How often do you drive without ECO?

[LeftieBiker]

I suspect it is "apply the brake LIGHTS". This is required in someplaces where retarders are used on trucks, (Jake brakes, Telma's etc).
Why they would need to apply the actual brakes is something I don;t understand.
A vehicle that can slow faster than a normal vehicle without triggering brake lights, could be a problem, shouldn't be if drivers are paying attention.

When the battery is full or close to it, using Regen alone for braking would either cook the battery or greatly weaken the braking effect.

 

[cornbinder89]

Most of us know that Regen decreases with a full SoC, but that doesn't explain why it needs to apply service brakes over a spec'd g force of braking. Yes, I do get less regen with a full battery pack, and no my car does not apply the service brakes (2015). However, any vehicle that can slow at a higher rate, being able to signal that it is slowing is important.
I think, that someone is mis reading something.
No reason that a vehicle that has less regen doesn't need auto service brakes and one that has more capability does need it!
The important thing is the brake lights, and having installed more than a few Jake Brakes and Telma retarders, and read the instructions, it did mention that some jurisdictions require brake lights when the retarder is activated, and actively retarding. Regen, is nothing more or less than a retarder.

 

[LeafNissan1]

Oh no. I factored that in. At least I think I did. Electricity at my house is 18¢/kwh, so filling my car is about $6. The “tank” is a lot smaller though it’s a whole lot bigger than 2 gallons. At 20mpg, which is about what a car of that size and performance level would get, (I had a GTI that did about that and this thing is quicker than that was) it comes out to between 5 and 6 gallons - for $6 so it’s like gas costs a bit more than $1/gal. Like I said if gas prices ever get to $2.00/gal. I’ll have to stop laughing. If they get to $1.00/gal I’ll have to look sheepish. If I ever move to Dubai (they won’t take me, I checked) where gas is like 65¢ a gallon an electric car just wouldn’t make sense and I’d leave the thing here.

I wasn't referring to you not factoring it in for yourself in your particular circumstance, I was talking about the cost of electricity for people who are paying much more than the 18 cents /kWh that you're paying and of course it always has to be the ratio between the cost of electricity vs gasoline in the particular area where one lives and charges their vehicle. A friend of mine in Tulsa told me about a EV program with his local electric provider that only charges 2 cents /kWh for EV owners so there it would be a savings even with gas at the $1 a gallon you mention.

 

[Astral]

It's my understanding that B mode incorporates more regen than D mode. My car definitely slows more in B than it does in D, and the acceleration is not as quick, either.

Yes. But not when you use e-pedal. Then it doesn't matter if it's B or D as e-pedal takes over.

 

[Wololo]

I have 2015 Leaf, and I only use eco mode during winter weather conditions. Typically I do not like the feeling of resistance when trying to hone in on coasting and don't generally favor the subjective experience of holding down the accelerator longer and more forcefully to reach speed limits from stop. The car, for me, just feels more calm and comfortable moving without eco mode. Eco mode just feels like the car is trying more. These aren't points to an argument, I'm just describing my experience and preferences. I do like to use eco and B mode in winter conditions, and I understand that its not really using those features as intended because the regen is gonna be negligible in the cold weather. But the soft acceleration and brake assist make driving feel safer on slick, snowy roads.

 

[BobLerwill]

I suspect it is "apply the brake LIGHTS". This is required in someplaces where retarders are used on trucks, (Jake brakes, Telma's etc).
Why they would need to apply the actual brakes is something I don;t understand.
A vehicle that can slow faster than a normal vehicle without triggering brake lights, could be a problem, shouldn't be if drivers are paying attention.

There are plenty of reasons why lifting the epedal applies the hydraulic brakes, but they all boil down to safety. This will be true on any electric car when the requested deceleration exceeds 0.1G. The attached 2013 paper should help clarify. I guess the Leaf "B" mode never asks for more than 0.1G deceleration and so is exempt from these safety standards.

 

[cornbinder89]

Thank you for the documentation,
It isn't that regen braking over a set rate needs to apply hyd brakes, but that it needs to be tied into the vehicles ABS and (if the car has it) stability control system. That does make sense.
What it does, is sense wheel slip on regen and disable or dial back, if it detects a wheel starting to slip. If it has stability control, may try and correct for yaw.
It makes no sense to increase the brake effort if wheel slip is detected.

 

[rEVfen]

I’ve tried various combinations (eco and epedal, B and eco, D and eco), but because we only use our 2020 Leaf for local driving (groceries, etc, nothing more than probably 5-7 miles distant) these combinations are all coming in fairly even. As for charging, we installed solar a few years ago (we live in Arizona…lots of sun). Even with the added EV our electric bills run in the negative numbers 5 or 6 months a year, banking the electricity we sell back to the power company. I should add that we’re retired…no commuting etc, light driving.

 

[phutron]

I turned on ECO the day I bought my 2020 LEAF SL Plus and have never turned it off. (I also use B Mode exclusively.)

The way to quickly get out of ECO is to "put the pedal to the metal," which I do when I need to merge with unaccommodating traffic.

