Stoaty's Guide to Energy Efficient Driving of the Leaf

[Arvind]

Thanks! The best I have managed so far is 4.5 mi/kwh. Good to know more efficiency is possible.

 

[Stoaty]

Thanks! The best I have managed so far is 4.5 mi/kwh. Good to know more efficiency is possible.

You really have to drive like an old lady, and keep your maximum speed (even on highway/freeway) to about 53 MPH in order to get to the 5.7 miles/kwh I have. If that doesn't suit your temperament, or you don't feel it will be safe on the roads you frequent, don't worry about it.

 

[TomT]

My lifetime average is 4.4. I don't like to drive slow unless I absolutely must for range, and I'm not particularly anal or OCD in nature, so I'm happy with that.

Thanks! The best I have managed so far is 4.5 mi/kwh. Good to know more efficiency is possible.

 

[apvbguy]

You really have to drive like an old lady, and keep your maximum speed (even on highway/freeway) to about 53 MPH

that might work for you but here in my little slice of FLA that wouldn't work well, first off 50 MPH is the minimum and while 53 mph is above that it is my experience that even driving at the 65 MPH limit is still slow, I get passed by almost every other car on the road.
FWIW: it appears that I am at an average of 4.6 kwh

 

[Goodtohave]

It's nice to extend the range when neccesary but my goal is to just have enough range to get home. I would never slow down the flow of traffic.

My Wife was driving it and a guy in an F250 was curiously checking out the car at a light. When the light went green she said she could hear him give it bit of throttle to make some noise so she just silently nailed it and beat him across the intersection. Makes me proud!

I have a dual energy rate at home and pay 4.7 cents a kilowatt hour.

How much can I save? How many pennies? Who cares?

I charge it at night and our grid is hydro. If I don't use the power at night it the water still goes down the river, just not through a turbine.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

You really have to drive like an old lady, and keep your maximum speed (even on highway/freeway) to about 53 MPH

that might work for you but here in my little slice of FLA that wouldn't work well, first off 50 MPH is the minimum and while 53 mph is above that it is my experience that even driving at the 65 MPH limit is still slow, I get passed by almost every other car on the road.
FWIW: it appears that I am at an average of 4.6 kwh

well, at least you wont come in last place

 

[TomT]

I'm not sure if I would be more terrified or bored driving at that speed on the freeway! Dozing off also comes to mine... :lol:

You really have to drive like an old lady, and keep your maximum speed (even on highway/freeway) to about 53 MPH in order to get to the 5.7 miles/kwh I have. If that doesn't suit your temperament, or you don't feel it will be safe on the roads you frequent, don't worry about it.

 

[Assaf]

Our lifetime average (1 year, 4000 miles in and around Seattle) is only about 3.3 miles/kWh... are we doing something wrong? By the books - i.e., the EPA range - we are doing just about average for the 2012 model (multiply by 24 and you'll get almost exactly the EPA range). But everyone on the site is boasting far higher figures.

In the cool/rainy season, i.e. over half the year here, we discovered that we need to use the fan/AC intermittently just to defog the windshield. It keeps refogging every couple of minutes. That definitely bit into efficiency. But other than that, we are ordinary drivers.

On the highway we drive normal speed, which around seattle is usually 60-65 MPH. And I use Eco even on the highway most times (my wife prefers D on the highway). Occasionally I fool around making fun of curious drivers zooming off as the stoplight turns green or on the onramp - but it's not a daily habit and anyway in Seattle Leafs have become too common to be much of a novelty anymore.

So... any advice on getting it up to 4+ miles/kWh? Or is what we're getting really the norm?

Thanks!

 

[TimLee]

I think something around 3.4 m/kWh is not uncommon for ordinary drivers. We just don't talk about it as much as those that are working hard at achieving +4.5 or +5.0 m/kWh.
Through 13,000 miles / two years I had not reset the economy display, and for a long time it was around 3.4 m/kWh, but had dropped to 3.3 m/kWh when the dealer replaced the 12V battery under warranty and reset it.
Over the past six months I've improved some, following Stoaty's and others excellent advise in this thread. I've managed 4.4 m/kWh on several trips.
But I doubt my long term average will ever be much more than 3.6 or 3.7 m/kWh.
Most of the time I drive pretty economically.
But if I'm running late I still sometimes dash down the interstate at way too high a speed. Lucky to manage 2.8 to 3.0 doing that.
I also use the AC / heat however much I want.
I also listen to the LEAF radio for lengthy periods while gardening.
All three of these make it near impossible to do much better than 3.6 or 3.7 m/kWh on a long term average.
To achieve +4.5 or +5.0 m/kWh you have to primarily drive very conservatively ALL the time. But avoiding non mile kWh use is also a lesser factor.

