How much mileage are you getting in this cold weather ?

[LeftieBiker]

-13 in Chicagoland today. Managed to squeeze out about 45 miles in my 2013 from 100% at normal driving speeds (35-45mph) with climate control set at a nice, toasty 70 degrees. Just about hit VLBW. The car will be outside tonight at potentially -15 for 12 hours @ 90-92% SOC. I'd like to see how the battery warmer zaps the pack during that time...

It may not come on, since you drove the car today, unless it's breezy. The pack seems to take a very long time to drop to the warmer's preset activation temp.

 

[kubel]

At -15F like tonight? With the heater on, maximum 35 miles on a full charge with a 2011-2012 or 2013 S.

 

[JohnTomaszewski]

-13 in Chicagoland today. Managed to squeeze out about 45 miles in my 2013 from 100% at normal driving speeds (35-45mph) with climate control set at a nice, toasty 70 degrees. Just about hit VLBW. The car will be outside tonight at potentially -15 for 12 hours @ 90-92% SOC. I'd like to see how the battery warmer zaps the pack during that time...

It may not come on, since you drove the car today, unless it's breezy. The pack seems to take a very long time to drop to the warmer's preset activation temp.

The vehicle was at 93% SOC when it was parked. After returning to the vehicle 12 hours later I noticed the inner-most blue dash light slowly blinking. The vehicle was not plugged in, therefore, it must have been an indication the battery heater was working. When I "started" the vehicle the SOC had dropped to 91%. It had 2 temp bars at a current ambient temperature of -12 degrees with a moderate breeze. The heat never did get *that* warm the entire ride home. For a 6.9 mile total trip I had burned through 24% of the battery arriving home with an SOC of 76%.

 

[philipscoggins]

We've had 2 days sub 15 degrees in TN & I'm pushing it to get 40 miles, probably more likely 35 miles on a full charge. Yes preheat shore power, some heat (good Lord it's 9 degrees of course I have the heater on!) and heating the seats & steering wheel.

And I can push mid 90 miles on a full charge when it's premium LEAF weather.

The LEAF range in the extreme cold SUCKS! Luckily, we only get a few weeks of real winter in Tennessee each year & they are usually separated by a few weeks to make it bearable!
I don't see how you guys who have real winter for months can do it!

 

[GRA]

-13 in Chicagoland today. Managed to squeeze out about 45 miles in my 2013 from 100% at normal driving speeds (35-45mph) with climate control set at a nice, toasty 70 degrees. Just about hit VLBW. The car will be outside tonight at potentially -15 for 12 hours @ 90-92% SOC. I'd like to see how the battery warmer zaps the pack during that time...

It may not come on, since you drove the car today, unless it's breezy. The pack seems to take a very long time to drop to the warmer's preset activation temp.

The vehicle was at 93% SOC when it was parked. After returning to the vehicle 12 hours later I noticed the inner-most blue dash light slowly blinking. The vehicle was not plugged in, therefore, it must have been an indication the battery heater was working. When I "started" the vehicle the SOC had dropped to 91%. It had 2 temp bars at a current ambient temperature of -12 degrees with a moderate breeze. The heat never did get *that* warm the entire ride home. For a 6.9 mile total trip I had burned through 24% of the battery arriving home with an SOC of 76%.

Looks like you can count on no more than 25-30 miles in sub-zero weather, assuming heater/defroster use and some reserve. Once you get some significant battery degradation, you'll really be screwed.

 

[Redjr]

I don't see how you guys who have real winter for months can do it!

In the past 30 days, 4 have made it to a high temperature of higher than freezing. (32F)

And only 14 have had low temperatures at night above 0 degrees. Ten of those were below -10F.

I don't have a daily commute so, it's not an issue. My S/O either would have been cold,, or driving an ICE for half of the last month without her getting some charging in during her work hours.

It's a triple whammy, the battery is less efficient in those sub zero temperatures, takes much longer to charge, and the heater is the biggest energy sucker of all.

All that said, I wouldn't have it any other way. We suspected that she would be driving her ICE more this winter, but the Leaf is better in the cold. Even without preheating, it heats up 3X as fast, and gets very cozy in there, even at -20F. You just cant get very far.

 

[mwagner]

I've been driving the 2013 SV since September 1 in Chicago and have been tracking battery consumption and outside temperature. For those of you researching the Leaf, the easiest way to think about this is how much battery percent will you use per mile. If you're like me, you didn't realize before you owned the Leaf that you are not supposed to charge beyond 80% if you care about battery life.

