ECO mode impressions

[evnow]

It was kind of spooky initially. I was looking to see if the car was in neutral before I realized it was the SOC that kept regen off.

That is interesting - apparently they prefer not to regen (fast charge ?) above 80% at the expense of lower efficiency/range.

BTW, what did the dash show - no regen ?

 

[ENIAC]

It was kind of spooky initially. I was looking to see if the car was in neutral before I realized it was the SOC that kept regen off.

That is interesting - apparently they prefer not to regen (fast charge ?) above 80% at the expense of lower efficiency/range.

BTW, what did the dash show - no regen ?

Is it to extend battery life? I thought that is why fast charging only goes up to 80%. So I wonder if you had a long downhill stretch you drove everyday with say full 30kW regen, would this reduce your battery life?

 

[LEAFer]

I wish it was just limited to the top bar (8%) ... so that it would "go away" sooner !

This "regen vanishing" can be very surprising ... especially if you are very used to it and counting on it. The Tesla has a similar behaviour (top 10%), but in its case a "standard mode" charge is default (like what we are trying to accomplish in the LEAF with the 80% club), and so the "no regen" problem does not happen unless you use its special "range mode". For the LEAF it's reversed, "no regen" happens if you DON'T use the "special mode" (80%). So ... be careful ... if you are doing 80% charges habitually on Timer, then for a rare long trip do 100%, get up earlier in the morning than usual (not yet really awake), start off in ECO mode for the long trip ... expect the regen to slow you on that first turn out of the driveway ... (don't laugh!)

 

[sparky]

It was kind of spooky initially. I was looking to see if the car was in neutral before I realized it was the SOC that kept regen off.

That is interesting - apparently they prefer not to regen (fast charge ?) above 80% at the expense of lower efficiency/range.

BTW, what did the dash show - no regen ?

Yeah, the power "dot" stayed centered at the zero point whereas it usually moves to the left a bit in "D" mode and more in ECO mode. Also, it seems to gradually come back so that after a few miles it did come on when the brakes were applied but still less than normal ECO.
I know what to expect now but I need to have my wife demo this "feature". So much of driving is by muscle memory that when the car alters its personality it can be disorienting.

 

[garygid]

So, charging overnight should be to perhaps only 60% before starting a long downhill trip - so that will have sufficient Regen-current storage spacenin the Battery?

Maybe THAT is the reason they suggest charging to only 80%, to "hide" the fact that you will not have any Regen for the first 16 (to 20 or so) miles of your 100%-charged commute?

To wait until you are fully down two bars (16 or 17 percent) before "giving" us ANY Regen ... is a poor choice, I think.

Taking Regen away abruptly, if the LEAF actually does that at 83%, would be very poor. A gradual decrease in Regen, along with the display of a big flashing red "Losing Regen" warning, and then a "No Regen" status, would be much better.

 

[LEAFer]

It's gradual, not abrupt. And I assume the reverse is true too; if you have a long downgrade and charge the battery back up over 83% ... (highly unlikely that you'll reach 100%, but ...) eventually you might lose a little regen, gradually.

 

[mwalsh]

I also find it very easy to go from D to ECO and back again. Easier than a downshift actually; no pedal to fuss with, no other gears to hit by mistake, light resistance and very fluid.

I've found the secret to making it easier....you just move your hand back in the general direction of D/ECO and the "mouse" finds it's own way along the gate, instead of moving it to the N position and back. Much more fluid like that!