TonyWilliams
Well-known member
I had to pick up my son this evening from baseball, and take him to a Boy Scout function. I took my wife to "edge-e-kate" her on how to maximize the range of the car if you get stuck somewhere.
We started out with 19 miles remaining (and 3 bars). My rule of thumb is each bar is 6 to 7 miles. If we just drove "normal", we could count on 18 miles (3 bars multiplied by 6) and stretch to 21 miles with some conservation measures.
I sent the "flight plan" to the LEAF with Google maps, and loaded up the route into the LEAF's magic box. It said 16 miles roundtrip.
Conventional wisdom would mean that I'd make the trip, and have 3 miles remaining. I told my wife we'd have 7. So, away we went, coasting down the hills to about 45-50 mph, and keeping a fixed 1 to 2 "power dots" on the uphills, allowing the LEAF to slow to about 25-ish at the top. On level terrain, I hit the cruise control on 38 mph.
Of course, the air conditioning was off. But, I did have to run headlights, making sure not to run the incandescent high beams (the low beams are LED).
We completed the 16 miles round trip, and the "gas" gauge showed 7 miles remaining right until our driveway, when it slipped to 6. Hopefully, my point was made. But, the real test was next.
I had to pick my son up after his Boy Scout event, and had 35 minutes to charge on L2. I quizzed my 8 year old daughter; how many miles can we add if the charger will add 1 mile every 5 minutes. She did get the 7 miles answer.
So, my daughter and I (my wife was tired of this "scary" driving on empty) went to the 16 miles round trip with exactly 13 miles showing; the 6 miles that I arrived with, plus the 7 we added at home in 35 minutes.
I fully expected to have to walk a mile or two, but I did think that there was a chance. So, it was great to watch the miles to-go on the navigation getting closer and closer to the miles remaining in the "gas" tank. The same strategies, pick up speed above the ideal 38 mph downhill, slow up hill, straight and level at 38 mph, never letting the power dots go above 2. ECO mode used for maximum regenerative electricity. Air conditioning / heating off (hey, this is San Diego).
We pulled into the garage with 4 miles remaining.
We started out with 19 miles remaining (and 3 bars). My rule of thumb is each bar is 6 to 7 miles. If we just drove "normal", we could count on 18 miles (3 bars multiplied by 6) and stretch to 21 miles with some conservation measures.
I sent the "flight plan" to the LEAF with Google maps, and loaded up the route into the LEAF's magic box. It said 16 miles roundtrip.
Conventional wisdom would mean that I'd make the trip, and have 3 miles remaining. I told my wife we'd have 7. So, away we went, coasting down the hills to about 45-50 mph, and keeping a fixed 1 to 2 "power dots" on the uphills, allowing the LEAF to slow to about 25-ish at the top. On level terrain, I hit the cruise control on 38 mph.
Of course, the air conditioning was off. But, I did have to run headlights, making sure not to run the incandescent high beams (the low beams are LED).
We completed the 16 miles round trip, and the "gas" gauge showed 7 miles remaining right until our driveway, when it slipped to 6. Hopefully, my point was made. But, the real test was next.
I had to pick my son up after his Boy Scout event, and had 35 minutes to charge on L2. I quizzed my 8 year old daughter; how many miles can we add if the charger will add 1 mile every 5 minutes. She did get the 7 miles answer.
So, my daughter and I (my wife was tired of this "scary" driving on empty) went to the 16 miles round trip with exactly 13 miles showing; the 6 miles that I arrived with, plus the 7 we added at home in 35 minutes.
I fully expected to have to walk a mile or two, but I did think that there was a chance. So, it was great to watch the miles to-go on the navigation getting closer and closer to the miles remaining in the "gas" tank. The same strategies, pick up speed above the ideal 38 mph downhill, slow up hill, straight and level at 38 mph, never letting the power dots go above 2. ECO mode used for maximum regenerative electricity. Air conditioning / heating off (hey, this is San Diego).
We pulled into the garage with 4 miles remaining.