 

[surfingslovak]

Assaf, you can't multiply the rated battery capacity with the energy economy figure from the dash. It doesn't work that way. The EPA test measures energy from the wall, and by extension the wall-to-wheels efficiency. They could care less about any dash indicators. That said, your energy economy looks to on the low side. I would expect to see something around 4 m/kWh, give or take, based on how fast you drive and how cold it might get in winter.

 

[Assaf]

Assaf, you can't multiply the rated battery capacity with the energy economy figure from the dash. It doesn't work that way. The EPA test measures energy from the wall, and by extension the wall-to-wheels efficiency. They could care less about any dash indicators.

I wasn't referring to their MPGe numbers. The EPA range for the 2012 Leaf is 73 miles from 100% charge. That's an average over all types of real-life drives they took with actual cars.

Assuming it's a full 24kWh at 100%, divide 73 by 24 and you'll get 3.04 m/kWh. If the 100% charge is a bit less (probably), you get close to what we're seeing which is 3.2-3.3.

 

[planet4ever]

In the cool/rainy season, i.e. over half the year here, we discovered that we need to use the fan/AC intermittently just to defog the windshield. It keeps refogging every couple of minutes. That definitely bit into efficiency.

There are differing ways to handle defogging with differing associated costs. Have you looked at some of the threads here on that topic? Try searching for "defog". Here is one of many: Keep your car de-fogged without using the heater

Ray

 

[dgpcolorado]

I wasn't referring to their MPGe numbers. The EPA range for the 2012 Leaf is 73 miles from 100% charge. That's an average over all types of real-life drives they took with actual cars.

Surfingslovak wasn't referring to MPGe either; that number is quite useless.

Assuming it's a full 24kWh at 100%, divide 73 by 24 and you'll get 3.04 m/kWh. If the 100% charge is a bit less (probably), you get close to what we're seeing which is 3.2-3.3.

You can't assume 24 kWh since part of the battery is blocked from use to protect it. For a new LEAF a bit over 22 kWh can be used but 21 to 21½ kWh is a better number since few want to venture below VLBW and many try to avoid LBW, although that isn't necessary. The battery drops in capacity as it ages so those numbers will go down.

The EPA numbers are an average of varying driving conditions with an ordinary driving style. Any good hypermiler can beat them. Some things to consider that might affect your driving efficiency, some of which you can do something about and others you can't change:

• Rain, especially very wet roads, will lower mileage. The reason is that it takes more energy for tires to roll on wet roads. (On the other hand, if you drive in rain a lot your tires will last longer than those of the sunbelt folks).

• Cold will lower mileage in several ways. First, cold air is more dense and requires more energy to push out of the way. Second, cold tires have more rolling resistance. [You may notice that the best mileage efficiency numbers come from warm to hot climate areas: they have a marked advantage over your area when it comes to reduced drag and rolling resistance.] Third, use of the heater is a big drain on mileage. If you want to be able to run the fan for defogging without use of the heater on a 2012 LEAF I suggest that you purchase Ingineer's Climate Control Unit mod. This will allow you to use the CC system with the heater (and AC) off. (The heater problem was fixed on the 2013 model LEAF with a separate heater-off button.)

• Tire pressure makes a difference. Many of us run pressures well above the 36 psi recommended by Nissan. This allows better mileage efficiency and, surprisingly, allows for better wear patterns with the stock tires. I suggest 40 psi; anecdotal reports suggest that gains from higher pressures than that are small.

• The big one is simple speed. Since aerodynamic drag increases at approximately the square of velocity, a small reduction in speed will lead to a relatively large increase in mileage. If you haven't already done so, check out the mileage efficiencies at various speeds in Tony Williams' range chart.

• The factor you are most in control of is driving style. If you can adopt the suggestions Stoaty makes in the first post in this thread you will help your driving efficiency. If you have already done so, then you need to look to other factors.

 

[stlouisleaf]

As a cyclist I love how aero my Leaf is. When faced with a long downhill section, good visibility and low to no traffic I shift into Neutral. Coasting along is way fun, the car immediately gains speed and holds it across the flats.

Also like any competitive cyclist I put drafting to good use. If there is a truck or SUV going my way I follow along. Again the same common sense caveats apply; I keep several car lengths distance, maintain good visibility, etc. Both of techniques extends my range without compromising safety.

Cyclists are also in a position to be, willingly or not, ambassadors for their sport / group so when I an on a short trips without range considerations I usually drive every bit as fast as other vehicles and zip away from stop lights. For one thats my personal driving style but I also want to show others that EV cars have plenty of pep are a great alternative to ICE vehicles.

Love "regen downshifting" with the B mode as well. And ECO rocks when I need max range. Tons of customizable options for any driving style or range need. Well done Nissan!