By unaccommodating you mean asshats in F150z?

 

[Deleted member 37757]

This is one of those things where I would believe the manufacturer barring proof. Which would be fairly easy to get. If the rotors don’t get touched the mechanical brakes don’t get engaged. Just mark the rotors with something and drive around.

Rotors?

 

[Bombastinator2]

The round, generally cast iron things your disk brakes squeeze when mechanical braking happens. Drum brakes (which some models could have on the back) don’t have rotors they have the inside walls of a cylinder instead. Front drums are real rare though. They might start showing up on electric cars again though because their big problems are they don’t grip as well and cool more poorly. They’re cheaper though. Old cars often have drums on the front. Really really old cars sometimes don’t have ANY brakes on the front. I think model Ts were that way for example.

 

[Bombastinator2]

I wasn't referring to you not factoring it in for yourself in your particular circumstance, I was talking about the cost of electricity for people who are paying much more than the 18 cents /kWh that you're paying and of course it always has to be the ratio between the cost of electricity vs gasoline in the particular area where one lives and charges their vehicle. A friend of mine in Tulsa told me about a EV program with his local electric provider that only charges 2 cents /kWh for EV owners so there it would be a savings even with gas at the $1 a gallon you mention.

Ooooh! Weird though. I don’t use the street chargers except in dire emergency myself because the electricity is several times more expensive. I don’t remember how much more, but a lot in my area. Still cheaper than gas, but also still crazy high. If there are programs like that though they might be able to get electricity for LOWER than the common rate and then charge the common rate which would make them a lot more viable for me. The impression I get is the cost of street chargers is high enough to keep street parking renters from getting electric cars because they would cost multiple times as much to run

 

[hradek]

One weirdness with the e-pedal was I kept coming to a stop lik 20 feet behind the car in front of me. It annoyed other drivers, and it obnoxious when they pull in in front of you when you stop.

"One weirdness with the e-pedal was I kept coming to a stop lik 20 feet behind the car in front of me. It annoyed other drivers, and it obnoxious when they pull in in front of you when you stop." Does anyone know what the brake light is doing in the e pedal mode? That does concern me?

 

[TronJockey]

Most of us know that Regen decreases with a full SoC, but that doesn't explain why it needs to apply service brakes over a spec'd g force of braking. Yes, I do get less regen with a full battery pack, and no my car does not apply the service brakes (2015). However, any vehicle that can slow at a higher rate, being able to signal that it is slowing is important.
I think, that someone is mis reading something.
No reason that a vehicle that has less regen doesn't need auto service brakes and one that has more capability does need it!
The important thing is the brake lights, and having installed more than a few Jake Brakes and Telma retarders, and read the instructions, it did mention that some jurisdictions require brake lights when the retarder is activated, and actively retarding. Regen, is nothing more or less than a retarder.

Agreed. People forget that ICE vehicles (not semis) with manual transmissions will slow rapidly when downshifting and they're not required to have automatic brake lights. They're just as capable of rapid deceleration and being rear-ended, as any EV. If EV's are required to have this (as they should) then they should make ICE vehicles with manual transmission have the same capability.

 

[Jeffs231Leafp]

I used to do that until I read in the manual of that. B or d makes no difference if you're using e pedal.

I will look that up in the manual

 

[Bombastinator2]

"One weirdness with the e-pedal was I kept coming to a stop lik 20 feet behind the car in front of me. It annoyed other drivers, and it obnoxious when they pull in in front of you when you stop." Does anyone know what the brake light is doing in the e pedal mode? That does concern me?

I do not. It drives fine with it off though. The regen braking seems to work fine. Just don’t stomp on the brake… unless I’m wrong about that…

 

[Bombastinator2]

Agreed. People forget that ICE vehicles (not semis) with manual transmissions will slow rapidly when downshifting and they're not required to have automatic brake lights. They're just as capable of rapid deceleration and being rear-ended, as any EV. If EV's are required to have this (as they should) then they should make ICE vehicles with manual transmission have the same capability.

another mispost. Reading comprehension error on my end. Sorry.

 

[Yodrak]

... IRRC Maine and California are the only places in the U.S. that have unregulated monopolies for their electrical grid. ...

Please explain what you mean by "unregulated monopolies for their electrical grid". All states have public utility commissions that regulate some, but no longer all, aspects of the electric utility industry in their respective states. Different states have "deregulated" different aspects of the industry, but no states, including California and Maine, have totally "unregulated monopolies".

 

[sadastronaut]

During extreme cold I'll go to ECO mode as it "seems" to increase the range. I know a lot of it is driving habits but if it makes me accelerate just a little bit slower it'll help combat decreased range due to cold.

 

[cornbinder89]

During extreme cold I'll go to ECO mode as it "seems" to increase the range. I know a lot of it is driving habits but if it makes me accelerate just a little bit slower it'll help combat decreased range due to cold.

Keep in mind, ECO also cuts the amount of power to the HVAC system as well.
The system already reduces power when it detects that batteries are very cold, my experience is it is cut even less than ECO mode does, until the battery temp warms.