Range Issues

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HaoleBilt

Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
24
Looking for some advice...I'm new to the EV world. I just picked a 2015 SL w 1700 miles on it. I work at sea level and live at 2980 feet. The commute is 52 miles along a windy coastal road. The first 42 miles cover 1400 ft of elevation. The last 10 miles is 1580 ft climb. I leave work with a full charge and get to the 42 mile mark with about 30miles of range indicated. The last ten miles zaps the range and I pull into my drive with my low battery light chiming. Any tips and suggestions on how to better my range for my commute?
 
Bumping your tire pressure up to 40 psi might help a bit, but fighting gravity really saps the battery pack.

You could experiment with coasting in neutral on the downhill stretches to see if that saves any energy, but keep in mind that at higher speeds you are better off using B mode to slow down while charging the pack.

In general, going a little slower definitely helps to extend range.
 
Hope you don't live in a cold climate. If you do, you likely won't make it up that last hill in winter time as your range can be reduced by up to 30 - 40% in winter
 
The two range killers (in mild weather) in order are speed and acceleration up hills. How fast are you driving? Speeds over 60MPH really hurt the Leaf's range. As for the hills, climb them as slowly as you safely can. Downhill, experiment to see if Eco plus B mode or just Eco mode alone works best to regenerate without slowing the car too much. If you have long straight downhills, then shifting to Neutral (easiest done by trying to shift to R!) and coasting may work best, although it's not completely safe and may not be legal where you are.

On slip ahead of me. Yes, tires inflated to 40-42psi will help.
 
The DTE or GOM (Nissan calls it Distance To Empty and we call it Guess-O-Meter) remaining miles display on the 2015 is worthless (was much better on my 2011 after the P3227 software update). After running errands this afternoon, I started the car to see 4 SOC (State Of Charge) bars and 22 miles left. I am now cooling my heels at a public L2 charging station because I ran short after only 10 miles.

If you are just getting the first level Low Battery Warning with flashing numbers in the DTE/GOM display when you get home, you have some range left. A few miles after LBW you get Very Low Battery Warning and the GOM changes to flashing -- instead of numbers. You have at least half as much range after VLBW as you have between LBW and VLBW.

As others have noted, higher tire pressure helps. I run at least 44 psi cold.
 
I have my PSI set at 40. fortunately here in Hawaii we really don't have a winter to speak of. The speeds on the commute range from 25-55. I try to stay right at the posted limit.
 
HaoleBilt said:
I have my PSI set at 40. fortunately here in Hawaii we really don't have a winter to speak of. The speeds on the commute range from 25-55. I try to stay right at the posted limit.

Knowing you don't have big seasonal shifts or high speed roads, feel free to push your tire pressure to sidewall max (45 cold should be plenty safe some tires are rated for 51 but most are 44).

Higher tire pressure really helps at low speeds like the 25-40 portion of your trip. It will also help for any period of coasting and to a lesser extent even at higher speeds.

Are you using the stock tires from new or did the first owner or dealer replace tires?

Do you have leafspy? Any idea of SOH%

If you want to put money into it you can switch to lightweight 15" rims and 15" tires to increase range but it's not a cheap mod.
 
I have the advantage of working at the dealer so we did a SOH and it was fine. I'll try up my PSI. Its the original tires given the super low mileage. No don't have leafspy trying to figure out best charging option set for my house.
 
HaoleBilt said:
Looking for some advice...I'm new to the EV world. I just picked a 2015 SL w 1700 miles on it. I work at sea level and live at 2980 feet. The commute is 52 miles along a windy coastal road. The first 42 miles cover 1400 ft of elevation. The last 10 miles is 1580 ft climb. I leave work with a full charge and get to the 42 mile mark with about 30miles of range indicated. The last ten miles zaps the range and I pull into my drive with my low battery light chiming. Any tips and suggestions on how to better my range for my commute?

you are leaving work with a full charge means there is nothing you can do other than moving or finding a shorter (and likely steeper route)

guessing the road is single lane so driving slower not a likely option either
 
HaoleBilt said:
I have the advantage of working at the dealer so we did a SOH and it was fine. I'll try up my PSI. Its the original tires given the super low mileage. No don't have leafspy trying to figure out best charging option set for my house.

because of your elevation, I would not charge above 60-80% SOC. You don't need it. You could literally coast all the way to work.
 
