jlsoaz
Well-known member
Some drivers seem to be getting significantly higher efficiency from their vehicles by coasting in neutral on the highway and elsewhere. They do this by holding the stick to the N position for a couple of seconds. When they are ready to go back into drive, they simply switch it into drive with the stick.
My suggestion is that Nissan engineers investigate what some Nissan drivers have found and identify if there is a way to better automate this procedure so that other drivers who are not willing or interested in manually shifting to and from neutral while at speed can also experience these efficiency benefits.
Perhaps a way to do this would be to set up a drive option such that stepping on the accelerator pedal results in acceleration, but letting off the accelerator pedal completely results in simply coasting in neutral with no braking (0 regen braking, and 0 engine braking). This is just one idea among several. If Nissan engineers did investigate and then conclude that it might be worthwhile to try to automate the procedures of the Leaf-coasters, then they would likely want to look into several options that point, so the initial idea should not be taken as anything other than one possible path among many.
Notes:
1. Some drivers are of the view that the presently-available feature of feathering the pedal toward neutral power (0 kW) is nearly as good as a proposed feature of a more stable neutral capability over longer distances. I do not share this view, so I am suggesting Nissan engineers investigate if there are significant efficiency gains to be had by automation of the more stable neutral capability.
2. It is illegal in some states to coast in neutral and, aside from the legality, there are multiple arguments that coasting in neutral is not considered safe. The rationale(s) for the laws and safety considerations appear to include:
a) some considerations that are mooted by the Leaf's different engineering (for examples: a HCV might cut out power to steering or other systems if it stalled while coasting, and an HCV's system is "taken out of gear" when in neutral so that a level of control over the vehicle is lost, while a Leaf's system is different) and
b) some considerations that still might be relevant to driving a Leaf (keeping one's speed close to steady/constant in consideration of safety for other drivers might be somewhat difficult, and driving in neutral removes a bias toward lowered speed which some might consider to be a safety feature).
Leaf drivers who have driven extensively using the method of manually switching back and forth between Neutral and ECO indicate that in their view their driving methods are safe.
Altering the Leaf to automate the method of coasting without giving up energy would seem to hold some potential for mooting some of the safety debate and for delivering dramatic energy savings to a broader spectrum of Leaf drivers who may not have the desire to practice such specialized methods for attaining higher efficiency. It might also result in significantly better range and mpge ratings from the EPA and their counterpart European and ASOC agencies. On the other hand, if is possible that upon investigation/testing it might be determined that it is actually not a good idea from a safety standpoint to implement automation of coasting/neutral.
My suggestion is that Nissan engineers investigate what some Nissan drivers have found and identify if there is a way to better automate this procedure so that other drivers who are not willing or interested in manually shifting to and from neutral while at speed can also experience these efficiency benefits.
Perhaps a way to do this would be to set up a drive option such that stepping on the accelerator pedal results in acceleration, but letting off the accelerator pedal completely results in simply coasting in neutral with no braking (0 regen braking, and 0 engine braking). This is just one idea among several. If Nissan engineers did investigate and then conclude that it might be worthwhile to try to automate the procedures of the Leaf-coasters, then they would likely want to look into several options that point, so the initial idea should not be taken as anything other than one possible path among many.
Notes:
1. Some drivers are of the view that the presently-available feature of feathering the pedal toward neutral power (0 kW) is nearly as good as a proposed feature of a more stable neutral capability over longer distances. I do not share this view, so I am suggesting Nissan engineers investigate if there are significant efficiency gains to be had by automation of the more stable neutral capability.
2. It is illegal in some states to coast in neutral and, aside from the legality, there are multiple arguments that coasting in neutral is not considered safe. The rationale(s) for the laws and safety considerations appear to include:
a) some considerations that are mooted by the Leaf's different engineering (for examples: a HCV might cut out power to steering or other systems if it stalled while coasting, and an HCV's system is "taken out of gear" when in neutral so that a level of control over the vehicle is lost, while a Leaf's system is different) and
b) some considerations that still might be relevant to driving a Leaf (keeping one's speed close to steady/constant in consideration of safety for other drivers might be somewhat difficult, and driving in neutral removes a bias toward lowered speed which some might consider to be a safety feature).
Leaf drivers who have driven extensively using the method of manually switching back and forth between Neutral and ECO indicate that in their view their driving methods are safe.
Altering the Leaf to automate the method of coasting without giving up energy would seem to hold some potential for mooting some of the safety debate and for delivering dramatic energy savings to a broader spectrum of Leaf drivers who may not have the desire to practice such specialized methods for attaining higher efficiency. It might also result in significantly better range and mpge ratings from the EPA and their counterpart European and ASOC agencies. On the other hand, if is possible that upon investigation/testing it might be determined that it is actually not a good idea from a safety standpoint to implement automation of coasting/neutral.