iamwjh
Well-known member
2012 Nissan LEAF SL Range Results in Upstate South Carolina – March 2013
If this is the wrong place to post, I hereby submit an advanced apology. perhaps someone may find this information useful…
Background Information:
• Weekly travel from Home to Work (M-F)
• Daily Distance: 27 miles, 54 miles round trip
• Roads: Side roads, rural, no traffic, minimal stops, posted limit of 45mph
• Weather: winter temps, no snow, dry, low is 39(mornings), high is 66(evenings)
• Charging: Level I, 99-100%
• Route: equivalent to highway I-85, exit 75 to exit 96
During the week, I charge on level I, usually to 99% or 100% depending on the time available to charge overnight. The LEAF is parked outside and I run the cord from inside the garage, under the garage door, to the car. When I leave in the morning, the GOM reads: 108 to 112 miles Range.
I drive the side roads to work; there are minimal stops and no traffic. Here in SC, we have ‘frontage roads’ that run nearly 100% parallel to the interstate. I have started driving on these, due to efficiencies. Interstate driving is about 3 miles shorter each way, but much less efficient. Highway, I only get 3.8 miles per KWh and driving the side roads, I get 4.5 miles per KWh. The overall drive time is about 15 minutes more on the side roads. Therefore, instead of 30 minutes on hwy, it takes 45 minutes on side roads.
The Highway is full of 18-wheelers, traffic, speeders, and all the debris kicked up by the passing vehicles that do not care for my conservative highway speed of 63 in a 65 zone. The advantage of side roads has offered me the ability to control my speeds without the worry of traffic or damage to my windshield or paint. This has lead to my increased efficiencies and happiness with the Range of my LEAF. In turn, I have completely voided all range anxiety, to the point where I am comfortable leaving my charger at home for my 50+ mile roundtrip commute.
Driving Style:
• ECO mode only
• To Work: no heat, no AC, seat heater on and steering wheel heater on
• To Home: AC on auto @ 69 degrees
• I have the display set to monitor m/kwh
• Never exceed more than one power dot above neutral, even up hill
• Downhill, I keep the dot at neutral, which means that I do exceed the posted speed limit, but it helps me get up the next hill.
• Average speed ends up at about 35mph overall.
• I use regen at all stop signs and lights when possible.
I leave the house with over 100 miles range on the GOM. (12 Bars)
After traveling to work for 27 miles, I have about 50 miles range on the GOM (8 Bars)
I drive from work to home on the same route and when I arrive at home, I have about 25 miles range on the GOM (4 Bars)
My Lessons Learned:
• Find the most efficient route. (not the shortest, not the fastest)
• Pay attention to the Bars, not the range # on the GOM.
• Monitor the m/kwh as I drive
• Monitor the power dots, set a goal and stick to it. Sometimes, the car behind me gets pissed off, that’s what the passing zone is for.
Following is a graphic from the CARWINGS website for my commute from Home to Work. I am 95% confident that this data is from my LEAF, as I doubt there are others making this same route.
If this is the wrong place to post, I hereby submit an advanced apology. perhaps someone may find this information useful…
Background Information:
• Weekly travel from Home to Work (M-F)
• Daily Distance: 27 miles, 54 miles round trip
• Roads: Side roads, rural, no traffic, minimal stops, posted limit of 45mph
• Weather: winter temps, no snow, dry, low is 39(mornings), high is 66(evenings)
• Charging: Level I, 99-100%
• Route: equivalent to highway I-85, exit 75 to exit 96
During the week, I charge on level I, usually to 99% or 100% depending on the time available to charge overnight. The LEAF is parked outside and I run the cord from inside the garage, under the garage door, to the car. When I leave in the morning, the GOM reads: 108 to 112 miles Range.
I drive the side roads to work; there are minimal stops and no traffic. Here in SC, we have ‘frontage roads’ that run nearly 100% parallel to the interstate. I have started driving on these, due to efficiencies. Interstate driving is about 3 miles shorter each way, but much less efficient. Highway, I only get 3.8 miles per KWh and driving the side roads, I get 4.5 miles per KWh. The overall drive time is about 15 minutes more on the side roads. Therefore, instead of 30 minutes on hwy, it takes 45 minutes on side roads.
The Highway is full of 18-wheelers, traffic, speeders, and all the debris kicked up by the passing vehicles that do not care for my conservative highway speed of 63 in a 65 zone. The advantage of side roads has offered me the ability to control my speeds without the worry of traffic or damage to my windshield or paint. This has lead to my increased efficiencies and happiness with the Range of my LEAF. In turn, I have completely voided all range anxiety, to the point where I am comfortable leaving my charger at home for my 50+ mile roundtrip commute.
Driving Style:
• ECO mode only
• To Work: no heat, no AC, seat heater on and steering wheel heater on
• To Home: AC on auto @ 69 degrees
• I have the display set to monitor m/kwh
• Never exceed more than one power dot above neutral, even up hill
• Downhill, I keep the dot at neutral, which means that I do exceed the posted speed limit, but it helps me get up the next hill.
• Average speed ends up at about 35mph overall.
• I use regen at all stop signs and lights when possible.
I leave the house with over 100 miles range on the GOM. (12 Bars)
After traveling to work for 27 miles, I have about 50 miles range on the GOM (8 Bars)
I drive from work to home on the same route and when I arrive at home, I have about 25 miles range on the GOM (4 Bars)
My Lessons Learned:
• Find the most efficient route. (not the shortest, not the fastest)
• Pay attention to the Bars, not the range # on the GOM.
• Monitor the m/kwh as I drive
• Monitor the power dots, set a goal and stick to it. Sometimes, the car behind me gets pissed off, that’s what the passing zone is for.
Following is a graphic from the CARWINGS website for my commute from Home to Work. I am 95% confident that this data is from my LEAF, as I doubt there are others making this same route.