DaveinOlyWA said:
HaoleBilt said:
I have the advantage of working at the dealer so we did a SOH and it was fine. I'll try up my PSI. Its the original tires given the super low mileage. No don't have leafspy trying to figure out best charging option set for my house.

because of your elevation, I would not charge above 60-80% SOC. You don't need it. You could literally coast all the way to work.
That is true for the drive back to work but I need every electron to get home...I dont rent...so moving really isn't an option...
 
I remember someone saying removing the rear tire mudguards and turning the front ones around and mounted in front of the tire helps the aero a bit.
 
jbuntz said:
I remember someone saying removing the rear tire mudguards and turning the front ones around and mounted in front of the tire helps the aero a bit.

Doubtful that rearranging the mudguards (if installed) would make significant difference. My 2011 did not have them while 2015 does. On road efficiency of 2015 is essentially the same as the 2011 was. 6kW charger makes charging efficiency higher than 2011.

I strongly suggest that you run the original Michelin tires at 44 psi cold for best range. When they wear out or sidewall cracking becomes noticeable, replace them with Bridgestone Ecopias (run Ecopias at 44 psi for best wear, handling, and wet traction) for better range and wet traction.
 
A bit of a radical suggestion, but if you only ever drive the car alone or with a single passenger then you could take out the rear bench seat to reduce weight. Might help enough...
 
All good ideas...thank you for suggestions. Have to leave rear seat in for when when I have to pick up my 1 year old daughter. Will up tire psi. Thinking about lowering it see if that would help.
 
Thinking about lowering it see if that would help.

Just installing the 17" wheels and tires also used on the Juke would get you better airflow. We think the Leaf was designed for 17" wheels, but the 16" wheels were substituted at lower trim levels to cut costs. The wheel wells are just too big for 16"...
 
HaoleBilt said:
DaveinOlyWA said:
HaoleBilt said:
I have the advantage of working at the dealer so we did a SOH and it was fine. I'll try up my PSI. Its the original tires given the super low mileage. No don't have leafspy trying to figure out best charging option set for my house.

because of your elevation, I would not charge above 60-80% SOC. You don't need it. You could literally coast all the way to work.
That is true for the drive back to work but I need every electron to get home...I dont rent...so moving really isn't an option...

Well, there is fully charging at work which you aleady do.

pump your tires to 44 PSI which will gain a few miles at the most.

drive slower

stop on the way for a boost.

Listed in order of your likely preference.
 
LeftieBiker said:
Thinking about lowering it see if that would help.

Just installing the 17" wheels and tires also used on the Juke would get you better airflow. We think the Leaf was designed for 17" wheels, but the 16" wheels were substituted at lower trim levels to cut costs. The wheel wells are juts too big for 16"...

With the plastic and metal cover plates on the underside creating a continuous flat surface, I doubt that lowering the car would make significant difference. The 2015 SL came standard with 17-inch wheels and Michelin tires.
 
GerryAZ said:
LeftieBiker said:
Thinking about lowering it see if that would help.

Just installing the 17" wheels and tires also used on the Juke would get you better airflow. We think the Leaf was designed for 17" wheels, but the 16" wheels were substituted at lower trim levels to cut costs. The wheel wells are juts too big for 16"...

With the plastic and metal cover plates on the underside creating a continuous flat surface, I doubt that lowering the car would make significant difference. The 2015 SL came standard with 17-inch wheels and Michelin tires.

Lowering the car would make a difference but have to think it would be small. Simply not enough speed here. The smaller the airflow beneath the car, the better. Obviously none is the ultimate.
 
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