Driving in B mode all the time?

[tkdbrusco]

Hey everyone, I guess this may be somewhat of a newbie question, maybe not though.

Can you drive in B mode all of the time or is it just intended for going down hill. I mainly ask because I've noticed that if I am driving a constant speed, say (45 mph) on a flat road and shift from B mode to D mode, I notice that there appears to be less resistance (ever so slightly). I'm wondering if B isn't intended for normal driving and may offset any benefit with the increased slight resistance? Anyone else notice this? I tend to shift a lot while driving, coast for a while, then go to D, then to B, and really milk the efficiency (averaging 4.7kw/m right now). My wife however just sticks it in B mode/eco and drive normally, with the exception to coasting to a stop when possible.

Thoughts?

 

[aarond12]

Ah, a question for the ages. Many will swear that coasting (shifting into neutral) is the most efficient. Others will swear that doing so is dangerous. Then there is a small minority (myself included) who drive in "B" mode all the time.

Why do I do it instead of coasting? First, you don't have to shift into neutral. With some practice, you can come close to the same efficiency by carefully modulating the accelerator. Second, when you do need to stop, just release the accelerator (this can be done gradually too, but with a lot more practice). If you need more stopping power, use the brakes.

In my driving conditions -- stop and go side-street traffic in a big city -- it works beautifully. On my Mitsubishi i-MiEV, I got nearly 85 miles (non-ECO mode) of city range out of a car that's rated for 62 miles. In my LEAF, I'm getting over 100 miles of city range (non-ECO mode). (The "B" mode is stronger in the i-MiEV.) As they always say, your mileage may vary.

 

[tkdbrusco]

Yes I too get over 100 miles with a full charge and also worry that driving in neutral can be dangerous, which is one of the reasons I tend not to do it very often. I'm mainly concerned with the fact that while accelerating at a constant, I feel a very slight difference in resistance in B compared to D? wondering why this is or even if this is the case.

 

[DesertDenizen]

I love B mode, I love slowing my speed my letting regen kick in. When possible I anticipate lights and other stops and just let the regen braking effect get me to a stop. Best advice for a Leaf driver, in MHO, is don't use your brakes, (when safe of course.) My new 2015 is a delight. Too bad the NAVI is so inadequate.

 

[pkulak]

I always drive in B mode. I only wish it was stronger.

 

[aarond12]

I always drive in B mode. I only wish it was stronger.

Yes! Both the Tesla Model S and the BMW i3 can come to a complete stop with their regen. I've driven both and it's nice to have true one-foot driving. What I found interesting with my i-MiEV is that regen didn't vary depending on battery charge level. I had full regen immediately after charging. Guess Nissan is playing it safe by not allowing full regen on a full battery.

 

[Nubo]

Yes I too get over 100 miles with a full charge and also worry that driving in neutral can be dangerous, which is one of the reasons I tend not to do it very often. I'm mainly concerned with the fact that while accelerating at a constant, I feel a very slight difference in resistance in B compared to D? wondering why this is or even if this is the case.

Are you switching B-mode and Eco at the same time?

I had thought that Eco mode was what modified the acceleration profile, and B-mode simply controlled regenerative braking intensity, but I'm new to the 2015 as well, so maybe there is some overlap...?

 

[Nubo]

I always drive in B mode. I only wish it was stronger.

Yes! Both the Tesla Model S and the BMW i3 can come to a complete stop with their regen. I've driven both and it's nice to have true one-foot driving. What I found interesting with my i-MiEV is that regen didn't vary depending on battery charge level. I had full regen immediately after charging. Guess Nissan is playing it safe by not allowing full regen on a full battery.

They seem to have moved a bit in that direction. On my 2012 I got zero regen on a full battery. But with 2015 I get two "bubbles worth" of regen immediately upon leaving the house and it doesn't take long before I get full regen. It's nice because now there is not such a stark difference in the car's behavior on that first hill between a full and not-full battery.

 

[NeilBlanchard]

I am firmly in the coasting camp - regen loses some energy by definition, so it is better to use the kinetic energy of the moving car - to move the car. This requires less acceleration.

Accelerate less, and lose less energy by coasting means that less energy is used in the first place.

I do use regen, but only when I want to slow down the car, and I bump it into B when I need more. The brake pedal also has some regen integrated into the first part of the pedal travel.

I should point out that the VW e-Golf has coasting by default. And so does the VW XL-1, which is the most efficient "production" car ever built. VW knows what they are doing. They also have 3 levels of regen that the driver can toggle through.

