2013 Drivers: D Mode or B Mode?

[CO2Free]

I generally drive in B Mode because I like to take full advantage of the free charging from braking. But I was wondering what others are doing? Is there an advantage to D Mode that I am not recognizing?

In what mode do you spend more time and why?
:?:
Thanks in advance!

 

[braineo]

I started driving in ECO, then graduated to D for quick rabbit starts and then learned to coast in N.

I can normally achieve 3.6 miles per kwh or 4.7 if I get thrifty in Atlanta. We have a lot of hills, I now coast during the downhill to increase speed and only use ECO to slow down for a traffic light. I also try to time my N to get the light green and conserve momentum. All this is for fun since I got free L2 charging at work. Wish I had B mode to avoid using brakes.

 

[planet4ever]

Offtopic, braineo. He's asking about the new 2013 B mode. You don't have that.

 

[LEAFfan]

I keep it in B ECO and use N to coast to lights and exiting freeways. I only use B ECO to brake (so I don't need to use the brake pedal) if I get too close to the lights.

 

[DanCar]

I use B mode to brake and D mode to coast.

 

[davidcary]

To OP - there is nothing free about charging with regen. Overall you are losing more momentum than you gain in charge. For efficiency, you want to coast.

I downshift to B to brake but leave it in D without eco to coast better. Or as others have said, shift to N for longer coasts.

 

[apvbguy]

To OP - there is nothing free about charging with regen. Overall you are losing more momentum than you gain in charge. For efficiency, you want to coast.

I downshift to B to brake but leave it in D without eco to coast better. Or as others have said, shift to N for longer coasts.

I am a new owner as well, less than 200 mile driven, and I am learning that using the b mode and even the eco mode may not produce the best results, I found the best coasting happens when B and Eco are turned off. YMMV

 

[DanCar]

To OP - there is nothing free about charging with regen. Overall you are losing more momentum than you gain in charge. For efficiency, you want to coast.

I downshift to B to brake but leave it in D without eco to coast better. Or as others have said, shift to N for longer coasts.

How do you switch to Neutral?

 

[kovalb]

The easiest and most efficient way I found to drive a 13 is in B-mode and use my right foot to coast and brake. One pedal driving becomes addictive. I also do this in my 11 in ECO-mode.

 

[CO2Free]

How do you switch to Neutral?

Just hold the "shifting puck" over to the left without pulling back for a couple of seconds.

 

[dgpcolorado]

How do you switch to Neutral?

Just hold the "shifting puck" over to the left without pulling back for a couple of seconds.

A quicker way to shift to neutral is to shift to reverse. If the car is going over about seven mph it will default to N and beep at you. Not only is it quicker, the beep is an audible cue that you are in neutral.

(And, no, it won't hurt the car to shift to N this way; it isn't like an ICE car with a transmission.)

 

[LEAFfan]

The easiest and most efficient way I found to drive a 13 is in B-mode and use my right foot to coast and brake. One pedal driving becomes addictive. I also do this in my 11 in ECO-mode.

I disagree that that is the easiest and most efficient way to drive a 2013. It's very difficult to hold the pedal in neutral for much distance. It's more efficient and much easier to coast in 'N' and use B mode to brake when getting close to a stop.

 

[LEAFfan]

How do you switch to Neutral?

Just hold the "shifting puck" over to the left without pulling back for a couple of seconds.

A quicker way to shift to neutral is to shift to reverse. If the car is going over about seven mph it will default to N and beep at you. Not only is it quicker, the beep is an audible cue that you are in neutral.

(And, no, it won't hurt the car to shift to N this way; it isn't like an ICE car with a transmission.)

+1 If you're going 8mph or faster (no limit) you can use 'R'.

 

[DanCar]

The easiest and most efficient way I found to drive a 13 is in B-mode and use my right foot to coast and brake. One pedal driving becomes addictive. I also do this in my 11 in ECO-mode.

I disagree that that is the easiest and most efficient way to drive a 2013. It's very difficult to hold the pedal in neutral for much distance. It's more efficient and much easier to coast in 'N' and use B mode to brake when getting close to a stop.

I hope Nissan is listening and programs the accelerator to make it easier to be in neutral.

 

[DanCar]

Just hold the "shifting puck" over to the left without pulling back for a couple of seconds.

A quicker way to shift to neutral is to shift to reverse. If the car is going over about seven mph it will default to N and beep at you. Not only is it quicker, the beep is an audible cue that you are in neutral.

(And, no, it won't hurt the car to shift to N this way; it isn't like an ICE car with a transmission.)

+1 If you're going 8mph or faster (no limit) you can use 'R'.

Seems scary but I can use this on long downhills where I don't care about my speed. So I don't want to regen or maintain a certain speed.

 

[planet4ever]

How do you switch to Neutral?

Just hold the "shifting puck" over to the left without pulling back for a couple of seconds.

A quicker way to shift to neutral is to shift to reverse. If the car is going over about seven mph it will default to N and beep at you.

But you had better be confident you know how to use CO2Free's solution before the first time you take your car to a drive-through car wash!

Ray

 

[LEAFguy]

In many states, including California, it is illegal to coast in neutral on a highway.

Here's the vehicle code which says -

21710. The driver of a motor vehicle when traveling on down grade (sic) upon any highway shall not coast with the gears of such vehicle in neutral.

Also, engineers design cars to be driven in gear, not in neutral. Not to say that all systems won't work properly if coasting down hill, but the engineering team likely never tested that scenario.

I personally drive either in B or D mode with or without Eco mode engaged, depending on the situation.

 

[turbo2ltr]

In many states, including California, it is illegal to coast in neutral on a highway.

Here's the vehicle code which says -

21710. The driver of a motor vehicle when traveling on down grade (sic) upon any highway shall not coast with the gears of such vehicle in neutral.

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I'd like to see them enforce that one.

Also, engineers design cars to be driven in gear, not in neutral. Not to say that all systems won't work properly if coasting down hill, but the engineering team likely never tested that scenario.

Any *half* decent test protocol would include this. And I'm sure all major car brands have test protocols that are better than half decent.

 

[KeiJidosha]

In many states, including California, it is illegal to coast in neutral on a highway.

Here's the vehicle code which says -

21710. The driver of a motor vehicle when traveling on down grade (sic) upon any highway shall not coast with the gears of such vehicle in neutral.

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I'd like to see them enforce that one.

It's about liability in an accident. When a Police or CHP Officer, or a Sheriff’s Deputy states in his or her report either that the primary collision factor in an auto accident was one party’s violation of a certain vehicle code section such as the one above, and that one of the parties is at fault for violating that code section, the Officer or Deputy is stating what he or she believes to be the underlying cause of the accident.

 

[planet4ever]

Also, engineers design cars to be driven in gear, not in neutral. Not to say that all systems won't work properly if coasting down hill, but the engineering team likely never tested that scenario.

In the LEAF that is not an issue. The physical gear train is not in neutral. The motor is always spinning at a speed which is directly proportional to the speed of the wheels. That proportion does not change whether you are in Drive, Eco, or B. It doesn't even change in reverse; the motor is just spinning backward. And that is still true when you are in "neutral". If you are stopped, the motor is stopped. If you are moving, it is spinning.

Ray