How often do you drive without ECO?

[EcoLeafGiggleSpark]

Like most people, I don't drive in ECO since I feel like I already am minimizing acceleration to the level I want. One thing I do often is switch the e-pedal on and off while driving. If I am coasting a lot, like I do on the freeway, then I turn off e-pedal. If I have to slow down quicker, then I switch e-pedal back on. I'm curious if anyone else does this or if there is any reason not to do it.

 

[goldbrick]

ECO mode also affects how much power the HVAC system consumes. And personally I prefer the feeling of the accelerator pedal in ECO mode. YMMV.

 

[Snakebitten]

Tried Eco, B, E-pedal on the way home from the dealership.

3 months in now and that first drive was the only time I ever used Eco.

I occasionally use B mode, and I only use E-pedal to hold the car at a red light. I prefer good Ole D mode and being smooooth on my own. Truly enjoying the car. It's a hoot.

 

[Ethanjon]

I usually keep my Leaf in ECO mode to maximize range. How often do other Leaf owners drive without ECO mode for a better performance experience?

 

[lutefisk]

With my 2015 SV I drive ECO only during questionable traction and when a student driver is behind the wheel.

Otherwise, never. I like the zippy too much.

 

[thew]

I have pretty much always kept my car in the ECO setting, and I was wondering the other day how often people drive without ECO mode on their Leaf (I would guess rarely given so many of us are likely trying to maximize range)?

Always on here.. my 2011 has a GOM range now of about 30 miles. i have about 45,000 on the odo.. I think Eco and Charging to 80% on weekdays has helped now if Nissan would treat us right for getting the pack past 10 years with no issues would be great. Sadly I am about to sell mine for Scrap and buy a Honda or other car as Nissan turned out to lie to us early Adopters about the cost of Replacement packs.
Now they want 15,000 for a First Gen Pack.. No help for us early adopters no mention of the promise they made back in 2011.

Nissan cannot be trusted any longer.

 

[JoeFabulouz]

Newbie here. Have been driving a 2023 LEAF S for just over a month now, and ALWAYS use ECO mode. The wife drives a Subaru, which are notorious for having crazy sensitive accelerator pedals, and the LEAF reminds me of that when I'm not in ECO mode. The LEAF is quiet and solid, which is actually quite relaxing to drive compared to the MINI that I replaced with it, so I see absolutely no need to make the LEAF any more frenetic. Regarding using the ePedal, it's always on except for when I'm driving on the expressway/thruway/parkway. I leave it off so I can coast when necessary, and flick it back on when just starting to approach the off-ramp I'm taking.

 

[Leafyness]

Short answer: I don't use it. Eco mode has been on for about 30min total in 2.5 years.

The Leaf is far and away the most fun I've ever had driving a car. Being able to take almost any ICE car off the line, is just so much fun. I've done 45k miles in the 2.5 years I've owned it (new)...and I learned long ago (within the first few months), that Eco just brings this lively little sports car to a halt. Like driving through molasses. As others have mentioned, it does little to actually save energy, as you wind up having to simply press the pedal way harder, just to stay with traffic starting from a light/stop sign type thing. For me, it's pointless. I used it very briefly to try to eak out some miles when my wife and I took the Leaf round trip from San Diego to Portland, OR (fantastic trip btw)....and that was only when I was in cruise control on the freeway.

With all that said....my style of driving the Leaf has turned into me actively using the ePedal switch, a lot....on & off. I prefer having the ePedal off, B mode on for almost all driving. Makes the Leaf insanely responsive & quick, while giving you that bit of Regen braking from the B mode. It's a perfect combo for fun driving.

When I come up to traffic, or a light...I simply flick the ePedal switch on. Freeway driving is the same...99% B mode on/ePedal off. You still get that insane acceleration to make a lightning quick pass, or if you just want to get away from a gaggle of cars... The Leaf has the power to do it. In Eco mode...I'd think your foot would get exhausted having to smash the pedal all the way to the floor to achieve the Leafs true potential.

