62kwh Leaf Plus Efficiency Posting

Agree. B mode like driving a stick in a lower gear - second or so. Other drivers do start to follow at a greater distance, which is a good thing.

At least here they do. Pretty big differences regionally in driving style.

I use B-mode most of the time. It is amazing how tailgaters back off after they figure out that the brake lights don't come on unless I am really stopping hard (using friction brakes). The description of using 2nd gear with a manual transmission is a good analogy, but there is no screaming engine noise to go with it!

I wish that regenerative braking was adjustable- this could not be too hard to accomplish- variable from zero to the max available at any given time. Epedal seems silly to me since it basically applies the brakes afer using all the available regen.....

I do find it interesting that ePedal gets to access more regen than B mode.

dmacarthur said:

I wish that regenerative braking was adjustable- this could not be too hard to accomplish- variable from zero to the max available at any given time. Epedal seems silly to me since it basically applies the brakes afer using all the available regen.....

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Not sure if more adjustment is needed.

D; lowest level No friction braking
B; High level (up to 38 KW) No friction braking.
E Pedal; Variable up to 60 KW with friction braking

There has always been a question of how much friction braking is involved when E Pedal is engaged

What we know;

At very high SOC (when all regen pips are not available) E Pedal uses friction brakes "immediately" to imitate normal E Pedal driving.

With full regen available, E Pedal uses friction braking sparingly likely only at very low speeds.


As far as how best to use the options; That question is not really answerable. We all have unique driving situations combined with how we like to drive. If you want the ultimate in efficiency, you need steady power. IOW; as little regen as possible and NO friction braking at all; Yeah, that means NO stopping.

Back in the day; one of the biggest efficiency challenges was driving from the Olympia waterfront at the Boardwalk, thru downtown, all the way to Lacey without stopping. The real challenge was how fast to drive in order to time the lights (they are at EVERY block thru most of downtown. ) but I had help. The crosswalk signal had countdown timers so you knew when the light was going to change. Believe it or not, you could drive a steady speed and hit all the lights green EASILY... that is as long as there was no traffic (not a reality)

My goal was 40 mpg in my Prius (it was all uphill) so steady speed was paramount since most of you know that the Prius regen level was nearly nonexistent compared to an EV. It was this driving style that parlays into the greatest efficiency numbers on an EV.


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??

If coming up to a light at speed and it changes I shift to E Pedal for a few seconds to slow down rapidly but will always shift back to B (if I have room) as speed drops below 20-30 mph. Generally if going 40 mph and I have a block to go, B mode is enough to bring me to a near stop.

Finally

Someone has suggested that extensive E Pedal could be accelerating wear on the pack due to high currents (I clocked currents up to 180 amps which is 50% higher than EVgo puts out) and I can say I guess that is possible but the short duration of these events says that the damage will have to be repeated hundreds of thousands of time before any real damage is done. But again, we go back to the statement at the top; steady speed with minimal regen and no friction braking.

Using the analogy of driving a stick shift in lower gears, I would like a 5-speed- The current D mode, the current B mode, the current ePedal and a couple more options. Sometimes I like the current choices, other times not so much. How hard would it be to have a potentiometer which simply dialed in the preferred regen?

dmacarthur said:

Using the analogy of driving a stick shift in lower gears, I would like a 5-speed- The current D mode, the current B mode, the current ePedal and a couple more options. Sometimes I like the current choices, other times not so much. How hard would it be to have a potentiometer which simply dialed in the preferred regen?

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Define "a couple more options"

I realize it's not what you're asking for but you can apply a slight bit of pressure to the accelerator while regenerating and it will reduce the amount of regen. It can be done by feel or in my case, on my 2017 S, I watch the green ball indicators. I can easily adjust the regen to 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 bubbles when stopping by slightly applying the accelerator pedal while slowing.

goldbrick said:

I realize it's not what you're asking for but you can apply a slight bit of pressure to the accelerator while regenerating and it will reduce the amount of regen. It can be done by feel or in my case, on my 2017 S, I watch the green ball indicators. I can easily adjust the regen to 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 bubbles when stopping by slightly applying the accelerator pedal while slowing.

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Agreed and I am guessing the poster does not have E Pedal hence the request. What we are really lacking is an effective way to explain how E Pedal works. It "seems" effective to me because I have it but to people who don't, its becoming obvious they really don't understand it.

I have epedal, seldom use it except in city driving, and by "a couple more" than the 3 regen options I have, I mean somewhere around say five, as in the 5-speed tranny referenced above. Although what i really want is a variable regen button.....

I should clarify that I seldom use epedal because it does not in fact regenerate any more than B mode for most of my driving, based on those blue regen squares on the S Plus, and in fact ends up using the mechanical brakes for much of its stopping power- I am not using it a 60 MPH but more likely at 20......

I find it a simple thing to moderate the regen strength with the accelerator until I'm ready to really stop. No need for additional modes at all. Drive in B almost all the time in town, in D on the highway because coasting is easier and more efficient.

Infinite levels. I think more than 3 modes would be confusing.

The reostat you seek is connected to your accelerator pedal.

-b

I would find it simpler, on a long down hill for instance, to just dial up the regen to keep the speed the same- it would not have to be a default mode for those who like the available options..... sort of like using cruise control but speeding up and slowing down using the fingertip controls.....

dmacarthur said:

I should clarify that I seldom use epedal because it does not in fact regenerate any more than B mode for most of my driving, based on those blue regen squares on the S Plus, and in fact ends up using the mechanical brakes for much of its stopping power- I am not using it a 60 MPH but more likely at 20......

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Your perception here is completely wrong. The regen meter uses different scale on B and E Pedal. Max regen in B mode is 38 KW. I clocked 52.5 KW on E Pedal on a deceleration from 40 mph. IOW, street level speeds.

https://daveinolywa.blogspot.com/2018/11/e-pedal-verses-b-mode.html

dmacarthur said:

I would find it simpler, on a long down hill for instance, to just dial up the regen to keep the speed the same- it would not have to be a default mode for those who like the available options..... sort of like using cruise control but speeding up and slowing down using the fingertip controls.....

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I fail to see how a dial would work better than the accelerator pedal?

I can drive along endlessly feathering the accelerator pedal, watching the regen indicator and the speedo, sure. Would rather have a thumb-activated gizmo to do it for me, sort of the same way I now toggle between D and B but with more options. Anyway, you misconstrue the purpose of my original post: if you would not like this gizmo, it would be optional and you would be under no obligation to use it. I would like it, the same way I like the six speed in my dump truck- lots of gears to choose from.

dmacarthur said:

I can drive along endlessly feathering the accelerator pedal, watching the regen indicator and the speedo, sure. Would rather have a thumb-activated gizmo to do it for me, sort of the same way I now toggle between D and B but with more options. Anyway, you misconstrue the purpose of my original post: if you would not like this gizmo, it would be optional and you would be under no obligation to use it. I would like it, the same way I like the six speed in my dump truck- lots of gears to choose from.

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Bolt has regen paddles. Is this more your preference?

I am fine with the regen modes, though did wish there was a drive/coast mode for open highway where you rarely want regen.

Also would love a constant power cruise control.

DougWantsALeaf said:

I am fine with the regen modes, though did wish there was a drive/coast mode for open highway where you rarely want regen.

Also would love a constant power cruise control.

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Now we are talking!

Yes, constant power Cruise! although others on the thruway will probably hate us..... and yes regen paddles, that sounds great. Maybe I should have bought a GM after all, sorta figured that Nissan was going to be more reliable and last longer.