 

[LeftieBiker]

The obvious solution is to add a "Coast" button (that shuts off all Regen) to the wheel, with the function either requiring constant pressure to work, or working until the brake is applied again.

 

[aarond12]

It's interesting that BMW put a "dead area" on the i3 that you can feather the accelerator for "coast mode". I haven't had any problems coasting by feathering the accelerator on either of my EVs. It's a challenge to be sure, but kinda fun given the video game-like experience driving an EV.

 

[silentbutnotdeadly]

Yes I too get over 100 miles with a full charge and also worry that driving in neutral can be dangerous, which is one of the reasons I tend not to do it very often. I'm mainly concerned with the fact that while accelerating at a constant, I feel a very slight difference in resistance in B compared to D? wondering why this is or even if this is the case.

I think I understand your question- you are noticing a slight difference when you toggle from D to B, and vice-versa. Sort of like the diff between Eco and non- Eco, only very slight. I feel the same thing with my MY2015. It may be a difference in the accelerator pedal mapping to set it up for increased regen braking when you switch to B from D. It's probably just a normal characteristic of the system set- up and I wouldn't even worry about it.
It's a whole new and different driving sensation, these new- fangled EVs!!

 

[tkdbrusco]

The obvious solution is to add a "Coast" button (that shuts off all Regen) to the wheel, with the function either requiring constant pressure to work, or working until the brake is applied again.

I second the coast button. I do the same commute to work every morning. Here are my results with the three modes.

(1) D mode the whole way uses 28% of my battery
(2) B mode the whole way uses 25-26% of my battery
(3) Coasting and then kicking it into B mode to coast to a stop uses 22-23% of my battery

I will point out however that doing (3) feels dangerous at times and is also a pain in the butt with all the shifting back and forth.

 

[Nhinman]

I haven't had my Leaf very long. I have been driving in B mode almost exclusively. It's nothing to do with range or efficiency. I have been driving trucks & cars with standard transmissions for many years and it's just a more familiar feel to me.

 

[AndyGT02]

I Eco and B mode for all my driving, except when I feel like having some fun with it. Feeling the regen kick in is almost a game to me where instead of breaking I try and let the B mode take me to a stop where needed.

 

[tkdbrusco]

I Eco and B mode for all my driving, except when I feel like having some fun with it. Feeling the regen kick in is almost a game to me where instead of breaking I try and let the B mode take me to a stop where needed.

Only when I'm between 100-92% do I utilize D mode, because regen isn't available and B just slows you down too much without any benefit.

 

[DougWantsALeaf]

The only place I don't use B mode is in light traffic on the freeway. In those cases, I don't even always want the D regen, as I would prefer to coast.

 

[minispeed]

The best way to drive is to use the best tool for the job at the time it's needed. Add route planning to maximize coasting and minimize the energy you take out of the battery with your balance for the amount of time you have then use the others to adapt to the changes that traffic brings.

You can accomplish all the same things as B mode, or Eco, or just D in any of the modes by adapting to the way you control the car.

Personally I find D-Eco the best since it allows the quickest transition of all the options using just your right foot. If you want to coast eco helps modulate the pedal. If you want full regen a light tap on the brake does so which brings me to the biggest reason I like this, safety. It uses the brake lights and reduces reaction time. It lets the people behind you know you're slowing and if you need to brake suddenly you're on it already.

The other benefits are you're never in B by accident when you want to coast. You never expect a long slow down and get a quick jolt from B. If you keep it in only 1 mode you will get better at that mode. If you're constantly switching between modes your won't develop the same natural feel for the pedals with your right leg. Do you want to be a jack of all trades or a master of one? This can be any mode you chose as long as you don't think that always maximizing regen with B mode is always the best.

 

[ERG4ALL]

Another weird thing about D or B is also the effect of using the cruise control. Try going a steady 45 mph on a flat surface, first just using your foot on the gas pedal. Look just above the pine tree display and notice that you should have all of the "efficiency" bars lit. Keeping the same speed and conditions, put the car into cruise control. No change in conditions and yet you will lose one or two of the bars. I still have to find out if that is really true or not. Somehow is the car telling you that even on a flat surface with the same road conditions that there is more energy expended in the cruise control mode?

 

[LeftieBiker]

Cruise control applies more power to adjust speed than is absolutely necessary. That's why it is 'rated' lower.