How to HyperMile Your F-150 PowerBoost! Get Better MPG and Save Fuel.

[@mikemiller8170]

As a nerdy mechanical engineer and "car guy" who's spent a whole career in the energy industry, I can confidently say that this is one of the best and most accurate videos ever done. And I own a Powerboost. Thanks for taking the time to do this - should be a good resource for all the Powerboost drivers who wonder where their MPG went...

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

My nerdy EE past thanks you, Mike!

[@LWRC]

He is confusing mechanical energy and kinetic going up a hill! Most of the energy is supplied by mechanical energy supplied by the engine! If 100% kinetic energy is used going up, then you wouldn't need any engine at that point at all!!!

[@curtiscregan]

Just tried your tips on my 18 mile commute this morning. I strive to hypermile on this trip every day and my previous record was 34mpg. Today it was 36.7. Thank you!!

[@Slamminbassplayer]

Holy shit that's impressive. I can't get anywhere near that in my 2023 and I drive like an old lady!

[@lcmm55]

2021 powerboost, I did a trip from myrtle beach to CT and averaged 60mph and 29mpg. Watched everyone pass me doing 70 to 80 which i used to do. It felt so much easier and relaxed letting everyone go by. Around town i get 24 plus mpg. I have a 2020 34 ft coachman travel trailer 7500 pounds loaded, truck has 11k towing capacity and 1600 lb payload cap. Have not towed the trailer yet, i guess that will be 7 to 9 mpg.

[@danielsnyder2288]

I have a friend with a powerboost, pulls 8,000 lb cattle trailer. He claims 21mpg so maybe some where in between?

[@tedneb3459]

One factor people forget is that larger tires equal a larger circumference. Unless you have recalibrated the speedometer and odometer using Forscan or having a dealer do it, you're indicated speed and mileage will be incorrect. This, in turn, means that your indicated fuel efficiency will be understated since the vehicle will actually be traveling farther per gallon than calculated. So a lot of people will think they took a larger fuel mileage hit by going to larger tires than they actually have.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

100% Ted. I also wonder how tire wear affects indicated/calculated mileage, since a worn tire has a smaller circumference.

[@brianmccants5098]

I’ve owned my PowerBoost for about 3 weeks now. I was pretty much already following all your tips in this video. I live in north central Florida and I use I-75 to commute to work. The speed limit is 70mph but I set my cruise to 60mph. I’m getting 26.5mpg if I stay out of the throttle, which is not easy because this truck is such a joy to drive and has so much power. My justification for driving 60mph is that if I was going 70, all the same people would’ve passed me anyway so I might as well save myself some money since gas is $4.99 as of today. Interesting to see everyone driving 80-85mph with gas so high. Thank you for sharing this content.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Thanks Brian. It's really hard NOT to horse on it! I tend to get on it a little doing freeway on-ramps out of concern for "safety." lol

[@nicholasbartek9168]

Same, I found 63 to be my best speed for fuel savings, I'm usually at 27-31 on an 84 mile round trip

[@---tx9xx]

I’m not sure if I should take mine to the dealer ; it’s a 4x4 off road and max tow package supercrew lariat with 6’7l bed. I keep it in ECO mode 80% of the time. The dash is showing me somewhere around 16mpg. A/C use, live in blazing South Flo. Yes, if I reset it and drive carefully for the first few miles it can show up to 26 briefly, but under extended real driving drops down even to the 16 average. Not sure if something “broken”. (22 powerboost)

[@TheFerretHome]

@@nicholasbartek9168 is that 2wd or 4wd? I just got a new 2023....

[@talonpilot]

@@---tx9xxI find that using ECO is not all its name is cracked up to be….. Since the trans shift points are changed, as well as the fuel mapping of the engine to keep the revs in the lower range…. Lower revs must burn less fuel, right? I find that in order to get the truck to do what you want, you press the pedal more trying to accelerate but the trans wont cooperate so you press more, eventually triggering a downshift. Now the engine is 2-3 gears down from where it would be if casual shifting were allowed (not in ECO). I find just staying in NORMAL works just fine and I get better mpg.

[@vonrollveeg]

Wow I'm impresed. I'm retired now, but I worked 50 years as either an engineer or as a mathmation. I found your analysis as accurate and very useful. THANKS!

[@kobayashimaru8114]

I do most of this stuff already but it's a very well explained video. The hardest thing is really fighting your own impatience and trying not to hold up traffic. Traffic lights suck in my city but that's beyond our control. The one thing I rarely do is draft trucks because I like to be able to see at least 2 or 3 vehicles ahead of me.

[@gbpatriot2]

This is one of the best explanations of hypermiling I've yet found. Most of the tips are still relevant regardless of the size or power of your vehicle. I'm an avid hypermiler living in England with just about 3 years of practice - albeit with much tinier power trains than those popular in the USA. With a 2021 Toyota Yaris 1.5 litre hybrid I regularly achieved 104 mpg (84 US mpg) Since then I've down sized to a new 2022 Toyota Aygo X, 1 litre, 3 cylinder naturally aspirated ICE, and regularly get 64 mpg (53.29 US mpg) without driving slowly or impeding other road users. The only tips I can add to this excellent video is don't expect to hypermile on a cold engine or on short journeys. I warm up my engine for 5 minutes before starting all my journeys, knowing I can then confidently hypermile. Also reduce overall vehicle weight by only half filling the tank. PS. The cost of gas in the UK would make a US driver's eyes water! 👍😉🇬🇧

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Thanks GBP! Can't wait for my next trip to UK, have been 5x and each time is a joy.

