My leaf charge much faster than last year. Normal?

[lemob]

I bought my leaf last year. To charge at home from completely empty to full use to take 4 - 5 hours. This time around, it charges completely in less than 3 hours.

Is this normal or that means I'm losing capacity in my batteries so can't charge as much?

Also after year long driving what I find is that if I drive anything above 40 mph, the mileage really drops by over 30%. Is this normal in a sense that they are just not mean to be driven on highways?

 

[LeafMuranoDriver]

means I'm losing capacity in my batteries so can't charge as much?

This is my thought.

 

[jjeff]

How many capacity bars(small bars to the right of the larger SOC bars) are missing? I guess if your missing 3 or 4 bars you could see the limited capacity your seeing, although even missing 2 bars my '12 still has no problem going 60-70mph and achieving ~60 mile range starting at full charge......something doesn't sound right if going over 40mph kills your range that much. Almost sounds like some bad cells in your main battery....a weak or bad 12v battery has also known to do strange things, have you replaced it yet? you didn't say what year your Leaf was, many people have had to replace their 12v battery within 3-4 years.

 

[retrodog]

How many capacity bars(small bars to the right of the larger SOC bars) are missing? I guess if your missing 3 or 4 bars you could see the limited capacity your seeing, although even missing 2 bars my '12 still has no problem going 60-70mph and achieving ~60 mile range starting at full charge......something doesn't sound right if going over 40mph kills your range that much. Almost sounds like some bad cells in your main battery....a weak or bad 12v battery has also known to do strange things, have you replaced it yet? you didn't say what year your Leaf was, many people have had to replace their 12v battery within 3-4 years.

Yeah, what he said.

Also, do you have Leaf Spy? You could see the condition of each cell in relationship to the others. A bad one, or a few bad ones could look ok when fully charged and then drop off faster than the others when you pulled the extra current through them driving at higher speeds. You can also monitor the conditon of the 12V battery with leaf spy.

 

[lemob]

It was purchase new 2015 model. I have leaft spy and it says my SOH is 95% so I assume it's good.
Currently, I can get about 60 Miles on a full charge going at 70 mph. When I drive on the street with average speed of 40 mph, I can get about 80 - 90 miles. These is on ECO drive on all the time.

I just thought I ask if there is such thing like an overdrive for high speed that I didn't know about.

 

[jjeff]

It was purchase new 2015 model. I have leaft spy and it says my SOH is 95% so I assume it's good.
Currently, I can get about 60 Miles on a full charge going at 70 mph. When I drive on the street with average speed of 40 mph, I can get about 80 - 90 miles. These is on ECO drive on all the time.

I just thought I ask if there is such thing like an overdrive for high speed that I didn't know about.

I'd think you should get better than 60 miles but I suppose if it's a steady 70 and especially hilly, maybe thats about right but it sure seems a bit on the shy side. With my '13(still 12 bars) I regularly get 60 miles only charging to 80% but this is without heat(but AC if I need it) and 60-70mph. On the flat I'm usually doing 70 with everyone else but on longer uphills it might drop to 60 and if I can I like to somewhat draft behind larger trucks. Not bumper to bumper but maybe 50-100 feat behind. Wind also makes a big difference. Doing 70 into a 20mph headwind is almost like driving 90, a REAL battery killer.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Changing to 17" wheels and tires, inflating them to 42psi (you should do this anyway) and maybe making covers for the rear wheel wells should all improve your range at 70MPH. Slowing to 60MPH would be easier and cheaper, though.

 

[LeafMuranoDriver]

I take back my previous post, something doesn't seem right. At 95% SOH, it shouldn't be much difference to charge to full now vs. when it was new.

 

[lemob]

From what I can gather from everyone, it seems mine is an odd duck. I don't even know how to make my case to the dealer since I'm pretty sure they'll say it's all normal and all statics depends on driving condition.

Thank you everyone for their input.

 

[DuncanCunningham]

when the temperature is cooler I know that my car took less of a charge. I think the balancing part or the last few % takes a longer time to 'top up' so maybe that is it? in the summer I get more SOC and regen kicks in sooner compared to low temps.