Cold weather range significantly less than it should be?

[kolmstead]

I started a thread a while back called "Couldn't make it". People made a lot of suggestions on how to improve winter range on an older Leaf. The most important technique is to abandon timed preheat. In my case, the timed preheat (which only lasts 15 minutes) was using 9% of my battery on cold mornings because the heating coil draws 5-6 kW and the on-board-charger can only provide 3.3 kW. The battery does not have time to recover before you leave for work.

If you start the heater using Carwings and let it run for 45 minutes or an hour, the car will warm up, heater power requirements will diminish, and the charger will top off the battery.

-Karl

 

[PompeyPaul]

It sounds like you are seeing something similar to me. I have 2011 Nissan Leaf, around 6k miles. I am in UK so all temps are Centigrade.

Test route is the route from Guildford to Portsmouth along the A3. This is NOT a flat road but neither is it a mountain climb. It does vary by around 300 feet along the way.

Summer
Would get 46 miles or so using 8 bars, 4 remaining, so maybe 69 miles round trip.
Would use aircon sparingly but mostly on
Travelling at 60mph
Temps around 20 degrees C

Winter
Would now get 40 miles using ALL battery capacity and I'd arrive with range of 4 miles
Heating on all time
Travelling at steady 60mph
Temp around 4 degrees C

When I look at the range charts I can only dream of those ranges. I admit though, I batter it with the climate control and so maybe that's what's causing me the issues.

The significant change in range (around 50%), I've put down to:

1. I got the great range initially, in the summer, as a solo traveller. Extra weight with wife & son may be impacting winter range
2. Winter has definitely impacted.
3. Perhaps heating for 45 minutes is far heavier than AC for 30 mins and impacts range?

I will freely admit I've not been particularly scientific but certainly your 55 round trip, no heating and barely making it is in line with what I'm seeing.

 

[verobel]

I recently received my 2013 Leaf and have been driving in almost exclusively cold conditions
0C down to -29C. The link below details many of my observations and some suggestions for
improvement. If you are planning to operate in cold conditions you should read this and
perhaps be prepared to drive with minimal heater use. My webpage includes information from
the Leaf users manual, FleetCarma, and various Charge station applications. I have clocked
a little over 2000 km so far.

May I suggest a pair of electrically heated boots like the Columbia Silcox 8 series to help
to keep your feet warm. The electric seat warmer and steering wheel work nicely for other
parts.

You may also be in for some unexpected range losses (based on the guessometer reading).
I have tabulated and presented some data. My limiting condition appears to be -30C. At this
temperature if I wish to commute 62 km over and back to work, I need to use minimal heat
and drive no faster than 75kph. Failure to observe this will lead to a low battery level
warning. (less than 20km reserve range, maybey only 10 or 15 in extreme cold)

I also include a suggestion for Nissan to install Level 3 chargers for all Enroute service
center on Ontarios major highway the 401. This would help reduce smog on highways and remove
the necessity of Leaf owners to own a second internal combustion car for travelling between
major centers in Ontario. If we are stuck with 3-4 hour level 2 chargers (or none at all),
you should probably invest in a folding 16 inch Vilano Apex bike to store in your trunk.
Alternately (heaven forbid), buy the range extended Chevy Volt.

John

website: http://verobel.net/Leaf2013.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[PompeyPaul]

Wow. Temperatures around here have risen from 5 degrees to 15 degrees and the Nissan Leaf has had it's leaf boosted by around 10% (note, not scientifically measured, just gut feel).

Or somebody put a new battery in the leaf!

 

[mwalsh]

It won't last, Paul. You'll be cold and miserable again by the weekend. Maybe sooner.