[@johnhoover7869]

I suspect drivers spend more time at lower speeds in GB as well. I frequently deal w high wind conditions in area. I've noted that damp air in rain and fog increases fuel usage by as much as 20%.

[@TheCardboardJedi]

I'm just two weeks into my new '23 3.5XLT PB 4x4. I live in coastal FL where hills aren't a thing, all flat but for a bridge here and there. Your video has shown me I'm on the right track to working with the electric mode and understanding it better. thank you!

[@samlai5411]

Thanks for the detailed tutorial. Im gonna implement these on my 3.5L Camry. I'll be happy to get ~40 MPG. Currently getting 21 MPG.

[@ModernCowboy78]

We're currently moving from Missouri to New Mexico and we are staying in Oklahoma as we speak I am getting 23.4 MPG on a 2022 used power boost we purchased last week. First, fill up I got 612 miles of range right after we purchased it. 2ne full up for this trip was 650 and now we're at 669 on our third fuel up. Been very impressed so far.

[@arlieriefer9612]

Tail gating will put you into the vehicle ahead. The adaptive cruse will limit your tail gating. You have to accelerate to tail gate and waist fuel. I am in electric mode more then 10% electric. Don’t accelerate out of turns. If you can keep it moving in electric mode you have saved and made mileage!

[@amschind]

A truck is bunch of tradeoffs, and mine is very much a "jack of all trades, master of none". I have no lift and stock sized tires, but I have 33" BFG T/A KO2s. I offset that to a degree with Weld wheels that are 30# (vs 38# factory wheels), so that the extra 55# tires vs 42# stock is somewhat offset. I have a massive grill guard/bumper and tow mirrors...the tow mirrors alone have more drag than the entire Aptera vehicle. Anyway, this leads to a few insights: 1) heavier wheels/tires probably need a tune to adjust shift ranges. With heavier tires, the truck WILL NOT cycle back to pure EV above 49 MPH, but WILL NOT shift to 10th below 50 MPH, even in manual mode. This means that the best efficiency band of 45-55 MPH ceases to exist with even a slight increase in wheel/tire weight+ more aggressive tread. 2) In a similar vein, the truck prefers to be in 3rd at a stop, using 1st and 2nd as granny gears for towing. This behavior severely limits pure EV use from a stop, and would probably also benefit from tuned shift behavior. 3) Even with increased drag, good highway mileage is still possible. I got 26 MPG over a 50 mile stretch today while behind an 18 wheeler on 1 bar of ACC at 62-65 MPH with negligible wind at ~80F on 87 octane. Slower speed and drafting are vital in this barn door. 4) These trucks LOVE boost, and the big limit is the added cost of octane. Cheap E85 is probably the secret to unlocking the performance potential of these trucks, and depending upon how it is sourced, likely the greenest and potentially even the cheapest method as well. I realize that from a pure cost perspective, most folks will do best with 87, but home made renewable E85 with an ethanol tune is the pinnacle for everything but pure range per tank.

[@DavePlagenza]

I've had my 2023 for almost 2 weeks now and have been doing my best to learn how to increase my fuel economy. Your videos have been a great help... This one takes the cake so far. I'll be putting on a tonneau cover in the next couple of weeks and am hoping that also helps. I do live in upstate NY so our cold season has started. The other factor is that my truck doesn't fit in my garage 🤦 Thanks again for your very detailed tutorials!

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Hi David, yes a marked decrease in mileage when it gets colder. I think this might be due to the passive battery discharge during cold temps, plus the winter blend does not have as much energy. My truck doesn't fit anywhere but I'm OK with that every time I put a big load in the back. cheers!

[@uebe8669]

Just got a brand new 2023 XLT Sport 4x4 with the Powerboost engine and I’ve gotten 22 MPG since I bought it and I get 25 mpg on a lot of trips. No complaints on my end and it’s been so much fun to drive.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Just did 28mpg on a 70 mile gig this morning. Warmer temps are definitely better for mileage! cheers

[@arlieriefer9612]

You can turn off your cruse for rollout as you descend hills your adaptive cruse can stop and go in traffic and maintain slow acceleration due the vehicle speed of the cars ahead of you. Brakes charge the battery so you can stay in electric mode longer. Braking for turns will put you back in electric mode!

[@Ringfiner]

I’ve only had my 2021 F-150 PB 3.5 Hybrid for about three weeks, I bought it with only 4,100 on it, so essentially I’m breaking in this King Ranch. I love your videos. I make it a game when I know the area on two lane roads to try and use the battery as much as possible. I’ve got pretty good on hills where on the down side, I accelerate softly and can almost get to the top of the hill before the engine starts up again. Thanks for all your tips, I can’t wait to take a long trip. 🇺🇸

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

It's like a video game, "Cheat the Pump!" cheers....

[@bigoldal2436]

Great video. Seems most folks think they win by being first to the red light. 🙃. EV mode is like free gas especially when doing long idling .

[@oozk]

I beg to differ on the EV coach not being useful later on. Besides teaching how it behaves, it ALSO shows available EV power and/or regen capacity left. For instance, the regen capacity will drop as you keep going downhill, and EV coach would show you when you're just using your brakes. Similarly, EV driving mode will show a window that gets smaller as you use up charge, which would help you maximize how much pedal you can apply right below hybrid switch threshold. Take a look : )

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

I will do so! Thanks for the comment.

[@DanX157]

I agree with oooz. I use the EV coach always. You can tell exactly how much throttle you can use without starting the gas engine. And as that window shrinks you know you've used up your available EV battery charge. Only wish there was a small battery cage that would be displayed at the same time. All of my Toyota hybrids have a simple bar graph. (Yes, I have used the torque app on a Bluetooth OBD adapter and tracked it that way, but I don't prefer to have a second cell phone running at all times.)

