Eco As Default Option?

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GaslessInSeattle

Well-known member
Joined
May 6, 2011
Messages
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After hearing all the debates and using eco on and off over the last 5K miles, I have decided I'd like to have Eco be the default instead of the regular Drive mode. I think having the choice would be great. I do understand the appeal of having the extra pep and do enjoy it from time to time, but for day to day use, I've come to prefer Eco and I'm getting tired of having to shift twice every time. Maybe simply providing an Eco button like in Toyota hybrids would do the trick and keep everyone happy. your thoughts?
 
GaslessInSeattle said:
After hearing all the debates and using eco on and off over the last 5K miles, I have decided I'd like to have Eco be the default instead of the regular Drive mode. I think having the choice would be great. I do understand the appeal of having the extra pep and do enjoy it from time to time, but for day to day use, I've come to prefer Eco and I'm getting tired of having to shift twice every time. Maybe simply providing an Eco button like in Toyota hybrids would do the trick and keep everyone happy. your thoughts?

I drive in ECO all the time; so I agree with you.
 
It's no big deal to me to have to shift twice. It just takes a fraction of a second more. You just have to think of it as simply an operational procedure.

Now if they make me navigate through 3 different windows on the screen with several button clicks to turn on ECO each time, then I would mind very much.
 
I honestly don't understand comments such as this. The acceleration available in ECO is exactly the same as in D, you just have to dip further in to the accelerator travel to get it...

GaslessInSeattle said:
I do understand the appeal of having the extra pep and do enjoy it from time to time.
 
I wouldn't want to force my preferences on everyone, but yes, I wish there was an option to default to ECO. I would set that option and only override it for special situations. The main one I can think of right now is if I am coasting up to a red traffic signal quite a ways ahead and feeling too lazy to try to modulate the regen using the accelerator pedal.

Even after nearly four months I still often discover that I am in D when I wanted to be in ECO.

Ray
 
I wish D hade the regen of ECO then I would not need the silly eco mode. If Nissan had a clue there should have been D1 and D2 positions where the user defines them on a dash menu and they are set. Stupid they did not do this as it is so simple to do and makes so much sense!
 
smkettner said:
Has anyone actually tested 0-60 times in D vs Eco?

No need. Check the Electric Economy screen and look at the power readout. Either mode can use all of the 80kW motor.
 
I don't mind the extra shift to ECO, but then I also have to press the annoying VSP to turn off and then press that MODE climate control button once to change air direction to blow on my face instead of my feet. I don't know why it defaults to blow down all the time. And then don't get me started in lowering the temperature to maybe 62, turning the fan on to low and finally double checking the energy screen to make sure climate energy is 0. But then on other days, I actually need A/C so, I have to raise the temperature up. Rinse and repeat depending on the weather outside. This is probably why I get dizzy driving this car..
 
trentr said:
I don't mind the extra shift to ECO, but then I also have to press the annoying VSP to turn off and then press that MODE climate control button once to change air direction to blow on my face instead of my feet. I don't know why it defaults to blow down all the time. And then don't get me started in lowering the temperature to maybe 62, turning the fan on to low and finally double checking the energy screen to make sure climate energy is 0. But then on other days, I actually need A/C so, I have to raise the temperature up. Rinse and repeat depending on the weather outside. This is probably why I get dizzy driving this car..
LOL - summed up very nicely. :) I agree on all points - would love to be able to just blow fresh air through the vents without any risk of AC or heat coming on (in addition to defaulting to ECO, turn off VSP, push OK on nav, push Auto on A/C, then Recirc when I want recirc).

I feel like I'm prepping a plane for takeoff when I'm getting ready to go:

1. Press Brake
2. Put on seatbelt
3. Push Start
4. Turn off VSP
5. Push OK on nav
6. Check Mirrors
7. Release parking brake
8 Wait for parking brake light to go out
9. Check dash for warning lights
10. Set destination in NAV
11. Put in reverse
12. Check camera
13. Check mirrors
14. Look over shoulders
15. Put in Drive
16. Put in ECO
17. Push Info button
18. Push Energy monitor button
19. Turn on radio
20. Push Info/Energy monitor buttons again
21. Forget notebook in garage
22. Repeat 1-20 again
 
mogur said:
I honestly don't understand comments such as this. The acceleration available in ECO is exactly the same as in D, you just have to dip further in to the accelerator travel to get it...

