Are You using D or B when drive ?

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leffep

Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2021
Messages
5
Hi
Are You using D or B when drive Your Leaf? When using B You get many short charging periods, are this good to the battery?

h. Leffep
 
B mode is helpful in stop & go - and especially in 'Slow & Go' driving - but coasting is more efficient than using regeneration, so for highway driving most people use D.
 
I find regen useful for controlling my vehicle's speed and so I spend nearly all my time in B mode. I prefer to coast by modulating the pedal in most situations. There are some rare-for-me situations where I'll use D or even Neutral on long downgrades when the slope is just right for those modes to provide the right speed for an extended period.
 
D...because I want brake lights when I slow...B you don't always get the brake lights....youtube videos on this!

Folks have also done regen test and there is no benefit in B vs. D with e-pedal on!

B should only be used going downhill in the mountains IMHO
 
I also use D except sometimes in stop/go traffic B gives more control. I have a 2017 so no e-pedal on my car. I also use B when I want some extra decel in special cases such as when pulling onto the exit ramp of a highway.

I don't have any concerns about effects on the battery since the power generated is along the lines of what is used to drive the car.
 
Like Nubo, I use B mode most of the time. I prefer to get maximum regeneration without unnecessarily lighting the brake lights (saving brake lights for actual braking). I find it easy enough to control my coasting by modulating the accelerator pedal so rarely select any other mode. I rarely use e-pedal or ECO modes because I don't like their accelerator pedal mappings.
 
I find that B mode has a little awkward behavior as you brake to a stop. The strong regen seems to end as you decelerate below 5 mph and so suddenly you are not slowing as much as expected just as you are approaching the stopped vehicle in front of you. It's subtle but sometimes annoying. I think it is just an abrupt transition into the low speed creep behavior that Nissan programmed in because we're used to ICE cars creeping forwards.

I generally use Eco/D mode most of the time. If I'm in a rush I'll use non-Eco/B mode. I think the stronger deceleration of B mode matches well with the stronger acceleration of non-Eco mode. And it cuts the pedal response down just a bit. Non-Eco mode with D mode is just too eager to speed. I'll only use non-Eco/D temporarily to burst through a busy intersection.

Mostly it's frustrating that B mode selection isn't "sticky". Ever notice that the Leaf has 3 different behaviors for remembering drive modes through a off-on cycle?

Eco button - always retains last state, no option to default on/off
D/B mode - always defaults to D, no option to remember last state
E pedal - Menu option allows you to select between remembering last state or defaulting off

Really? 3 drive mode options and every one of them has a different sticky/non-sticky behavior? It's like a different software guy coded each mode.
 
leffep said:
Hi
Are You using D or B when drive Your Leaf? When using B You get many short charging periods, are this good to the battery?

h. Leffep

B mode for stop n' go traffic (which is most of the time for me where I am) and D mode when driving anywhere that won't have stop signs or stop lights in the way (Interstate, Highways, non-curvy-crazy back roads, etc.)
 
Snargleblarg said:
Eco button - always retains last state, no option to default on/off
D/B mode - always defaults to D, no option to remember last state
E pedal - Menu option allows you to select between remembering last state or defaulting off

Really? 3 drive mode options and every one of them has a different sticky/non-sticky behavior? It's like a different software guy coded each mode.

:D As a software developer I also find this irritating. It would be better if it could not only remember your preferences, but also remember them depending on who is driving. My wife and I both use e-pedal all the time, but she tends to use eco as well but I don't.

But by far the most irritating UI thing for me is the fact that the main screen requires you to accept the T&Cs every time you start the car. Grrrr....
 
Not if you just press the Blue Zero Emissions button, i use the energy info screen most all the time,
 
petewc said:
But by far the most irritating UI thing for me is the fact that the main screen requires you to accept the T&Cs every time you start the car. Grrrr....

that goes away after several seconds even if you don't do anything.
 
I don't have a zero emissions button, I guess that is a gen1 thing. The notice doesn't go away on its own either, just stays there indefinitely. Perhaps I need a software update. :?:
 
Learjet said:
petewc said:
But by far the most irritating UI thing for me is the fact that the main screen requires you to accept the T&Cs every time you start the car. Grrrr....

that goes away after several seconds even if you don't do anything.

Not on my 2019 leaf 40kW
 
Switched between D and e-pedal for a few months. Eventually settled on e-pedal as I learned to judge stops accurately in various situations - and also pedal control when following non-cruise controlled drivers! Like e-pedal mostly because stops at stop signs are so quick! Only draw backs to me are when I have to must stop using the brake pedal, switching back to the accelerator brings on a brief additional braking and also switching off cruise control requires "finding" the correct pedal position.

Not sure about the regen/efficiency issue using e-pedal, but it seems my driving is much smoother using it.
 
@ pete and lef,

what happens if you just press the menu button--does it go there without the T&C acceptance?

There appears to be an "energy usage" at the top menu, and "zero emissions" at the info button
 
I still prefer using D most of the time. I believe that I read the e-pedal is being revised to require using the actual brake pedal to fully stop. I would prefer that since I am not happy with trying to finesse the electric pedal when I want to come to a gradual stop or driving slowly when maneuvering into a tight space.
 
One of the things that I've observed with e-pedal (on our 2018 SL) is that it may actually be less efficient when going down steep/long hills. Due to the higher rate of regen, it quickly reaches the limits for current/temp and then turns off (even with lower SOC). The change from high regen to friction brakes is a bit clunky, particularly if you need to stop at the base of the hill. I haven't observed regen engaging again under this scenario, unless I accelerate for a moment. The software here is far from perfect..instead of just dialling back inrush current, it stops regen altogether.

Conversely, if doing the same hills in B mode only, the regen is less, but it does not cycle off and I can keep the car slowed consistently (staying off the brakes which would just max out regen again) while taking advantage of regen for the entire hill. In the city, we consistently get better efficiency in B or D (with my daughter or wife driving) vs epedal (which I prefer) and this is quite noticeable in the portal when comparing trips. I've also taken trips with extra attention paid to modulating speed, coasting etc. and I've never matched efficiency in epedal mode vs D/B.

I do like epedal for city driving, however I am aware now that is not as efficient as B in stop/go traffic. My wife and daughter prefer D mode simply because it is more similar to our ICE vehicles, but for sure the braking/regen behaviour is also more predictable.
 
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