[@MrMillertime2003]

For me, at the 30:20 mark. Tapping the brake to force the truck into EV mode significantly increases hill country MPG for me.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Thanks Mark!

[@michalp2362]

I don’t think forcing it to EV mode is the right technique. If you’re requesting so little energy that a little electric motor is enough to keep you moving you’re probably burning very little gas to begin with. At that point you’re wasting your “inexpensive” energy to cover something that comes really cheap anyway. At the same time you’re depleting your battery living it useless for something more demanding and more expensive like in accelerating back to speed from the red light. Now you’re using boost because your battery is depleted which causes your 3.5 ecoboost to burn significantly more

[@MrMillertime2003]

Very valid points… I’ll run a test today on my normal work runs and see if I notice a difference. As far as off the line from a traffic light, I feel like the battery is only on for a few seconds either way. Not sure how much savings I would be leaving there. That is with a fully charged battery on some of my longer runs. Maybe forcing battery use will deplete it faster over the life span of the truck too. Yikes. Lol. My work route is 16 miles both ways on a hilly 55 mph road and I think 6 traffic lights. I have been averaging between 24-27 MPG most days. Ill report back later.

[@jimhill5472]

Great collection of tips.....in addition, I anticipate upcoming hills and press minus - button to lock out 10,9, even 8 to raise RPM's and avoid boost on gauge. Then add gears back with plus + as road crests top and flattens out or descends downhill. If you think of any significant boost on display as "sucking down excess gas", then going up hill in 7 or 8 gear with minimum boost at 2800? rpm makes more sense than 10th gear at 1400 rpm with major fuel sucking turbo boost displayed and engine lugging....lol....turbo boost = $$$$$$$$$$$

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Jim, absolutely agree. Recent did 1000 mile RT up/down the Blue Ridge/Appalachian area with lots of elevation changes. Avoiding boost got me 25mpg (measured) going north, and 24.8 mpg going back. Pretty decent for a 6,000 non-aerodynamic lump of steel and aluminum.

[@jimhill5472]

@@fixorrepairdiy4609 Agree!

[@DagleyReeves]

Yea, I think it is pretty much a wash. The shape of the tailgate lip probably has more influence on it. The best feature of thee Power Boost is I can use the inverter to power my little Airstream when off site without continously running the engine.

[@supersoberano2095]

Thanks for such a great and in depth video on this. I’m sure many will use it. FYI to everyone. Tapping on the break is not really necessary to get it to go into EV mode. If the battery is charged enough simply stop acceleration be it removing feet from pedal or turn cruise control off will do the trick.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Agreed however many times I'll be coasting downhill and the ICE is still idling. A quick tap on the brake kills the ICE without slowing any momentum and allows 100% regenerative braking capture. Like you said not necessary and I rarely bother with it but the "tap" is effective. cheers.

[@greatjobbuddy]

Presentation mode is exactly how my brain learns. 10/10. Going to try some of those tips with my own PB! Subscribing!

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Thanks Scott!

[@johnhoover7869]

Years ago I was hypermiling on my back road trips to work to the maximum. Was attaining as high 28.5 mpg w my '97 F150. Than I changed shifts and wound up driving back home at 3:30 in the morning. My economy dropped immediately to something like 25 mpg. I would constantly drive 41 mph, the bottom of my overdrive gear wo adding throttle and lugging. The only thing I could recognize as having changed were the environmental factors. Most every drive home would now be cool and very foggy.

[@LuisCampos-nu8sk]

Great video. I have two questions, first have you ever heard of driving in slippery mode to save gas and is it harmful? Second, how do you feel about altitude affecting mpg?

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

I have not heard about driving in "Slippery" mode to save gas. I also don't know much about driving at altitude as our altitude above sea level is about 950' here. In both cases I would have to test "A" vs. "B" to form an opinion.

[@LuisCampos-nu8sk]

@@fixorrepairdiy4609 ok thank you. I just noticed one day when it was raining for several days in a row I put my truck in slippery mode and noticed that I got better gas mileage. I just didn't know if that would have an adverse effect in some way.

[@johnsyler9671]

Thanks for a really useful video. I'm new to the powerboost and I learned something here..

[@jeffreyswoodard]

I have noticed my truck gets better milage when in normal mode vs eco mode.

[@_E_B_]

I do about 80% of what you've said in the video. But learned a few things as well. My truck is a 2022 f150 powerboost Lariat 502a. 4x4 with 3.73 gears. One issue is it came with a 2.5 inch level and 33x12.5r22 12 ply f load range tires lol. They are LT tires...nitto ridge grapplers. On 22 inch fuel rims. I looked up the weight of the tires and rims and surprisingly...they dont weigh much more then what comes on the truck as far as the 20 or 22 inch stock rims and tires but obviously the tread and rubber compounds are different so the rolling resistance is different. And the minuscule weight difference...is still a difference lol...and the 2.5 inch level...all still negatives as far as effecting fuel economy. I just drove from Missouri to Tennessee...489 miles. I go 5-10 mph lower then the posted speed limits on the highway and i Got 23.1 mpg. Truck has about 7300 miles on it. I'm on a powerboost group on Facebook and other owners are telling me despite my level, and tire/rim setup...the mileage should improve once i get another few thousand miles on the truck. This was how my previous ford truck was but who knows...🤷‍♂️. Thank you for your informative and very detailed video. I really enjoyed it.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Hi Evan…thanks for the reply. I’m at 19k miles now and have not noticed any appreciable difference in economy after “breaking in.” I got great numbers right out of the oven. I have stopped running in eco mode 100% of the time as i just like the better push in normal mode, and the numbers are not much different either. Cheers