GaslessInSeattle said:
I do understand the appeal of having the extra pep and do enjoy it from time to time.

Precisely, which is why I would rather have eco be the default... the pep is still there if I reach for it, the rest of the time I can more easily feather acceleration in eco. I guess a better way of saying it might have been: "I do understand having the extra pep more immediately accesible..." but I think you knew what I meant without getting hyper technical on me ;)
 
OK, that brings up a great Question, or is a suggestion to Nissan?

Did any of the Nissan engineers actually ask any of us "future" Nissan LEAF owners how we want the car configured, or what preferences we have, so they go and program the options in "USER FRIENDLY".... ?

Well on the V2 of the Nissan LEAF Nissan will learn and maybe select a few owners to be on the BOARD of Education for the Technicians and Designers of the LEAF or all future EV productions.

...now that would be a real success for Nissan -


Ralph
 
About a year ago I was given the chance to be part of a "Nissan LEAF Online Research Panel." I don't think I was specially selected - perhaps it was something offered to everyone who ordered, or at least ordered early (Aug/Sep 2010). See online research panel

In any event, they have been sending out surveys every month since then, much of it fairly structured (i.e. they have certain things they are interested in researching), but occasionally we get a chance to throw in our own wishes. I did list this ECO option on one of their surveys.

Ray
 
drees said:
I feel like I'm prepping a plane for takeoff when I'm getting ready to go:

1. Press Brake
...
21. Forget notebook in garage
22. Repeat 1-20 again
:lol: :lol:
Laughing with you, not at you!
(19. Turn on radio <=== several sub-steps for me)
 
planet4ever said:
About a year ago I was given the chance to be part of a "Nissan LEAF Online Research Panel." I don't think I was specially selected - perhaps it was something offered to everyone who ordered, or at least ordered early (Aug/Sep 2010). See online research panel

In any event, they have been sending out surveys every month since then, much of it fairly structured (i.e. they have certain things they are interested in researching), but occasionally we get a chance to throw in our own wishes. I did list this ECO option on one of their surveys.

Ray


oh oh...i got those surveys, about 3-4 of them anyway. you still getting them?

i must have pissed someone off or maybe did not see it (get a lot of mail and have become adept at accidentally tossing stuff i should have kept)

on the ECO thing; i agree its "strange" to not have a direct shift mode but as far as the other stuff, the climate controls, A/C auto ons, etc. i find those idiosyncrasies to be present in all newer cars.

i think its lame programing to be honest with ya combined with the cost of adding an additional button.
directive to engineering

find a way to implement these 12 options. obtw; you only have 4 buttons to work with
 
I agree 100% ....I drive the Leaf 365 days a year and change the drive pattern to ECO 6 times a day,thats 2000+ times a year..I need to take a vacation once a year just to rest my shifting hand :lol:
 
planet4ever said:
About a year ago I was given the chance to be part of a "Nissan LEAF Online Research Panel."


The multiple day video survey that I'm doing right now will no doubt have some impact on LEAF v2.0.

I use ECO to slow down, to make sure that it just regen and no some brake pads grinding away. Other than that, I don't. Having a selection as to what comes up first, D or ECO, when you first pull back the gear shifter, would be ok.
 
Yesterday I noticed a difference in how much power the AC will pull when in ECO and when in D - when in ECO AC seems limited to around 1 kW - definitely less than 1.5 kW (hard to read the gauge exactly).

I put it in D and it started pulling close to 3 kW. Air coming out the vents was a bit cooler as expected.

Car had been heat soaking in the sun in 90* weather for a bit. Car cooled off quickly as usual and AC dropped to 300-500 W or so.

Will be interesting to see what it does when cold and heat is requested.
 
It does the same for the heater... About 1.5Kw rather than 5Kw maximum.

drees said:
Yesterday I noticed a difference in how much power the AC will pull when in ECO and when in D - when in ECO AC seems limited to around 1 kW - definitely less than 1.5 kW (hard to read the gauge exactly).
 
I thought I read in the manuals that the parking break disengages automatically to make hill starts easier? that way you don't have to think about it- as soon as it is in D the break goes off, I better go check the book again...
 
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