The Range Meter would be joke and easy to ignore if it were not so upsetting. But while the Range calculations are constantly skewing based on current driving conditions, the consumption of charge is consistent and predictable. Since the LEAF is admittedly tied to a metaphoric 'extension' cord (about 30 miles long), it is best used for regular, repeatable commutes. You'll quickly learn exactly how many bars are required to make a given trip, and you'll know with good confidence how many bars you'll have left by the time you come home at the end of the day, to recharge the car. Also, you'll know which trips are feasible and which trips simply don't make sense.
Calm Yourself - Forget the Range Meter - Just Count the Bars
- Thread starter cdh
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Herm
Well-known member
I would not get upset, just start to slow down until I got the range I wanted, perhaps even turn off the AC.. I dont care if I have a line of cars behind me tailgating because I'm driving 55 on the hwy.. its good for them to slow down 
A trio of Leafs could form a rolling blockade, perhaps save several barrels of oil.
A trio of Leafs could form a rolling blockade, perhaps save several barrels of oil.
EVDRIVER
Well-known member
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- Apr 24, 2010
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- 6,753
cdh said:
I have owned and driven EVs for the last 10 years and the LEAF range meter works quite well compared to any other range meter I have seen, one must understand who it works to use it but as I have said from day one on this forum ( with much resistance) SOC is a more useful figure. I'm not sure what you mean by 30 mile extension cord but if that is your range comfort zone it seems way off. I have never run out of charge using SOC and the LEAF range seems easy to predict for me, by no means would I consider it short range. I have been impressed at my range while others have been disappointed and I can confidently say that there are many people that are very inefficient drivers and few that still understand the factors that impact range on an EV. It is good to see people using SOC more even though the SOC is poorly represented on the car.
DaveinOlyWA
Well-known member
wow, all this over a "gas gauge". when you fill up the tank on your gas car, you pretty much know that you will drive a certain distance give or take 30-40 miles and then refill with no worries of running out. now how did you determine that distance??
studying your manual and EPA figures?
hmm, lets try that. my Prius has an 11.9 gallon tank but i choose to not use that last gallon so lets make it 11 gallons and its rated 50 mpg. so that would mean i should drive 550 miles and fillup right?
well, in winter its more like 450-480. in summer its 550-600.
so maybe that EPA thing, not such a good idea.
so ok, i agree with OP
1) learn your car
2) study what you have learned
3) consider what you have learned when taking Leaf out for the daily adventure
studying your manual and EPA figures?
hmm, lets try that. my Prius has an 11.9 gallon tank but i choose to not use that last gallon so lets make it 11 gallons and its rated 50 mpg. so that would mean i should drive 550 miles and fillup right?
well, in winter its more like 450-480. in summer its 550-600.
so maybe that EPA thing, not such a good idea.
so ok, i agree with OP
1) learn your car
2) study what you have learned
3) consider what you have learned when taking Leaf out for the daily adventure
You are exactly right CDH. I've stopped obsessing over the range indicator and I just rely on the bars....it takes two to get me back or forth from work to the house. As long as I have two left, I'm good. Anything else left on the meter is gravy - good for side trips or running around at lunchtime.
csriram45
Well-known member
Today I managed to almost go into turtle.. My last SOC bar came up when the range showed 13 miles left and I reached home with estimate of 6 still left I got a warning at 8 mile range indicator. I reached home fine at the end. not sure how long the car could have gone... This was after a 80% charge and a mostly free way driving of about total of 70 - 80 miles..
occ
Well-known member
csriram45 said:
Wow, that's 80 miles of mostly freeway with only 80% charge? That is pretty good, what was your speed on the mostly freeway section?
evnow
Well-known member
I think it is better to charge to 100% (something Nissan engrs thought we would do regularly) than go close to turtle.
csriram45
Well-known member
occ said:
average between 55 - 60.
