Tag: notes

Electrified Driving Notes

updated 4/24/23

Just some general notes from driving electrified vehicles I’ve owned

Hybrid – Ford Maverick

  • Electrified driving operates at low speeds/revs
  • When coasting or sitting still, no fuel is used, meaning no emmissions
  • If battery runs out of juice, gas engine will kick in
  • Never needs to be charged by person, will charge via driving or gas engine
  • 2-levels of braking: regenerative and physical
  • Battery recharges with either coasting or regenerative braking
  • Initial thought was that hybrid would be great for sitting in commuter traffic. However, it would only be good in suburb traffic or light traffic where lots of coasting is possible. Heavy traffic (where there is a lot of small, quick bursts of acceleration) is NOT the best for relying on pure electric driving
  • Initial electric power is high torque, so smashing accelerator off a stop is impressive and fast (dependent on overall power)
  • Hauling heavy items in trunk is also impressive in the Maverick where the hybrid power is very helpful
  • Highway driving is surprisingly efficient. Ended up with about 20% of highway trip miles electrified
  • Better driving habits yield better efficiency
  • Cut gas consumption in half compared to prior pure-gasoline cars
  • More efficient in cities than rural driving, but still cuts reliance on gasoline
  • Just uses gas, no need to charge
  • Maintenance: Need oil change, fluid flushes, and other maintenance like pure gasoline cars…but possibly at lesser intervals
  • Best driving technique: Feather the accelerator. Just keep tapping it enough at the lowest revs to utilize the electric driving in order to keep the car moving while not jumping into the gasoline consumption. All good-driving rules will increase MPGs

1 year driving (January through January) Stats for 2022 Ford Maverick

  • Total Running Costs: $2,997.52
  • Running Cost per day: $6.56
  • Running Cost per mile: $0.37
  • Distance per day: 18 miles
  • Total Miles Driven: 8,050.6 miles
  • Total Time: 1 year
  • Average MPG: 38.213 (Min: 31.5; Max: 43.6)
  • Average Price per Gallon Gasoline: $3.83
  • Average Price per Fuelup: $26.72
  • Average Fuelup Quantity: 7.01 gallons
  • Miles per Fuelup: 266 miles
  • Days per Fuelup: 12 days
  • Total Service Cost: $2,222.59

Battery Electric Vehicle – Ford Mustang Mach-E

  • Smooth, silent drive
  • 2 levels of braking: regenerative and physical
  • Option for 1-pedal driving
  • 3 driving modes: Whisper (low accelerator response, extended coasting, minor regeneration), Engage (moderate acceleration and braking, regenerative braking), Unbridled (high acceleration sensitivity, responsive braking, high regenerative braking– halfway between regular driving and 1-pedal)
  • HVAC usage is big drain on battery consumption
  • High torque –> high acceleration
  • Heavier load –> higher battery usage
  • Hard acceleration quickly drains battery
  • Electronics use only a fraction of battery
  • When not moving, no power used
  • Fantastic for heavy traffic and heavy braking (equals more regeneration, less power usage)
  • Good driving habits yield better efficiency
  • In cold weather, driving faster might mean better efficiency (have to evaluate data more)
  • No tailpipe emissions
  • Minimal noise pollution
  • My usage is about 50kWh a week. That’s 200kWh a month (for comparison an average household uses 877kWh a month in 2019). That’s $30 a month in fuel costs if price is $0.15 per kWh like mine residential
  • Maintenance: No oil, no belts, no fluids to maintain. Required for wheels, tires, and brakes

90 Day Driving (January through April) Stats for 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E

  • Total Running Costs: $84.71
  • Running Cost per day: $0.94
  • Running Cost per mile: $0.06
  • Distance per day: 17 miles
  • Total Miles Driven: 1,517 miles
  • Total Time: 90 days
  • Average MPGe (Fuel): 95 (Min: 78; Max: 114; ADJ: 108)
  • Average MPGe (Trip): 96 (Min: 30; Max: 172; ADJ: 119)
  • Average Price per kWh: $0.14
  • Average Price per Fuelup: $3.39
  • Average Fuelup Quantity: 29 kWh
  • Average Miles per Fuelup: 64 miles
  • Average Days per Fuelup: 3 days
  • Total Service Cost: $0.00