[@rmac2786]

I do just about every hyper mile technique I can think of in my powerboost. I like to go fast, but knowing I have the fastest production truck on the road leaves me laughing at a lot of other vehicles as they burn 15+ dollars of gas “beating” me off the line. Besides the extremely rare case of a raptor trying to brake boost (which has happened exactly 1 time) I’ve never felt the need to give anyone the juice. I use my powerboost as a work truck though, constantly hauling 1500+ pounds of dirt, rock, or garbage around. I also live in the extremely hilly terrain of the PNW, and am still getting about 25 mpg overall. I now this doesn’t account for my driving in eastern Oregon , as it’s much flatter and the speed limit jumps to 70, but 75% of my driving happens along the coast or in the valley where speeds are governed to 65 at a max, usually no more than 55. On top of that, safe driving speeds around bends limit us to 45-55. The powerboost really excels at these speeds, and as long as I’m not in a hard turn, I can run my gas mileage up to the 30 mpg range. I find myself playing the mpg game in this truck way more often than I ever thought I would, coming from a straight piped 2004 Nissan Titan with headers, 6” lift, 37” tires, and a tune that would make you cry. I was getting about 7.5 mpg on a light-footed week. I’m now filling up every 3-4 weeks at about the same dollar figure I was filling up per week in my old rig. I feel like ford has a lot more to add to their battery, but I’m practically making money on a brand new vehicle when you factor in gas. Add that to my desire to go fast, and I’m adding almost 2 seconds to my drag time, while drinking less liquid gold?!? I’m leveling the truck next week, adding a tonneau cover, throwing 33’s on, and putting some silly expensive seat covers on ( I only have the xl as I wanted the highest payload possible) and am still hoping to achieve th 23 mpgs advertised.

[@FL_Jake]

Great explanations, and real world examples.

[@waltergroover5501]

I don't think that my adaptive cruise will let me get more than 2 seconds behind the vehicle in front of me. I don't feel like that is dangerous since I know that it responseds a lot faster than I can if the vehicle ahead slows down. I am new to your series so I have a question: Do you have an article about how the hybrid system works when pulling a heavy trailer in tow/haul mode?

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Not yet Walter…have plans to get a teardrop “some day.”

[@Jakereviewsall]

I have a 22 PB myself, I do not drive it like I should and I am one of those who drives 80-85 on the HWY. I recently drove over 8 hours round trip for a flight out of Seattle and I averaged 20.8 mpg climbing all the passes, in freezing cold and snow. Driving to the city to shop which is hwy and lots of hills I average around 18-19, in town I can get 26 or so driving a short distance. I do not really drive it for the MPG though, I just loved the truck so I bought it, rides nice, can tow, can even do well enough off road and still get decent MPG. The PB really shines in city though, I did get 29mpg driving around the city for a full day once.

[@EdEllingsen]

I didn't look all the way through the comments here but wonder about the static effect of having a tonneau cover or shell on the pickup bed. I have been tapping the brake to go into EV mode and I'm pretty sure it has been annoying the drivers behind me. I would like to see a hack or solution to avoid having to hit the brake to turn on EV mode.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Hi Ed, I have no idea what to think about the tonneau cover. Mythbusters showed that it actually decreased mileage vs. a closed tailgate, while recent videos seem to disprove that. I quit caring about it, since I have no intention of ever traveling without my hard trifold cover, so that's my current "control" and I have no problem hitting 27mpg if I baby it. If you have drivers that close behind you I would not practice hypermiling. I'm very slow off the line as it is, because that's where most of the energy is spent, getting 6000 pounds up to speed. This annoys people but I eventually get up to speed and this gets me back in their good graces. (until the next light) But if I do the downhill "EV Tap" thing there is no way anyone is within 500' of me off my stern. That would certainly earn me an evil glare once they pass me. Cheers

[@hokieinidaho]

One thing I've noticed is in stalled/stop&go traffic, is an off-brake roll forward on EV is 6A draw. But coast-brake is 20A. This is due tonthe fact that there has to be "push" from the EV vs compketely cutting out, to mimic that of our conventional ICE. And little to no regen. Hence, it may be better to leave a bit of gap before letting off brake to minimize brake-coast.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Cool observation...thanks Hokie!

[@waynewes9466]

Great video

[@arlieriefer9612]

I use cruse control as much as possible. Almost alway drive in eco mode. Gravity is your friend!

[@BlackhawkPilot]

Hills, drop my speed 5 mph on the CC going up hill then increase it 10 mph going down and reduce 5 mph on the level. So say 55, 65, and 60 mph. My 4.2 gets 12 mph towing my travel trailer.

[@---tx9xx]

I’m not sure if I should take mine to the shop/back to the dealer as lemon; it’s a 4x4 off road and max tow package supercrew lariat with 6’7l bed. I keep it in ECO mode 80% of the time. The dash is showing me somewhere around 16mpg. Occasional A/C use, live in the blazing South. Yes, if I reset it and drive carefully for the first few miles it can show up to 26 briefly, but under extended real driving drops down even to the 16 average. Not sure if something “broken”. (22 powerboost)

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

did you lift it or add big tires? Even guys that are hoofing on it are getting about 20mpg without trouble.

[@---tx9xx]

@@fixorrepairdiy4609 nope, it's whatever comes standard on the F-150 lariat offroad version, with te 6.7 bed

[@richard5678]

Awesome video thank you for explaining everything!

[@GautamAtri]

On freeways, I generally drive eco mode 78 cruise controlled. RPM stays at 1900. MPG 20 to 23 depending on the terrain. 87 octane Costco gas. Central Valley California.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Thanks Gautam!