tps
Well-known member
It seems the difference is that the inherent inefficiency of an ICE engine masks driving conditions which have much more of an effect on range in an EV. I think one can learn this, but it requires a shift from ICE mentality.DaveinOlyWA said:
davewill
Well-known member
I don't think it's that so much as the simple fact the the range is so close to a daily drive distance. If the range were 2-3 times larger, you could afford to ignore inefficient driving (like people do in their ICE cars) because it wouldn't be an inconvenience if you didn't get the expected range out of your battery. If your ICE car only gets 300 miles instead of 400 out of a tank because you drive inefficiently, you don't notice unless you're looking for it. The only penalty is having to fill up on Thursday instead of Friday. If your Leaf only gets 60 miles instead of 80 out of a charge, you might find yourself sitting at a car dealer, charging, for a couple hours so you can make it home.tps said:
tps
Well-known member
I'm not talking about inefficient driving; I'm talking about the fact that most of the energy in the gas tank is rejected as waste heat. If not for the waste heat, you might get 1200-1500 miles from a tank, instead of 300. An EV rejects far less waste heat than an ICE.davewill said:
davewill
Well-known member
Sure sounded like you were, or at least, "driving conditions".tps said:
...and if we lowered the speed limit, or the driver drove more moderately, he might get 400 miles out of that tank. I think that driving conditions affect the range of an ICE just as they do an EV. Indeed some things, like stop and go traffic, affect an ICE much MORE than they do an EV.tps said:
palmermd
Well-known member
tps said:
Not really true, but your on the right track. I was explaining to a friend who has been very detailed in his tracking of fuel economy in his Silverado pickup truck that my car gets about 100 miles range if I drive a steady 60 on the highway, but that I'd get about 80miles if I drove 70. He was shocked. I told him that the exact same thing happened to his truck and it was all about aero differences at speed, and not about the electric drive which he suspected at first. The 20% loss of range or drop in efficiency if you will was because of driving faster. We pulled out his notes on the truck and found that he got 21mpg at 60 and 17mpg at 70. He has the same 20% loss of range. Of course with a 15 gallon tank his range went from 315 to 255 miles range. That is the same huge loss, but because it never comes close to stopping him on any given day, he never really noticed. With high gas prices he is certainly paying attention now.
Heck, his loss of range from going 70 instead of 60 is 60 miles; I only lost 20.
The real difference is that we are right now driving a car with an equivalent to a one gallon gas tank. This limitation is making us more aware of the losses than driving around with a 15 gallon gas tank.
IBELEAF
Well-known member
Range meter or bars all going to give you erroneous estimate unless you "leaf" in a perfect world where you can drive at constant speed in ideal temperatures with no hills in the way. I am learning to rely on my route awareness or sense. If got to my destination without trouble several times in different conditions, I'll get more comfortable knowing that I can make that route again. Unfortunately, my wife is not like me and I suspect a lot of people will rely on range estimator hence running out of electric juice and dissing electric cars.
Just the other day I had to attempt the drive of 30 miles with 7 bars remaining. I don't remember what range estimator told me, but one would think just by the bars alone I should've made it... and would be wrong to think that. Luckily my "range sense" told me that I need to find a charger before I made the commute and it saved me from the trouble getting stranded.
Why I thought I couldn't make it 30 miles with 7 bars...? well there was a lot factors. Freeway speed 62mph with hills, one hill with 500 feet elevation, cold temperatures and climate control on, 3 people on board. I charged the car back again to 80% (10 bars) and arrived home with 2 bars remaining, essentially needing 8 bars for this commute.
Just the other day I had to attempt the drive of 30 miles with 7 bars remaining. I don't remember what range estimator told me, but one would think just by the bars alone I should've made it... and would be wrong to think that. Luckily my "range sense" told me that I need to find a charger before I made the commute and it saved me from the trouble getting stranded.
Why I thought I couldn't make it 30 miles with 7 bars...? well there was a lot factors. Freeway speed 62mph with hills, one hill with 500 feet elevation, cold temperatures and climate control on, 3 people on board. I charged the car back again to 80% (10 bars) and arrived home with 2 bars remaining, essentially needing 8 bars for this commute.
garygid
Well-known member
Just finished a round trip in "starry's" car from San Clemente to San Marcos, via Vista, CA. Did full charge at first, with an estimated range of 90 at beginning. Most of the trip was on two freeways at 59-60mph with cruise control. Juice went down from full 12 bars to 1 bar, and had 8 mile range left (was 11 at start of 250 foot elevation climb in last 3/4 mile to house). Total travel was 75.6 miles on odometer. Had to get a boost of 240 volts L2 charge from Mossy Nissan Oceanside (Thanks, guys) for 40 minutes or so, and an extra bar at least, with extending 10 miles on the range estimation.
