I own a 2013 C-Max hybrid and I notice that during long drives, if i engage the cruise control, I don’t get as many EV miles as I do when I have my foot on the gas pedal and take it off when i have reached my desired speed. Does EV mode not work in cruise control? My feet start to ache a bit with constantly having to press and release the gas pedal just so that I can generate some EV miles.
For me…my feet (foot) is far more important that EV miles. I would use the cruise control and motor on.
What’s the max speed for EV mode?
I’ve noticed this same thing driving non-hybrid econoboxes I’ve rented when driving across northern Nevada. That drive, it’s 400 miles of repeated long uphills, followed by long downhills, then through the valley floor to the next up and down. The elevation gain between the flat part in the valley and the top of the pass is 2000 to 3000 feet. I get better mileage if I don’t use the cruise control. I think the reason is when I come to the uphill segment, I don’t press as much on the gas as the cruise control does, instead I just go slower on the uphill, then go faster on the downhill. The cruise control will step on the gas enough to maintain the same speed uphill and downhill. It’s those uphill segments I think that eat a lot of gasoline.
Continuing the trip across western Utah I80 goes along 80-100 miles of a big salt flat. Flat as a pancake; it’s so flat it is where land speed record contests are held sometimes. Over that part of the trip, and flat straight parts in general, I get better mpg letting the cruise control do the work.