Trip Comparison

Trip: A to B to C to D (same exact destinations, same exact route, same driving mode)

March 20th (40F and windy cold): 39% to 34% to 31% to 30% = 9% charge used

May 8th (76F and humid): 36% to 35% to 34% to 33% = 3% charge used

Heo Quay – Crispy Roasted Pig Belly

Written January 23, 2023, updated Jan 31, 2025

First attempt
Beautiful crispy skin, but overcooked

2nd attempt
Delicious but no crispy skin 🙁

What

Crispy-skinned roasted pork belly

Ingredients

2-3lb slab  Pork Belly

1 Tbsp  Garlic, minced or crushed

2 Tbsp  Shaoxing Wine

½ Tbsp  Hoisin Sauce

½ Tbsp  Oyster Sauce

¼ tsp  Salt

¼ tsp  Sugar

¼ tsp  Pepper

pinch – ⅛ tsp  5-Spice Powder

Kosher Salt/Vinegar

Time

20 minute Prep, 4 hours – Overnight Marinate, 1-2 hour Cook

Prep

  • Turn pork belly skin side down onto some paper towels
  • Cut vertical lines into the meat, making sure NOT to cut into the fat for the marinade
  • In a separate bowl, mix Soy Sauce (1 Tbsp), Garlic (3 cloves, crushed or minced), Salt, Sugar, Pepper (¼ tsp each), 5-Spice Powder (pinch – ⅛ tsp), Hoisin Sauce (½ Tbsp), Oyster Sauce (½ Tbsp), and Shaoxing Wine (2 Tbsp)

Optional: Before preparing meat, mix the Garlic (3 cloves, crushed) with Butter (2-3 Tbsp, softened or melted). If melted, then allow to solidify overnight in refrigerator, if softened, then mix together. This helps the mixture stick to the meat

  • Taste and alter if necessary (it should be more saucy than liquidy)
  • Rub the Spice Mixture into the meat, making sure NOT to get any on the skin
  • Place it meat side down into a baking dish or plate

Optional: Create a dish the size of your Pork slab out of Foil, folding up the sides to hold in the sauce close to the meat. Place a piece of Plastic Wrap inside of that, then place the meat and any sauces meat-side-down into it

  • Dry the skin with a towel (needs to be dry)

3 Choices:

Rub with a sprinkle of salt

Lightly brush on a salt/vinegar mix

Just dry it

  • Place UNCOVERED in the refrigerator 4 hours or overnight (preferable). The goal here is to get the skin super dry

Cooking Day

  • Preheat oven to 400F degrees Roast setting
  • Dry the skin
  • Line a baking sheet with foil
  • Place meat skin-side-down on the foil
  • Roast for 40ish minutes until internal temperature exceeds 160F (See NOTES)
  • Take it out, flip it over so skin is up

Optional: Dry it and then either prick tiny holes in the skin or score it – either way be careful NOT to cut past the skin and into the fat. Otherwise it will NOT get bubbly and crispy

  • Brush on a thin layer of vinegar/salt combo
  • Broil on High for 3-5 minutes until desired temperature/doneness (WARNING: This process produces a LOT of smoke. Recommend opening windows and creating a crosswind to prevent buildup)

Serve

  • Let sit for 15 minutes
  • Slice into little squares
  • Serve with rice or noodles

Notes

  • Part of the reason I’ve been unable to get a proper crackling exterior (apart from my mistakes) is because I realized that the skin has been removed on the pieces I buy. It’s just a fat pad

Temperature Guide (SOURCE)

  • 160-165°F – Fat begins rendering, meat starts becoming tender
  • 175°F – Fat rendered, meat is tender
  • 185°F – Fat mostly rendered, meat very tender
  • 195-205°F – Fat fully rendered, meat fall-apart tender