So my wife left the house early Friday morning to go to a doctor's appt. The car had been charged up to about 80%. Then later in the afternoon we left Studio City to pick some friends up at LAX, then hit a mexican place in Venice for dinner (sort of on the way home, not really far out of the way). As we went into dinner, I started thinking about the range left on the car. It said we had 29 miles to go. The trip home taking the long way (405 and 101) would take 20 miles. So I'm getting a little worried, but not panicking yet. Then on the way home, driving up the 405 (eco mode of course), I say to my wife, "We might not have enough juice to get home." So I exit off the 405 at Mulholland to take a more direct, if slower, route home. At this point the car says I have 8 miles left, and it's warning me to go find a charging station. It pulls up a map of nearby charging stations for me, and - surprise! - there are none (the plight of early adopters :lol: ). But that's ok, it's not anywhere close to 8 miles home. Then all of a sudden, the dashboard readout drops from 8 miles to -- miles. :shock: So now I'm seriously worried that the first introduction our three friends in the backseat will have to the Leaf will be waiting for a tow truck on a pitch-black section of Mulholland drive.
I managed to coast as much as possible and otherwise drive like a hypermiler the rest of the way home. We safely arrived into our garage, and it sure was a good feeling to stick that charger into the nose. I really wish the Leaf wouldn't drop from 8 miles to 0 miles. I understand it's an estimate, but surely they can be a bit more precise. I also think the battery's estimates don't account for 5 people in the car with luggage.
You better believe we're going to be more careful on our trips to the airport from now on!
I managed to coast as much as possible and otherwise drive like a hypermiler the rest of the way home. We safely arrived into our garage, and it sure was a good feeling to stick that charger into the nose. I really wish the Leaf wouldn't drop from 8 miles to 0 miles. I understand it's an estimate, but surely they can be a bit more precise. I also think the battery's estimates don't account for 5 people in the car with luggage.
You better believe we're going to be more careful on our trips to the airport from now on!