Beachcliffs wrote:PaulScott wrote:I've been getting an easy 100+ range on my LEAF. That's in eco mode and driving carefully. I use the AC or heater some, but not much. Learn to hypermile and you'll see a marked difference in range. As others have said, you'll get a lot of miles (40+) in 8 hours on 120V.
Yes, but Paul, you are a very experienced EV driver. Care to share your most effective tips?
I'll give you some basics here, but this is a good site for tips, videos, etc.
http://www.hypermilingforum.com/.
I tend to allow enough time to get to my destination without hurrying. This allows me to drive slower overall and to have less stress when driving. Accelerating gently in eco mode is encouraged. Watching for the traffic flow in front of you so you can coast when it's clear there are people stopping, or a traffic light that is about to change before you get to it is also good to do.
On the freeway, I always leave 5-6 lengths between me and the next car. Sure, sometimes people will take the space, but in heavy traffic you'd be surprised at how seldom that happens. When the car in front brakes, I coast. Usually, the car in front of me has moved away before I get too close. The game here is to not use your brakes. Try not to use the brakes because the regen is not as efficient as freewheel coasting which is not available on the LEAF (that I can tell, my RAV has it and it helps to eke out a bit more efficiency).
That's it in a nutshell. It's all about the physics.