[@michalp2362]

Yeah. The eco mode does absolutely nothing at 78 mph

[@GautamAtri]

@@michalp2362 It actually does, specially during the cruise modes. It accelerates you slower in comparison to normal mode and generally avoid using the turbos.

[@michalp2362]

@@GautamAtri I assumed constant speed but I guess it could make a slight difference in the adaptive mode.

[@rockreverb]

Thank you very much for all these good explanations in your video. Listening carefully your video , I wonder, since I live in Montreal with harsh cold winters if it would be a better purchase to buy a Ram Eco Diesel versus the F150 powerboost for a best annual mpg? The speed limit to get to my job varies between 30 mph to 45 mph

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Mike, diesel is significantly more expensive than gas these days so it somewhat nulls out the mileage advantage of diesel. I would pick the diesel if you are primarily towing since that is the sweet spot of that engine, and towing with a PowerBoost will incur a pretty significant mileage penalty due to the amount of boost required. If you aren't towing, then it's a wash either way.

[@DagleyReeves]

I have 2021 PB with an aftermarket sliding bed cover. Any thoughts on whether is should clean it up aerodynamically speaking? So far I have not seen any appreciable difference but it has not been a side by side controlled test. On another note: I see the "Blue Cruise" now works...and works well! I guess it updated over the air. I thought I'd have to pay Ford to have that option but ....so far, so good..

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

I have seen the Mythbusters show that an open bed actually increases mpg…and i’ve seen other a/b tests showing that a bed cover increases mpg. I’m just going to keep my bed cover closed for practical resons.

[@richardlively1666]

Good video, and informative. You were doing 43 in a 35 in the captured video which might be OK some places an not others if caught. So dont go busting down hills exceeding the speed limit and get busted, been there done that! Kinda makes for a bad day lol

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

I cannot confirm nor deny that this was me driving in the video lol. Was huge problem in Ohio, not so much in SC. cheers

[@dogtorphil]

Anyone else having powered air dam getting caught on front end?

[@MegaTapdog]

great video, but ignore tire pressure placards, use chalk method if you want best fuel mileage and traction.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Never heard of it. Can you refer me to a resource that explains?

[@michalp2362]

I agree with pretty much everything in your video except “forcing” it in to EV mode by lightly tapping the brake. I find it inefficient if the intention is to maintain speed. It only makes sense if you plan on a continuous deceleration. I don’t wanna go in to physics of it but it won’t yield efficient use of your “inexpensive” energy if you use it for something that comes in cheap anyway. You wanna use the cheap energy stored in a battery for something more demanding like an assistance in getting back to speed from a stop instead of forcing the ICE in to a boost due to depleted battery.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Just trying to get the ICE from running and burning fuel. Let gravity pull the truck down the hill. ICE not needed but it doesn’t know it yet. Cheers

[@Slamminbassplayer]

Your videos rock! Thank you so much. I do wish that this vehicle had an option/button to drive in EV mode only like our Toyota SUV has. It switches to ICE automatically when battery is drained or the vehicle hits 20MPH. 2 Questions: Eco Idle - does this feature make any meaningful difference? (I have a 2023 and can’t find any usable info anywhere, and the notes are very nebulous, making me think this is just a gimmick.) 2: is there anywhere to see the state of charge of the EV battery? I live near the top of a very dramatic hill in a part of the country where $6+/gal gas is not uncommon, leading me to wonder if some energy could be saved by fully utilizing the battery power on the way up the hill, knowing that I will be regenerating a sig amount on the way down, and if the battery is at max capacity at the top, much of my potential energy is wasted on the way down.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Hi Slammin- if you tried to force EV only, on flat ground at very gentle acceleration...you'd maybe cover half a mile. That's a small battery in a big truck. Also, the software keeps the battery between (roughly) 35% to 70% state of charge, which is optimizing for longevity. Don't want to drain it to zero. Your questions: 1) ECO does slightly improve economy but makes it less driveable. 2) to get state of charge, you need the OBDLink phone app with the OBDLink MX+ OBD2 dongle and you can then read the state of charge PIDs for your truck. Pretty cool to watch the battery SOC go up and down with load. cheers

[@Slamminbassplayer]

@@fixorrepairdiy4609Fantastic! Thanks a ton for the info. I have an OBDLink reader, just haven't had the chance to to try it with the new truck yet - and I was hoping it had the PIDS for it! Definitely trying this weekend! Cheers :)

[@EnthusiastCarHangar]

Very interesting. As you can see in my channel I do not have a Powerboost but I am very interested. What tires do you recommend? Any list that shows the ones with the least resistance?

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Don’t know the answer to that but it would be a 100% street tire designed for zero off-roading. I will look ay Michelins when it’s time for the OEM tires to go.

[@tnigh092464]

Funny... I thought I was the only one that thinks this way!. I average 9.3l/100km during my work week. But have the power when needed to tow my 8000 lb travel trailer.

[@josipdolic6391]

I tried cruise control on a long trip and it’s a big no no if you’re trying to save fuel

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Agreed! There is no subtlety to it!

[@IanDryGuys]

There was a scene in the original Batman movie with Michael Keaton where he took a turn at incredible speed because he shot a grappling hook around a light post. When you hyper mile get as close to a bat turn as you can safely. Save that momentum! When I drove a 2006 Prius I would find benefits putting the car in neutral going downhill. That car had a CVT though and I learned it didn’t hurt anything. Not sure how that would effect a 10speed like the power boost. You’d have to find if the trans fluid was still properly lubricating while in neutral at speed. Yes, you lose some Regen breaking but many times, especially when coming down a bridge, it was a good trade off.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

This is the kind of comment that I hope for every day. Make driving an engineering challenge instead of the typical "point and shoot" like everyone else. Well done...😀🤜🤛

[@johnhoover7869]

I've actually gotten better economy in the mountains. If I can predict the crest of the hill I will let off the throttle some and than regain speed on the backside. Of course this works best in the West wo heavy traffic pushing you.

