Just got my new Leaf today! Any tips on driving?

[dgpcolorado]

It sounds as if you have things pretty well scoped out; I especially like your "plan B" to use charge stations along your route if you are unable to access the ones at work. That sort of thinking ahead is helpful.

But, for your question "Any tips on driving?", you might want to take a look at Stoaty's Guide to Energy Efficient Driving of the Leaf. It has tips on efficient driving (hypermiling), in case that stuff is new to you. With charging at work it shouldn't really be necessary but if you get in a bind it helps to know how to drive efficiently.

One concept that newcomers to EVs don't usually "get" is that more regen is not always better. Coasting is more efficient under most circumstances than regen braking because regen is somewhat inefficient. But if you need to slow or stop, regen is much better than using friction brakes. So: coasting > regen braking > friction brakes. Ideally, you want to use as little braking as possible and travel at a constant speed, where practical. And, of course, slower speeds are much more efficient than higher speeds because aerodynamic drag (friction) increases at the square of velocity.

So, driving efficiently has less to do with using B mode or Eco and more to do with how you drive. But one advantage of Eco is that the accelerator is mapped at constant power: if you hold the pedal at the same position you will get the same power, whether 10 kW, or zero (the equivalent of neutral), or whatever. The aggressive acceleration mapping of D makes efficient driving more difficult. It is easier to accelerate gently in Eco and keep at a reasonable speed. This helps with more efficient driving.

FWIW. Have fun with your LEAF!

 

[JPWhite]

80 mile RT in winter with an S is really pushing it. You might do it with a new battery, but not so easy next winter.

I have a 73 Mile return commute with a 22% degraded 2011 LEAF. I get a QC close to work, so can only charge to about 75% SOC and still make it OK in the cold. I have maybe 4 miles left before LBW on the way home.

This type of commute will depend upon a good charge at the workplace in the winter. The OP should be able to charge to 100% using L2 so should have no worries as long as the heater isn't used much except to defrost as required. Last winter I could charge to 80% using L1 in 4-5 hours. The OP should be OK as long as he can get that charge. A he said, there are L3 units on the way if a workplace charge gets missed.

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

80 mile RT in winter with an S is really pushing it. You might do it with a new battery, but not so easy next winter.

I have a 73 Mile return commute with a 22% degraded 2011 LEAF. I get a QC close to work, so can only charge to about 75% SOC and still make it OK in the cold. I have maybe 4 miles left before LBW on the way home.

This type of commute will depend upon a good charge at the workplace in the winter. The OP should be able to charge to 100% using L2 so should have no worries as long as the heater isn't used much except to defrost as required. Last winter I could charge to 80% using L1 in 4-5 hours. The OP should be OK as long as he can get that charge. A he said, there are L3 units on the way if a workplace charge gets missed.

Yes, I agree. But, I meant doing that trip on one charge from home. With workplace charging or QC it's not a problem, as you know. TN has pretty good infrastructure. More QCs will go in here this year, and the OP has a couple good ones en route. It's only the one in Lawrence that gets locked in after hours.