Power consumption when stopped in Drive

[fjord]

Nothing wrong. That’s the way ePedal is supposed to work.
BTW, if you’re using the brake, you’re not taking full advantage of ePedal. I often drive 20-30 miles without ever touching the brake pedal* except to start at first. Great way to reduce the habit of jackrabbit acceleration and hard braking.
*Except when some jerk cuts me off and triggers an emergency slam on the brakes.

I like the jackrabbit acceleration.

 

[cwerdna]

e-Pedal mode didn't exist until (in the US), model year '18 with gen 2.

 

[countryleaf]

I used to use ePedal all the time and really liked it. One thing, however, that I didn't like is how much braking it used. I would also rely on the adaptive cruise control to bring the car to a stop (at traffic lights and stop signs when following other cars) and to slow down in traffic. The adaptive cruise control is not the sharpest tack in the drawer, as it would have to over react constantly. It obviously could not see or anticipate the big picture. I started cancelling cruise control in most of those situations and quit using ePedal so I could coast more (foot off the right pedal, not in neutral) and control braking. Lo and behold my battery efficiency increased probably 15 percent. There's something to be said for the "human in the loop" at least in this case.

 

[Zero Emissions]

I did some more tests yesterday. I couldn't find anything different between D and B modes while in ePedal mode. Regen is the same, acceleration is the same, braking is the same, the throttle pedal position at which regen starts is the same.

This is on my 2024 SL+. I recall this being the same on my previous 2018 SL.

Interesting thing, the motor rotates and consumes energy when coasting in N. The motor and the wheels are permanently coupled, so the motor has to rotate at the same speed to simulate a pseudo neutral situation. If the motor tries to rotate slower, regeneration will occur. That is because the LEAF motor uses permanent magnets, which has its pros and cons. IIRC the power used to rotate the motor at 100 km/h in neutral mode is not negligible, and of course the faster, the greater the power.

It'd be nice to have some kind of HUD with a global % efficiency. Just a crazy idea.

So tell me what if you installed on all wheel hubs a 20 inch flywheel coupled with a 1 inch gear connected to a generator... wouldn't the 4 generators create enough power to recharge the battery all the time...Enquiring minds want to know.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Hi, I was wondering how much power/amps is being drawn when stopped in "D"rive.
Because, just like in an ICE automatic, you feel a pull, and if you let go of the brakes the car will slowly move forwards.
This seems to be an engineered behaviour, to resemble de feel o a regular automatic. which I admit is very well done.
A regular driver, would probably not know he is driving an ev, if not for the torque.

So I was wondering, is this "on" all the time (which may seem a power wastage), or they have cleverly engineered it that the moment you lean off the break the motor kicks in? However, it doesn't feel that it does this.

Would anybody know the answer?
Maybe plugging a scanner into the ODB port will show up more useful info (like actual amps going in/out of the battery)

Derek.

Yes, creep is on all the time (except in N) including E Pedal and drawing current. Current draw is low as expected and not significant. It has a relatively wide variance as the current usage is not broken down so you would need to look at what else is on; HVAC, lights, etc.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

What year Leaf do you have? Our 2014 has a energy use screen which has graphics showing energy output (or input/regeneration) broken into three categories: electric motor, climate control, and other systems (headlights, radio, lasers, etc).

I just headed out to the garage to take a look. With the car on and in Drive, foot on the brake, and climate control system off, the only energy use shown is approximately 0.25 kW in the "other systems" category. As you suggest, as soon as I take my foot off the brake the car begins to move forward (at least on the flat floor in the garage). Putting my foot back on the brake again shows energy output only in the "other systems" category.

It doesn't seem surprising to me that an EV is "smart" enough to direct energy to the electric motor only when your foot is off the brake.

Center screen is inaccurate for the purposes of this discussion since the display is analog and readings like ".3" are not available. The other issue is foot on brake means brake system active which is also a draw.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

On my 2018 the “creep” disengages when the brake is applied. It’s seamless so you won’t perceive it unless you are truly at one with your Leaf.

That action has never been available on any LEAF.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

No - that's exactly what it was designed to do. E-pedal gives you an anti-creep function that keeps the car from moving until the accellerator is pressed. I drive in B range with e-pedal always on, and I love the control it gives me. I rarely need to use the brake pedal, even in a hilly area such as I live in.

Creep mode is not disabled in E Pedal mode (B does not exist in E Pedal mode)

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

e-Pedal mode didn't exist until (in the US), model year '18 with gen 2.

E Pedal stated with the Gen 2 which includes the 2018 MY.

 

[BillAinCT]

Creep mode is not disabled in E Pedal mode (B does not exist in E Pedal mode)

Clarify this? E-Pedal doesn't creep unless you press the pedal. There's no creep with no pedals touched like an ICE.

B doesn't exist in E-pedal mode? Not only is it there, I now know when I let off the pedal and when it regens that I've forgotten to double shift into B. B mode starts regen later. In a + 2022. Maybe there were firmware changes. After driving 2 years in D only mode and now using B as much as I can remember, there is positively a difference. Different enough that I'm adding a module to the shifter to shift into B mode when I shift into D because I don't often remember and it's annoying.

 

[Ancient1]

Creep mode is not disabled in E Pedal mode (B does not exist in E Pedal mode)

If creep mode is not disabled, then why does the car remain stationary when stopped when e-pedal is engaged? It will not move until the go-pedal is pressed - doesn't that qualify as eliminating the car's ability to "creep" forward? Personally, I like not having to have my foot on the brake when I am stopped. Also, what do you think happens to B when the e-pedal is on? Does it revert back to D? Your statement that B does not exist in e-pedal mode may be true for a Gen 1 Leaf, but I don't think it applies to a Gen 2 - certainly not in mine! There is a distinct difference in performance between B and D when the e-pedal is engaged.