[@lightofthworld2870]

Yes, do you leave the vehicle in 4wd high or 2wd to make this conservation. Is one better than the other?

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Always stay in 2wd for best economy. Shift to 4wd when you need the traction

[@---tx9xx]

I’m not sure if I should take mine to the shop; it’s a 4x4 off road and max tow package supercrew lariat with 6’7l bed. I keep it in ECO mode 80% of the time. The dash is showing me somewhere around 16mpg. Occasional A/C use, live in the blazing South. Yes, if I reset it and drive carefully for the first few miles it can show up to 26 briefly, but under extended real driving drops down even to the 16 average. Not sure if something “broken”. (22 powerboost)

[@tmort2]

I’m in the same boat. I can’t get above 22mpg no matter what I try.

[@vicb8975]

I watched with interest your video. Very well made and well researched. You put in a lot of work into your script and slides. Thank you. As a 45 year engineer in the oils and gas business, I had a question about your comment on the energy quantity of a gallon of non-ethanol gas vs a gallon of ethanol gas. With, according to you, the non-ethanol gas having more “energy” per gallon, thus giving you more energy at the tires, thus making up for the higher cost. I have not researched this statement, but would appreciate it if you clarified it, yes, I know, look at ethanol values, compare a 10% mixture, etc, etc etc, I just don’t want to reinvent the wheel if you have already done it. Can you provide some backup for the statement? I’d be very curious, as I would switch completely to non-ethanol gas if it were a break even proposition. Thank you and keep putting up well made and thought out videos. Thank you.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Hey Vic I'm no chemist, and all of my data was produced from common internet searches. Here's an example of something very specific to this topic that I found: www.mauioil.com/what-is-ethanol/ Will it actually save you money based on the higher efficiency? I'm sure that the additional efficiency would be absorbed in the higher cost. This all goes out the window when towing, however, as you need all the efficiency that you can muster. cheers.....

[@vicb8975]

Thanks for the quick reply. I will look into it and get back to you. BTW, I had a 2012 F150 Ecoboost for 120,000 miles and 5 years. It had the 3.73 rear end. I loved it. We had a 24’ Winnebago at the time and this truck was plenty big enough for the trailer. Traded it in for an F350, when we bought a fifth wheel trailer. I am now in the process of ordering an F150 Powerboost, again with the 3.73 rear end, that’s why I was infested in the ethanol free gas.

[@vicb8975]

“INTERESTED”, not “infested”. Thought I checked the reply, but missed that word. Didn’t want the internet to misinterpret.

[@vicb8975]

So according to US Energy Information Adminstration, eia.gov, “Energy content of ethanol is about 3% less than pure gasoline”. Also “In general vehicle fuel economy may decrease by about 3% when using E 10 relative to gasoline that does not contain ethanol “ We all know that if the government says it, it must be true. So using the following gas prices on 12/22/23 at 13:30 hrs, at the Maverik station in Prescott, AZ, the price of gas is as follows: E10 Regular $3.27, E10 Premium $3.77, Ethanol free, Regular $3.77. If your vehicle gets 24 MPG, your cost per mile are as follows: E10 Regular 13.62 cents per mile, E10 Premium 15.71 cents per mile and Ethanol Free 15.25 cents per mile. The numbers change relatively the same for cars with lower MPG. In summary, E10 Regular gas is the cheapest to use, if your car can handle the octane umber. Ethanol free Regular is about the same cost of E10 Premium. Hope this helps…

[@rtwolf6093]

I am about to pull the trigger on one these power boost. I have read all the problems with these hybrids. Can you make me feel better and let me know if you have had any issues with your powerboost? Many thanks.

[@ReadySet]

zero problems. Superb. Watch my other video on "top 10 surprising things" if you haven't already. I'm 12.5k in and loving it.

[@willlowe1301]

Excellent! Thank you!

[@sslak3518]

What about the ground fault detected during test of pro power boost electrical circuit? They saying it's normal? Did U guys get software updates yet? Now they daying software updates by Sept 2023. They trying to fix that issue for about 2 years now. Pls respond asap so I don't take my new truck back to the dealer. Thanks.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

What test? Whose test showed this? Did you actually watch my Pro Power Onboard video where I used the tools? I have no context to your questions.

[@stepheng9998]

It's winter time and I do mostly in town stop and go driving. Getting just over 21.1 mpg in Normal mode. I found that ECO mode does not get me any better gas mileage winter or summer.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

I've stopped using ECO mode myself. There *might* be a slight edge but is not worth neutering the throttle response to find it. cheers

[@vikesfan01]

I do all of these regularly. I barely get 18 MPG on average. I can't say I would be better off with a Ram, Tundra or GM but I have had nothing but issues with my Powerboost F150. I have had it over a year now and its been in the shop 4 times. I got the supercab 6.5 ft bed which I know will add weight and lost fuel economy. Stoplights kill any fuel economy you recovered by hypermiling. it is frustrating to be a Ford owner. I wish I wouldn't have listened to the Ford owners I know who got lucky and got a good truck.

[@todchristensen1454]

I don't see much in here about coasting in neutral. I often to that to extend downhill runs on the highway. I'm waiting for my powerboost to be built in October. I assume neutral could add some additional mpgs?