In a nutshell....I have fun driving this car. Been very happy with it. I'm also someone who fast charges almost exclusively, with some trickle charging at home from time to time. I've never worried about stopping at 80% or any of that. Battery bar still full, though I'm sure an OBD reading would give a reduced SOC....but I could care less. I'll keep this lovely Leaf another few years, then onto another fun EV adventure with another brand most likely (primarily to get away from Chademo)

 

[SteveDK]

I have an SV+ 2023, and the car is peppy even in ECO mode, so I use it 95% of the time driving rural roads in Downeast, Maine. I occasionally turn it off when driving around Bangor's bigger highways, and if I think I might need to pull away from a stop sign quickly when going home from the lab (MDIBL) because drivers coming down the hill nearby can be going well above the 45mph speed limit and they can wind up too close if I don't zoom out even when they seem to be far away. Regular mode requires a lot of finesse with the accelerator to not wind up accelerating faster than I plan to. Our other car is a 2020 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and we usually leave that in ECO mode too, and the Leaf Eco mode is way more responsive on acceleration and has far stronger regenerative breaking, so that when I am going down a hill that's not steep I have to keep a little pressure on the accelerator of the Leaf or the region will slow the car too much, unlike with the RAV4 which doesn't need any pressure on the accelerator going down most low grade hills on the same commute.

I have done comparison commutes where I leave ECO mode off, and in my drive at least the SV+ uses more energy when not using ECO. My 27-28 mile commute is rural roads with speeds mostly between 30-55mph, slight hills, and some curves and several stops and turns. This may not be applicable to people who drive on high speed commutes.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Even those who don't need the lighter accelerator pedal usually benefit from the restricted maximum heater draw (5kw IIRC) in colder weather.

 

[cornbinder89]

Mine stays on all the time, but I have own cars with 36hp and the like. I also moved 170,000 lbs with 400 hp (trust me, many wouldn't be able to), so I don't have to be 1st from the light to enjoy driving. My clutches often outlast my engines, so I guess I am easy on things. Even in Eco it is faster than many of the cars I have owned.
When my brother test drove my car, with it in plane old D he spun the wheels.
I guess driving semi's for so many years, I have lost the need for speed, and reaped the benefits along the way, everything lasts longer.
When I leave home, there is an uphill grade, 55 mph road, and that is the only time I notice it at all, have to put my foot a fair way down to get up to 55 on the grade, once there it holds it just fine.

 

[brbill]

I've had my Leaf since 2011, and I've used ECO mode for all 63K miles I put on it. As I often need the heater where I live, it has been a good choice.

 

[pmbdk]

I have only had the Leaf for a couple of weeks, but have played around with all the combinations of e-pedal, D/B and eco. If the e-pedal was as good as the BMW i3 I used to drive in, I would probably have used that. But I find that it does not behave well at "parking speeds", so I prefer to use the eco/B/no e-pedal combination. I doubt eco has any measurable effect on the energy consumption, but I much prefer the finer-graned control I get at the typical accelations. I completely understand why you would want non-eco for more fun/responsive driving though. I don't understand why B-mode is not the default setting (or why it can't remember the last mode setting); I find that in D mode I rarely get a chance to use regenerative breaking for a lot of scenarios.

 

[Kenny]

Never in my 2018 SL. I use B mode in city and D mode on freeway. However as someone else mentioned, if the car has been sitting in extreme cold for several hours I will use ECO to limit heating until cabin temp has risen enough to turn ECO off again. I dislike how heavy the throttle pedal gets in ECO.

 

[LeftieBiker]

If you think your 2018 gets sluggish in Eco, drive a 2021. It actually changed my behavior to usually leaving Eco off.

 

[BillHolz]

I prefer Eco off but B mode for the aggressive regen braking. I don't really see any difference between my 2015 and 2022 Leafs as far as use of Eco mode.

 

[LeftieBiker]

"ECO mode is pointless. You can achieve the same economy if you are just careful with the acceleration. I tried it many times but concluded not to use it at all."

You are ignoring the restriction on heater draw. Those of us in climates with real Winters benefit substantially from that alone.

 

[moapys]

About half-and-half on my 2012. With a "best" range now of around fifty miles in ECO, I leave it off around town if I know that I'll charge at work, but on weekends its generally always in ECO.

I'll note that, recently in ECO I needed to punch-it, and (to its great credit), there seems to be some W.O.T. sensing that bypassed much of the "de-tune": It got me out-of-the-way of a big truck; seemingly much as if I had floored it in non-ECO, FWIW.

 

[Mstanlake]

I drive in ECO 100% of the time, I find it smooths out the performance. You can still jack rabbit from a stop if you want but I just prefer the way it drives in ECO.

 

[lutefisk]

I only use ECO when traction is dodgy. Otherwise, never.