Gusset
Member
These numbers are from a 2019 Leaf SV+, weather package (heat pump), with 36k miles on the odometer. The Energy Efficiency number on the dash, since zeroing/resetting it when we got the car 3 weeks ago, was 3.6 miles/kWh as of this morning. I drove to an appointment today that had a round trip distance of 97 miles. About 75 of it was on the freeway, so I took it as an opportunity for a freeway test.
- Battery charged to 100% at start (GOM 220 miles). Energy Economy reset.
- Freeway average speed 68-70 mph (adaptive cruise control), with a couple of sprints to 75mph for passing.
- Outside temp mid 40s. Climate control on, set fairly high for the return leg of the trip.
- Battery reading at end of trip 39%, total distance 97 miles.
- Vehicle displayed Energy Economy at end of trip: 3.2 miles/kWh
How can this energy economy number be? By my math, that’s 97 miles divided by 61% of a 62kWh battery, or ~2.56 miles/kWh. I didn’t expect it to match the vehicle's reported number exactly, but that’s a pretty big difference.
Side note: if 97 miles took 61% of the battery, that extends to about 160 miles of range with this sort of freeway driving.
Anyway, clearly I’m missing something.
1. What AM I missing in my calculations and/or assumptions? Am I misunderstanding what it means to reset the energy economy in the car's menu? Or is my battery just in bad shape? I suspect that my battery is fine (see question 2), but maybe not?
2. Is 160 miles of total range about what to expect for 70mph freeway driving? It doesn’t really sound too far out of line from what I’ve heard in various places.
- Battery charged to 100% at start (GOM 220 miles). Energy Economy reset.
- Freeway average speed 68-70 mph (adaptive cruise control), with a couple of sprints to 75mph for passing.
- Outside temp mid 40s. Climate control on, set fairly high for the return leg of the trip.
- Battery reading at end of trip 39%, total distance 97 miles.
- Vehicle displayed Energy Economy at end of trip: 3.2 miles/kWh
How can this energy economy number be? By my math, that’s 97 miles divided by 61% of a 62kWh battery, or ~2.56 miles/kWh. I didn’t expect it to match the vehicle's reported number exactly, but that’s a pretty big difference.
Side note: if 97 miles took 61% of the battery, that extends to about 160 miles of range with this sort of freeway driving.
Anyway, clearly I’m missing something.
1. What AM I missing in my calculations and/or assumptions? Am I misunderstanding what it means to reset the energy economy in the car's menu? Or is my battery just in bad shape? I suspect that my battery is fine (see question 2), but maybe not?
2. Is 160 miles of total range about what to expect for 70mph freeway driving? It doesn’t really sound too far out of line from what I’ve heard in various places.