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Tod you can certainly try that, although downhill runs are great "free energy" situations to charge up that battery for when you need it. Putting it in neutral will disable that function.

[@COddietsch]

At the yield sign, when you accelerated did it switch to ICE or stay with EV mode? So you never know what mode it's going to be in, but learning little tricks will help conserve (like tapping the brake to kill the engine) but you still had EV, now if you would have accelerated would it have switched to ICE or stayed EV? Big question, can you decide to drive EV, and when it depletes to 15% switch to ICE and let regenerative system charge the battery like in the Lightning?

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Everything depends on the load requested of the engine. I can generally stay in EV mode if i am gentle with the throttle AND the road is level or descending. You cannot CHOOSE to drive EV but you can ENCOURAGE the truck to stay in EV by how you use terrain and throttle. I got 30mpg on the slighly-descending trip from Asheville to Greenville last night in heavy rain. Not bad for a 6000 lb traveling brick.

[@richardlively1666]

Added comment, 98% of my driving is 55 mph rural and city, probably 70/30. Most tanks are 25 to 27 mpg on 87 octane

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

I am seeing the same numbers on rural roads when I go easy. All roads local to me are hilly so requires a bit more concentration to score higher MPG.

[@davidjackson45]

Love my baby. Named her black mamba given her stealth quick potential energy whenever she pleased! But I’ve had mine 3 months now, first 2k miles, 400 were “electric” or free energy and/or inexpensive energy

[@davidjackson45]

In short, awesome video!

[@mikehoffy5765]

Can you stop/start delete the powerboost? I seen a new powerboost trucks window sticker and it listed stop/start delete. Was wondering how that would work?

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

that's on everyone's sticker because there is no stop-start "delete" on a powerboost. If you put it into sport mode, the ICE never shuts off, so that's one way to handle it.

[@jgrun8732]

Sport only turns off the engine when stopped.

[@DarenKumar-v7x]

Do bed Covers help?

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Mixed opinions on that. Mythbusters did this as a test and concluded that open beds were more efficient. I've seen other test that showed the opposite. I just stuck a hard cover on mine and I assume that is "stock" and my mileage is fine.

[@mrdarenkumar]

Any particular bed cover brand you would recommend?

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

@@mrdarenkumar I'm using a generic $500 amazon trifold hard bed cover. There are many more expensive/higher-quality options. THis one works for me and if it died, I'd probably replace it with similar.

[@greggphealey]

So, what milage were you seeing???

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Averaging about 22.5 based on actual miles and fillups. That’s a mix of city and highway. I can do much better than that on mid-speed secondary roads with few lights, typically 27 in the summer. Mileage drops by about 3mpg in winter due to reduced battery assist and winter blend gas.

[@greggphealey]

@@fixorrepairdiy4609 thanks. So, 27 is best one can expect when hypermiling the powerboost

[@ReadySet]

@@greggphealey I mean...if you have a 50 mile downhill run at 55mph you'll probably exceed 30mpg. But in normal driving on ECO mode on backroads without a lot of stops, I could reliably do 27. YMMV!

[@OttoMatieque]

when the wind is at my back, I open the doors to catch an assist.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

You should add a spinnaker to the front hood. The bed is now your focsle.

[@bluzman1960]

I’m currently trying to decide what power train is best for what I need. I live in Florida so it’s pretty flat most roads are between residential and 45-55mph that I drive. Minimal towing and hauling. I take 2-3 road trips a year. Right now I’m leaning toward the Coyote engine. Any recommendations would be appreciated

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

The Coyote or the 2.7L is probably the most reliable option. The PowerBoost is the most flexible and feature-packed but over time the complexity could be a problem. PowerBoost is stronger and pulls harder and has the potential to get the best fuel mileage under normal use. (not towing) The recommendations that you hear will all depend on the bias of whomever you're talking to. cheers

[@matto.1074]

Don’t call me Shirley!

[@robkober9139]

They should have recharged the battery with the turbos. That’s less expensive than from the drive train.

[@lcmm55]

Does the 3.5 PB have AFM shutting down cylinders system. And can it be shut off.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

No, it does NOT shut down cylinders. The 3.5L V-6 ICE is either on or off depending on the load, mode selected, and driving conditions.

[@taylorandrus9215]

How do bed covers impact mpg?

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

The only semi-authoritative study that I've seen done was by the Mythbusters. They apparently found that bed covers will negatively impact mileage. I haven't done an A/B test but I don't feel that my hard bed cover is causing me bad mileage with some of the numbers that I can pull on this Powerboost.

[@TheFerretHome]

@@fixorrepairdiy4609 having a tough time believing this. I drive a regular 185 mile trip on highway and backroads (which becomes an easy benchmark, as weight doesn't vary much, and weekend temps don't vary much), and always see a nearly 10% gain in mileage with a tonneau cover. First on my 2009 Honda Ridgeline, then on my 2014 F150. Now on a 2023 Powerboost (2wd) and first thing I did was get a tonneau cover...

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

@@TheFerretHome Again I'm just passing along the only study that anyone published, not defending the result. Recently TFL did a controlled test and found out that the cover DID increase mileage, although I'm not sure how rigid their tests are. I agree with you that it makes sense that a closed tailgate would be a big windbrake and would negatively affect mpg. Cheers.

