Wind affects LEAF

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kolmstead

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2010
Messages
479
Location
Ridgecrest, California (100 miles east of Bakersfi
High winds here today; probably 25 mph tailwind as I drove to work, and closer to 35 mph headwind on the way home. LEAF doesn't like wind.

1. 5.3 miles per kWh on the way to work; 3.5 miles per kWh on the way home. Same speed, cruise control on, ECO off, heater on.

2. Wind noise; there's always some from the side windows, but it gets a lot worse when it's windy. I suspect the windows flex outward a bit, creating gaps.

3. Wind pushes the car around more than I expected. I had to make noticeable corrections after each gust from the side. The penalty for being a tall vehicle, I guess.

The good news? No blowing sand today. I'm dreading my first encounter; it pits the windshield like crazy.

-Karl
 
My Prius gets pushed around, too. About the same weight as the LEAF. Not nearly as much fun to drive (based on my total of 7 minutes driving a LEAF). My last car was a '97 Acura integra that weighed only 2200 lbs. It REALLY got blown around.
 
wind affects every car but should affect Leaf about the same as Prius. both have high profiles but Prius is lighter, have lower Cd. Leaf is heavier, lower center of gravity but only so-so Cd.

i also think its a bit psychological. the ability to hear cross-winds swirling around your car when driving at lower speeds makes its feel more dramatic than it really is.
 
kolmstead said:
High winds here today; probably 25 mph tailwind as I drove to work, and closer to 35 mph headwind on the way home. LEAF doesn't like wind.

1. 5.3 miles per kWh on the way to work; 3.5 miles per kWh on the way home. Same speed, cruise control on, ECO off, heater on.
-Karl
Karl - excellent real-world information. Thanks!

Here is an old post from greencar.com about energy required vs. speed (with an outstanding graph). In your example above, let's say you were driving at 50 miles per hour. On the way to work, the aerodynamic drag would be the equivalent of 25 miles per hour, using little energy. On the way home, the aerodynamic drag would be the equivalent of 85 miles per hour, using significantly more energy. There are more precise sources available online regarding energy use vs. speed. This is just the first that I found conveniently.
 
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