My easy to understand numbers are that without heat, I was seeing about 1% battery consumption per mile driven. With heat, which is needed on most cold days in Chicago to avoid fogged windows, assume you will use 2% battery per mile driven. So your effective range will be between 40 and 80 miles, based on the weather. I have not used much A/C yet, so I don't know how that will compare to heat.

In my opinion, this range is too low for the Leaf to ever move past early technology adopters. If the range doubles, then most people can drive without worrying about being stranded. In cold weather, I am always worried about being stranded and may not continue after the 2 year lease ends.

 

[UBUYGAS]

On Wednesday I drove 133 miles. The GOM showed 88 miles when I left and then I charged the LEAF to 80 miles range for the trip home.

It was 18 degrees F

So the GOM said 168 miles and I got 133

That's a 21.7% loss

I was driving 35 to 55MPH , Never above 60MPH

 

[GREENEV]

My range is getting crushed here in Denver especially now that I had a set of winter tires installed.

I'm lucky if I get 40-45 miles out of a full charge.

 

[LeftieBiker]

If you're like me, you didn't realize before you owned the Leaf that you are not supposed to charge beyond 80% if you care about battery life.

It isn't as bad as that. You aren't supposed to keep the car sitting around for a day or more at 100%, but you can happily charge to 100%, with the charge ending not more than a few hours before you use it. I'm very careful with the battery, but I still charge to 100% every work night.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Tonight I managed my whole commute - 46.7 miles - on 80% charge. I stared at 100% after preheating, and finished at 20%. Average M/KWH was 3.1. No Low Battery Warning. Further, I had the heat on the whole commute, starting at 72F and ending at 69. With my trusty heated blanket on my lap and legs I wasn't cold at all. That means a range of about 50 miles using some reserve, but not a Scary amount of it. Which is a good thing, as I estimate it will only be back up to 95% when I leave for work again tonight...

 

[GREENEV]

Looks the LEAF'S in Colorado won't be driving long distances this week due to extremely cold, winter conditions.

 

[dgpcolorado]

Looks the LEAF'S in Colorado won't be driving long distances this week due to extremely cold, winter conditions.

Maybe on the Front Range. It is a balmy 31ºF here on the Western Slope, with alternating periods of sun and snow flurries. After eight weeks of snow drought the snow came back with a vengeance last week. The ski areas are loving it. Back to shoveling my 400 foot driveway. Again.

 

[DougWantsALeaf]

If the roads are clear (no snow) and you can get the battery temp up to 30f (assuming 0f ambient) you can get 60-65 miles without heat at 50mph.

 

[GREENEV]

Somehow, someway my battery temperature gauge is reading 4 bars and the outside temp is 5F.

 

[pthack]

Here in the Pacific North West (24-26 degrees during driving times), with pre-heat, leaving the house at 98% on the SOC display, I'm still getting 68 miles with 72 degree HEAT setting at least 50% of the time, and driving 58 miles of that at 65-69 mph (indicated...62-66 actual)...

Mainly flat, with a couple of 1 mile long downhill/uphill legs on each of 4 legs of this trip) (23 miles to work, 13 miles to lunch, 13 miles back to work, 19 miles to DCQC)

Yes, I get to LBW before I get home (in reality, I get to the free DCQC after 68 miles, and charge from 6 or 7% back up to 70-80%, before finishing at home 4 miles later...)...

Done this 3 days straight now.....LOVE that free DCQC...15KW of free Juice daily...

 

[evnow]

Yesterday I hit a personal worst. Very liberal use of heat and even some preheat when not connected to the grid.

At about 20 degrees (been cold here this week) got just 35 miles till LBW. So, probably 50 till turtle. Just 2.8 m/kWh. Half freeway speeds.

 

[GREENEV]

Be glad you don't live in Denver and have snow tires on your LEAF. The past two days my battery gauge level was two bars with an outdoor temperature ranging(while driving)ranging from -7F to 7F.

When I get home at the end of the day I've traveled about 28-31 actual miles with the GOM reading about 25 miles remaining.

 

[evnow]

Be glad you don't live in Denver and have snow tires on your LEAF. The past two days my battery gauge level was two bars with an outdoor temperature ranging(while driving)ranging from -7F to 7F.

When selecting a city to live - my #1 criteria was not too much snow

BTW, does Leaf correctly show -ve F temperatures ?

 

[N1ghtrider]

Aug/2013
Gold 6896 4.4 miles/kWh

Sep/2013
Gold 6783 4.4 miles/kWh

Oct/2013
Gold 6419 4.3 miles/kWh

Nov/2013
Platinum 3739 4.4 miles/kWh

Dec/2013
Platinum 2210 4.5 miles/kWh

Jan/2014
Platinum 2309 4.5 miles/kWh