 

[theaveng]

for my 7 - 10 miles in the HOV lanes I go around 55-60. The car in front of me often gets far ahead, but invariably on this section of the 405 I catch up to him/her as the road always clogs up.... That is not to say that folks behind me arent stacking up or, as sometimes happens, passing me, but I almost and I do me pretty much almost always, catch up to them. I know some of them are not cool with this, but maybe they will learn. :roll: yeah, right.

I think blocking traffic is the height of rudeness. If you're in the HOV or other single-lane situation, then you should do the speed limit rather than give your fellow drivers the "I am more important than YOU, you lower lifeform". That kind of behavior reminds me of a frat boy or sorority girl (elitist and stuck up snobs).

 

[thankyouOB]

for my 7 - 10 miles in the HOV lanes I go around 55-60. The car in front of me often gets far ahead, but invariably on this section of the 405 I catch up to him/her as the road always clogs up.... That is not to say that folks behind me arent stacking up or, as sometimes happens, passing me, but I almost and I do me pretty much almost always, catch up to them. I know some of them are not cool with this, but maybe they will learn. :roll: yeah, right.

I think blocking traffic is the height of rudeness. If you're in the HOV or other single-lane situation, then you should do the speed limit rather than give your fellow drivers the "I am more important than YOU, you lower lifeform". That kind of behavior reminds me of a frat boy or sorority girl (elitist and stuck up snobs).

to be clear, by far ahead, i mean i can see the car ahead, which is not more than 1/4 mile ahead.
if the space is more than that, i go 65 to close it up. i dont trail closely as my experience is that while i can brake fast if i am a few car lengths behind the person in front, the drivers behind are often not fully dialed in. A couple of rear-enders will teach you that too.

 

[Stoaty]

for my 7 - 10 miles in the HOV lanes I go around 55-60. The car in front of me often gets far ahead, but invariably on this section of the 405 I catch up to him/her as the road always clogs up.... That is not to say that folks behind me arent stacking up or, as sometimes happens, passing me, but I almost and I do me pretty much almost always, catch up to them. I know some of them are not cool with this, but maybe they will learn. :roll: yeah, right.

I think blocking traffic is the height of rudeness. If you're in the HOV or other single-lane situation, then you should do the speed limit rather than give your fellow drivers the "I am more important than YOU, you lower lifeform". That kind of behavior reminds me of a frat boy or sorority girl (elitist and stuck up snobs).

If you read his quote, he is giving other drivers the message "You aren't going to get there any faster if I speed up." He is not preventing other drivers from getting to their destination sooner, the traffic is doing that job. Lose the attitude. Note to self: add to Foes list.

 

[TimLee]

If you read his quote, he is giving other drivers the message "You aren't going to get there any faster if I speed up." He is not preventing other drivers from getting to their destination sooner, the traffic is doing that job.

When will ICE drivers learn this??? :?: :?: :?:
In the past 12 months, and less than 7,000 miles of driving, there must have been at least 40 occasions in which some idiot driving an ICE raced around me on the right (occasionally on the left) as I was properly slowing down for a traffic light that was going to be be red for at least 1 minute. All 40 of these idiots accomplished NOTHING.
When will people learn :?: :?: :?: :?: :?:

 

[thankyouOB]

for my 7 - 10 miles in the HOV lanes I go around 55-60. The car in front of me often gets far ahead, but invariably on this section of the 405 I catch up to him/her as the road always clogs up.... That is not to say that folks behind me arent stacking up or, as sometimes happens, passing me, but I almost and I do me pretty much almost always, catch up to them. I know some of them are not cool with this, but maybe they will learn. :roll: yeah, right.

I think blocking traffic is the height of rudeness. If you're in the HOV or other single-lane situation, then you should do the speed limit rather than give your fellow drivers the "I am more important than YOU, you lower lifeform". That kind of behavior reminds me of a frat boy or sorority girl (elitist and stuck up snobs).

If you read his quote, he is giving other drivers the message "You aren't going to get there any faster if I speed up." He is not preventing other drivers from getting to their destination sooner, the traffic is doing that job. Lose the attitude. Note to self: add to Foes list.

thanks, stoaty, timlee,
honestly, that quote must have been from months ago. and what's the credibility of someone who lists his location as shangri-la and claims his leaf will be delivered next year?
the more i look at it, the more i see this as pure troll.

 

[dgpcolorado]

When will ICE drivers learn this??? :?: :?: :?:
In the past 12 months, and less than 7,000 miles of driving, there must have been at least 40 occasions in which some idiot driving an ICE raced around me on the right (occasionally on the left) as I was properly slowing down for a traffic light that was going to be be red for at least 1 minute. All 40 of these idiots accomplished NOTHING.
When will people learn :?: :?: :?: :?: :?:

This is the "spirited" or "performance" driving that some so enjoy. It is the antithesis of efficient driving or hypermiling.

I don't get it either.