Drafting trucks on the highway…

[LoveMy18Leaf]

I’m not big on highway truck drafting, but it really increases my range. At 65mph, Avg is 2.8-3.0 without, 4.0-4.2 with. Sometimes it’s the difference between having heat versus no heat, just to get home without needing to fast charge.

Your opinion?

 

[Drew21]

I guess it depends what you mean by drafting. Are you talking Nascar at Talladega drafting or following 4-5 car lengths behind drafting?

I used to follow maybe 3 car lengths behind semi-trailers on the Interstate and it noticeably improved the fuel efficiency of various ICE vehicles. It also ruined my front bumper, hood, and windshield. I also know from an uncle who's a truck driver that it's a major stress for them. You can stop much faster than a loaded truck, but not if you're looking down at your radio or out the side window for a second.

More importantly, in recent years I've noticed how difficult it is to maintain a reasonable/safe following distance on the road. If I'm sitting 4-5 car lengths behind another car inevitably someone will swoop in between us (and blast the front of my car with road debris). If I back off to re-establish a decent following distance... here comes someone else to fill it up. One of the many reasons I no longer enjoy driving.

 

[Chad E. Mo]

Truckers do not appreciate being drafted. Staying back at least a truck-length or more is less annoying.

I will stay a truck-length or more (1.5x) behind a truck going slow (60 - 65 mph) and when faster drivers see the truck, they overtake without making me the target of their irrational hate.

ProPilot makes this easy with my SV+, using the mid-distance setting.

 

[LoveMy18Leaf]

I guess it depends what you mean by drafting. Are you talking Nascar at Talladega drafting or following 4-5 car lengths behind drafting?

I used to follow maybe 3 car lengths behind semi-trailers on the Interstate and it noticeably improved the fuel efficiency of various ICE vehicles. It also ruined my front bumper, hood, and windshield. I also know from an uncle who's a truck driver that it's a major stress for them. You can stop much faster than a loaded truck, but not if you're looking down at your radio or out the side window for a second.

More importantly, in recent years I've noticed how difficult it is to maintain a reasonable/safe following distance on the road. If I'm sitting 4-5 car lengths behind another car inevitably someone will swoop in between us (and blast the front of my car with road debris). If I back off to re-establish a decent following distance... here comes someone else to fill it up. One of the many reasons I no longer enjoy driving.

It was 2-bars on the cruise radar distance. Maybe about truck-length.

 

[duncan-s]

Sure, it's fun and efficient to ride the air currents. My guideline is mostly to try to put myself in the head of the other driver. If I feel like they're probably aware of me, then I'll either increase the distance or find a different rhino to run behind. I like to use big SUVs more often than commercial trucks. Also I never draft when traffic is light, because that's creepy.

 

[LeftieBiker]

I can remember, about 40 years ago (sadly, not an exaggeration), drafting semis at a distance of about 10-20', at highway speeds, on a mid-sized motorcycle, with a passenger. And yes, I was - barely - an adult. I really find it hard to believe how stupid I could be when I was young.

 

[Joeaverage]

Ever seen what a big truck blow out looks like? Or the tread they can throw? It's heavy... You do you but I stay away from the big trucks.

 

[Chad E. Mo]

BTDT... in a convertible, not on a motorcycle. Not good.

 

[Toby]

A lifetime ago I worked with ambulances in a high crash area. We regularly extracted dead bodies from rear end collisions. It was obvious that tail gating is a serious risk.

In a long line of hurried traffic tail gating compounds. For example, a driver should keep at least one car length for every ten mph speed. At 60 mph that means six car lengths. If each driver keeps only five car lengths (one short at 60 mph) the risk goes up dramatically. That's how those horrific multi vehicle pileups happen. When someone drives too close to me I increase the distance behind me.

 

[cornbinder89]

I once had a powerdivider blow apart under load, metal bits, gear oil and whole gears came out through the case. Imagine being right on the tail of the truck, which is now losing speed quickly and you are on gear oil and bits? If that isn't a good reason to keep some distance I don't know what is.
It wasn't planned, and was just replaced with a rebuilt unit a week or two before, no noise or prior warning. Yeah the rebuilder screwed up, but that doesn't keep you alive if you are tailgating.

 

[DavidMW]

If truck drivers don't like people tailgating them, I sure as hell hate them tailgating me, which happens a lot. I generally cruise at 60mph to conserve energy, and stay in the slow lane.

 

[OntarioSV2018]

I set pro pilot to the closest following distance and draft behind trucks on the highway. I can see their mirrors; they can see me.

It's not as good for mileage as if I was right close, but I think it's a good balance, and I hope the truckers dont mind.

 

[aqn]

Not to mention the fact that tractor-trailers and SUVs are higher off the ground than LEAF's and will pass over some debris undisturbed but which debris will be hazardous to your LEAF's health. Imagine a pallet in the middle of the lane. At "drafting distances", there will be no time to react. The LEAF is gonna eat that pallet whole and it won't be pretty. Attempting to swerve will be even uglier, given the LEAF's suspension relatively low level of control of body movements, not to mention low rolling resistance tires' traction deficit.

 

[SteveDK]

With newer Leaf models with radar adaptive cruise control drafting would be safer than models or trims that lack the feature. You could set the following distance to the closest setting. And it should actually improve both your efficiency and the truck's MPG, because a car drafting disrupts airflow that might cause drag on the rear of the trailer if there were no car nearby in the draft. Even with adaptive cruise control you have to pay constant attention, in case a situation the designers of the system did not anticipate occurs. Obviously don't do this with a gravel truck or some truck with an open load or in wet or showy weather or at night.

 

[SteveDK]

I should say I feel no need to follow trucks closely, and usually give them a wide berth. I hate being tailgated, which happens almost every day on my rural road commute in Downeast Maine. Idiots will be one car length behind me at 40-55 mph and at any moment a deer or two or three could run out of the woods in front of my Leaf (or the RAV4 Hybrid my husband usually drives but I sometimes use). I now have dash-cams recording both front and rear window views in the Leaf, so if I ever do get rear-ended by a tailgater I will be able to prove it's their fault.

 

[LoveMy18Leaf]

Some excellent recommendations!

Makes me wonder why Nissan gives you a one bar option, thinking that’s really not too safe and highway speeds.

At 60mph on ProPilot:
3-bar = ~2 sec / 190’
2-bar = ~1.5 sec / 145’
1-bar = ~1 sec / 95’

Standard US truck lengths are 72’, seems like to 3-bar is fine, 2-bar marginally ok. No 1-bar

 

[Joeaverage]

So how many miles does drafting help you gain over a 100 mile trip?

 

[LoveMy18Leaf]

So how many miles does drafting help you gain over a 100 mile trip?

When it’s 25-35°F, I bet 2-bar drafting adds 30 more miles or I just turn off my heater.

I have a standard 120 mile trip I do twice a week. Without heat or air-conditioning, it’s usually 10% battery left. But when my toes get cold,…

 

[Joeaverage]

When it’s 25-35°F, I bet it’s 30 more miles or I just turn off my heater.

I have a standard 120 mile trip I do twice a week. Without heat or air-conditioning, it’s usually 10% battery left. But when my toes get cold,…

Sounds like you need handwarmers in your shoes.

 

[Chad E. Mo]

One bar is ok for slogging through the 40 mph commuter congestion... I would not use it over 45 mph, it's a bit rude and sketchy.

I was fortunate enough yesterday to fall in line behind a truck going 60 mph; two bars on ProPilot seemed just fine. The display indicated I was getting 4mi / kWhr. (Side-winds steady at 10mph.)