[@DanX157]

I enjoy your channel, thanks for the quality content. I really like... am loving the Powerboost and agree with all of your advice and logic. As a life-long Toyota buyer, I even sold a disappointing 2023 Tundra Hybrid and bought a ...... Gasp.... Ford! :) Having owned multiple hybrid vehicles, my one frustration with the design is that it is near impossible to accelerate even in normal traffic without using the ICE. (I use the EV coach and am quite experienced with hybrid hypermiling... I managed 250mpg to a tank in my Volt [PHEV yes different]). The electric motor is only 41 HP trying to move a 6000 pound truck.= 146 pounds per HP). My wife's Sienna hybrid weighs 1500 pounds less and has a 54 HP elec motor. (85 pounds per HP).... My previous RAV4 Hybrid had 2 electric motors at 54HP each pulling a 3700 pound vehicle= 34# per HP. Now, I know that in the F150, the electric motor is located in the bell housing in the transmission. Therefore it's not feasible for two electric motors. And I am comparing a full-size pickup truck that can tow 12000 lb to a compact hybrid SUV. I don't expect the power boost to get anywhere close to the MPG of those Toyotas. But my main point is IF Ford had put a 60 or 70 HP electric motor into the system, we would be able to drive in normal traffic using the electric motor only for a much greater percentage of the drive. Of course a larger motor will drain that small 1.5 kw battery quicker. But, using the torque app and a OBD2 adapter, keeping track of my hybrid battery charge, I very rarely deplete the battery. Most of the time with intown driving, if I'm accelerating from a stop, I have just used the EV coach to efficiently brake to a stop recapturing 100% of my energy. [I'm surprised you didn't make a subnote regarding the physics and the impossibility of 100% recapture]. I have plenty of stored 'cheap energy' in the hybrid battery to use for acceleration, but I have an underpowered electric motor that cannot move this beautiful awesome truck off the line.

[@DanX157]

From an enthusiast and Engineer, Just a few more details for those interested:. In the interest of battery longevity, Ford Engineers programed the system so that the hybrid battery never drops much below 40% charge and even with long downhill regen braking will never charge the battery much higher than 60%. So we are only really using 20% of the battery capacity = .3 kw. Keeping charge in this narrow range exponentially expands the charge/discharge cycles battery can endure before capacity degradation.

[@DanX157]

I have no citeable evidence of the following, but from reading articles and watching videos on the subject over the years, I recall you need to severely over inflate your tires to reduce the contact patch and written braking distance. Adding 5 or 10 PSI over the recommended will decrease rolling resistance and improve MPG, but at the cost of a worse/ bumpier ride.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

@@DanX157 Hi Dan, a couple of points if I might speak to what I think the Ford engineers are thinking. (this is just conjecture!) First, this is a PowerBOOST, it's really not a true Hybrid in the sense that many cars are. Why? 6000 pounds of reasons. For them to turn this into a plug-in Hybrid would add another 1,000 pounds of motor and battery and then it cuts into their brand-new Lightning market share as well as cuts into towing/hauling capacity. I actually think they did quite well to strike a compromise and really boost the economy and power/torque of this truck, while also adding super generator capabilities. Second, keeping the battery between 37% to 70% is more about longevity than anything else. That is the ideal zone to keep the battery working as long as possible. Cheers....

[@jamesmahon5766]

Nice to see Greenville in a video lol.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

I rep it when I can! cheers

[@puremontana5010]

My Powerboost is only getting 18 mpg

[@jgrun8732]

Learn to drive it. I can get 100 electric miles on a tank of gas and average 22.4 to 24.7 depending how I drive and mode.

[@John_Ridley]

I just got mine about a week ago, just about done with the first tank of gas, and my mileage has been between 23.5 and 24.5 the whole time.

[@LWRC]

You are confusing mechanical energy with kinetic energy. Going up a hill, unless the vehicle is travleing extremely fast to begin with on flat ground, the energy going up is mostly supplied by mechanial energy generated by the engine and not kinetic energy. Coming down the hill on the other side, all the potential energy is released as gravity pulls the vehicle down and potential energy is then transfered into kinetic energy!

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

OK!

[@patmason7276]

They need more battery less towing. Have to baby the hell out of it to even get close to what they say it will get.

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Seems like some trucks have different capabilities. I have no troubles getting EPA out of this truck if I'm easy on it. Much less if I horse it.

[@SweetTeeBag]

Having my best fuel run yet on the PowerBoost kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYXWZqmai9WleZY

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Pretty incredible that a 3-ton hunk of steel and aluminum can get this kind of mileage. Nice work

[@LWRC]

@13:20 fuel octane has zero contribution to the energy per gallon of gasoline! ZERO! 87, 89,91,93 octane gasoline all have the exave SAME amount of energy! Where people get confused is if their high performance car requires high octane and they put in a lower octane, the engine management comouter will dial back the timing to reduce knock thus performance and mileage both suffer! If your vehicle is specified by the manufacturer to run on 87 octane, using anything higher will NOT gain you more power nor mileage!!! Octaine numbers are merely the reciprocal numberof the anti-knock index of the fuel additives fuel manufacturers add to gasoline and these fuel additives have zero energy component to it and does not contribute to energy output of the gasoline when burned!!!

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

Thanks. I've always run 87 and agree with your comments.

[@camarossle7688]

Better gas 🤣🤣🤣🤣yea right i got a powerboost plat and it sucks been nothn but problems i am now waiting for my v8 plat with black appearence package...trust me stay away from the garbage powerboost

[@redtarectecan7921]

Can you elaborate more? I'm interested to know. Looking at 2022 F150 Powerboost

[@fixorrepairdiy4609]

@@redtarectecan7921 check out the f150gen14.com forum, lots of solid data on the PB combination without the emotion. You don't often hear from the owners that are satisfied, only from the ones that have had problems. Not shilling for Ford, just advising to get both sides of the story.

[@troystuckey3532]

I love my PB.