 

[Jerther]

There is a distinct difference in performance between B and D when the e-pedal is engaged.

I tried, and I can't see any. See my previous post. 2022 SL+.

 

[BillAinCT]

I tried, and I can't see any. See my previous post. 2022 SL+.

Did you have the recall done (23V494000) for the firmware update to fix the vehicle speed control problem? I'm wondering if that update did more than we know. I have a 2022 + and there is no doubt that there are changes between the 2 modes. I haven't done that recall. I would rather not if it causes other changes.

 

[BillAinCT]

I found these:

https://mynissanleaf.com/threads/62kwh-leaf-plus-efficiency-posting.29971/page-8#post-581422

This post mentions going in and out of B mode in e-Pedal mode to change the braking distance.

 

[Ancient1]

This post mentions going in and out of B mode in e-Pedal mode to change the braking distance.

Thank you for finding that old post. Very informative. I get the impression that some folks think that e-pedal is somehow working when they are cruising, and that it is affecting the efficiency. My understanding is that e-pedal only operates when you take your foot off the accellerator and start to slow down. If that is the case, it wouldn't seem to have any effect when driving in either B or D at a steady speed. I keep it on all the time as I like the feeling that when I take my foot off the "gas" the car slows immediately. I don't want to "coast" at all, as then my only means of control is through the brake pedal. WFM. "Your mileage may vary".

 

[Jerther]

This post mentions going in and out of B mode in e-Pedal mode to change the braking distance.

I read the post 3 times and can't find that.

Anyways, it seems we're not believing each other. I'm not calling anyone a liar or anything. Different years and different models and different firmwares might very well have different behaviors. I find that interesting and I might record how mine behaves; maybe there's something I'm missing. Oh I base my observations on the regen graph on the dashboard (it just does not change between D and B while in ePedal mode). I could hook leaf spy up, it might help showing differences.

Did you have the recall done (23V494000) for the firmware update to fix the vehicle speed control problem? I'm wondering if that update did more than we know. I have a 2022 + and there is no doubt that there are changes between the 2 modes. I haven't done that recall. I would rather not if it causes other changes.

Nope, because it targets 2019 and 2020 years. And i have no pending recalls.

 

[Drew21]

I don't want to "coast" at all, as then my only means of control is through the brake pedal.

Coasting is also a means of controlling your car, if your goal is to keep moving forward at a gradually declining speed, such as you might want to do when you're in town and a stop light ahead of you turns yellow.

My 2014 doesn't have e-Pedal so I don't know anything about that, but I use both B and D mode on every drive. On my regular route I know exactly where to switch from D to B or vice versa to maintain the speed limit down hills without having to apply the brakes (analogous to shifting to a lower gear in my ICE car). Sometimes I even hit the "Eco" button as (at least on my Leaf) it falls somewhere in the middle in terms of regeneration. I remember watching a Dala video where he programmed his car to allow a mode without any regeneration (= maximum coasting). I would love to have that added functionality as it would increase my ability to control the car alongside D, Eco, and B modes.

My goal in the Leaf is to keep moving forward in the most efficient fashion, which generally means trying to avoid usage of the mechanical brakes. If I'm approaching a stop sign or a red light that means coasting, especially if there's no one behind me. If there's a yellow light ahead I'll also coast, with the goal of losing a bit of speed (and forward progress) in hopes that the light will turn green before I get to it and have to come to a complete stop. I hate coming to a complete stop (except at Stop signs). I drive my current and previous ICE cars in the same fashion.

 

[BillAinCT]

Nope, because it targets 2019 and 2020 years. And i have no pending recalls.

That recall includes 2022 MY.

 

[BillAinCT]

I read the post 3 times and can't find that.

"So I use E Pedal for every full stop (I almost never touch the brake pedal) Normally drive in B mode and yeah, will coast a half block up to a light at 5 mph if I have to. People behind me hate it and I don't really know why. Going faster only means a longer wait at the light??"

To me (and I could be totally wrong and misinterpreting this) normally doesn't mean always. So I read this that there are times he's not using B mode, which leaves D mode.

Anyway, no one's calling anyone a liar and I don't disbelieve you, you challenged me so I think you didn't believe me - we both see what we see. If others see it one way or the other, then why are the cars the same? I suppose we can get the VCM firmware version and try to find a difference - there has to be one since we both see it differently.

 

[Jerther]

That recall includes 2022 MY.

Oh sorry I didn't notice the link lead to a list of recalls. I only read the first one, thinking it was the only one for the recall you specified. Darn cell phone

I remember that recall. I experienced the problem once with my 2018. Kind of scary. I then had the recall done. Then I sold the car, and bought the 2022. I can't say if the recall has actually been done on it. I can only say that there is no pending recall.

So I use E Pedal for every full stop (I almost never touch the brake pedal) Normally drive in B mode and yeah, will coast a half block up to a light at 5 mph if I have to.

I interpreted this differently. I thought that meant using ePedal to stop, but B mode (without ePedal) to coast. Because ePedal won't coast at 5 mph for very long and this is actually what I do myself. Use B mode to decelerate, then engage ePedal to stop.

If others see it one way or the other, then why are the cars the same?

That's the real question. Maybe they're not? I hope we'll find out soon! I'll record a video when I can.