Temple has a bunch of Mercedes branded ChargePoint chargers and they're putting in more. They say they do up to 400Kw, of course our cars can't take advantage of that. They're in the very NE corner of the parking lot. You can use the NFC on your phone to activate them if you have the ChargePoint app. There was another Mach-E owner there when we were there.

 

[Brons2]

Is your car completely stock ? Do you have aftermarket wheels or non stock tires? Speed has a sizeable impact on efficiency. If I drive 65mph my GTPE will get 2.8. - mi/kwh if I drive 80mph it will get 2.3 or so.

Yes, completely stock. 75 is the speed limit and that's what we drive.

 

[tuminatr]

Yes, completely stock. 75 is the speed limit and that's what we drive.

That's your answer normal performance for that speed. Mine does a little better because it has non stock wheels with better aero

 

[JDP That's Me in My MachE]

The Bucees in Temple has a bunch of Mercedes branded ChargePoint chargers and they're putting in more. They say they do up to 400Kw, of course our cars can't take advantage of that. They're in the very NE corner of the parking lot. You can use the NFC on your phone to activate them if you have the ChargePoint app. There was another Mach-E owner there when we were there.

Thanks!

 

[OH2AZ2OH]

Addendum: The efficiency is fine around town, usually in the 3-3.5 range per Kwh. We have 1 pedal turned on so I guess it is doing a good job of recapturing energy.

One pedal on/off has zero effect on efficiency. It does matter in Teslas where the brake pedal directly controls the friction brakes. Ford, and I I think every other EV manufacturer, uses blended braking. so that using the brake pedal still activates regen first and then friction as needed.

I think you're mostly being affected by the speed and the MachEs not great aerodynamics. AWD hurts some, bigger wheels/wider tires hurts some too. I get right around 2.8 mi/kWh between 70-75, which is right at the highway rating (although that is not easy to find for EVs). Above 75mph, range suffers a lot.

 

[Tampamike]

One more anecdotal report: I figure on about 2.5 m/kw at 79 with Blue Cruise on. Premium RWD, big battery.

 

[tboo72]

I drive 80 miles a day, almost all highway, in my GT. I drive 74mph with the cruise set and the best Ive seen is 3.0m/kwh in the summer. Usually its about 2.7 but if I have the wind behind me Ill see 3. In the winter months its around 2.0.

 

[MellowJohnny]

Efficiency is directly related to speed. So, o, other than slowing down there really isn’t anything you can do.

based on driving the same 110 mile trip IN 80° weather I can get:
3.3 miles/kwh @55MPH
2.8 miles/kwh @65MPH
2.2 miles/kwh @75MPH

Drag increases as speed increases so efficiency has to suffer.

My GT-PE is a lot of fun when I don’t have far to go. Pretty boring when I have to go far so I need to be efficient.

100% this.

Drag squares with speed (roughly), so if you want better range the speed needs to drop. Choose your compromise. Sorry to sound harsh, but...physics.

And there certainly are more efficient cars at the same given speed - Ioniq 6 vs. Mach-E at the same speed would have much better range than us, but it's on the fuglly side.

There are efficiencies in battery & motor, but I think the really efficient cars are simply more aero.

 

[RickMachE]

If you've never had a good headwind before, it's pretty shocking what it can do to your efficiency. Last fall we were in Arizona and a storm came up. Wind kicked in pretty strong, we were getting buffeted. Trucks slowed down to 55. Our This Trip efficiency dropped dramatically to 2.1, keeping in mind that was an average with X miles before the wind kicked in... I had a nice buffer, it disappeared and we made it to the hotel with under 10 miles of range left.

Weather also has an impact. Get into a driving rain and watch your efficiency dip.

 

[MacherAWD]

2021 SR AWD, I will usually get 2.8-3.0 Mi/kw when going 72-74mph on a trip. Climate on Auto 1, if the weather is between 45-90 I will almost always average 3. If above 90 or below 40 it dips to 2.5. Add in wind, rain or other and it decreases as expected.

I am thinking it is the heat in your case, ours in new england just broke, we were 90+ for weeks, now mid/low 80s and my range took a noticeable bump up.

 

[garyd9]

If you've never had a good headwind before, it's pretty shocking what it can do to your efficiency. Last fall we were in Arizona and a storm came up. Wind kicked in pretty strong, we were getting buffeted. Trucks slowed down to 55. Our This Trip efficiency dropped dramatically to 2.1, keeping in mind that was an average with X miles before the wind kicked in... I had a nice buffer, it disappeared and we made it to the hotel with under 10 miles of range left.

Weather also has an impact. Get into a driving rain and watch your efficiency dip.

What's really interesting, IMO, is how much more sensitive to these things we become as EV drivers. Rain and wind impact gasoline cars just as much as EV's, but I never really paid attention to it.

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