kikngas said:
Well, seems to me that as I regen down from 40 that it seems to kick in harder right at around 30MPH. But I'm not positive if that's what you are describing. If I'm going 55MPH, there is a lot of energy there. Grab too hard and you'll quickly have more than the battery can absorb. But grab the same level of kW of regen at 30 and you'll FEEL it slowing you more. So, I've been thinking that we're experiencing the same behavior and describing it a little differently.
What
drees and I were referring to was an actual reduction in regen power at higher speeds versus lower speeds, which makes no sense at all. For example: being able to regen at 20 kW at 25 mph but only able to get 10 kW of regen at 50 mph. This is a known bug in the 2011/2012 LEAFs. The question is, does it occur in newer LEAFs?
Everything else on the throttle is variable. The zero spot to cost varies with speed (which is why it's so much easier to just throw it in neutral). The spot to maintain current speed varies with speed. So, if fully OFF the throttle varies as well, it sorta makes sense. Because at a high speed, (perhaps... I am assuming) the battery cannot accept the charge as fast as regen could deliver it with 4 regen bubbles.
While it is true that the battery can't accept regen power at certain high charge levels and at lower temperatures, that isn't at all what we are referring to. We are talking about the
same power being unavailable at higher speeds versus lower speeds. It makes no sense.
As for the accelerator pedal mapping, yes you can coast at any speed at the same pedal position in Eco (at least on older LEAFs, not sure about the newer ones). In Eco the pedal is mapped at constant power: if you hold the pedal at a constant position you will get constant power, whether 20 kW, 10 kW, zero kW (the equivalent of neutral), or whatever. By contrast, D is mapped completely differently and it is harder to hold a constant speed, never mind zero power, using that mode. D is acceleration mapped and it makes for the "spirited" driving that so many seem to prefer. But it is more difficult to drive efficiently in D. This is the case with older LEAFs, whether or not it has been changed in the newer ones, I couldn't say.
With the S model, I believe I am lacking an indicator that tells me how much regen. I'm actually getting in kW or kWh. I just see the energy meter pegged at 8mi/kWh.
Yes, the S model does not have an energy gauge. The SV/SL models have a gauge on the console that gives power used/regenerated in kW. It is very useful in learning to drive efficiently and it makes it easy to coast at zero power without shifting to neutral.
I seems to me that if there are regen bubbles unavailable due to battery temp. that there is clearly a productive place to dump power. That being the fluid that warms the battery. That way at least I might be able to regen more of the NEXT stop sign.
I am still unclear on the battery warming. Does this ONLY run while plugged in? If I'm parked, not charging, on a cold day, am I going to see my SOC drop at the end of a day with sub-zero(F) temps?
The battery heater is a set of electric heating elements attached to the battery case. It comes on at -20ºC (-4ºF) and goes off at -10ºC (14ºF) and draws 300 watts. The purpose of the heater is to keep the battery from freezing and allow the car to be drivable at very cold temperatures. LEAF owners have found that the battery doesn't charge well near -20ºC but driving it heats the battery up and makes charging work better. Regen at battery temperatures around -10ºC is pretty much nonexistent IME.