winter driving

[LeftieBiker]

Using Eco mode is equivalent to using a lower gear on an ICE car, so I wouldn't call that effect unique to the EV driver. Some ICE cars also do very well in snow, and have switchable Traction Control, so once again, not very unusual. One of the Leaf's strengths is that it generally drives like a (somewhat heavy, with lots of torque) normal small car.

 

[dgpcolorado]

...One other factor is that, unlike some Eco cars I could mention (cough ... Prius ... cough) you can turn off traction control, which is essential when stuck and only one front wheel has good traction.

Yes, I have to do that a lot to get up my steep driveway on snow. It is an important feature.

 

[cgaydos]

Using Eco mode is equivalent to using a lower gear on an ICE car, so I wouldn't call that effect unique to the EV driver. Some ICE cars also do very well in snow, and have switchable Traction Control, so once again, not very unusual. One of the Leaf's strengths is that it generally drives like a (somewhat heavy, with lots of torque) normal small car.

It is equivalent, agreed. In fact I've taught the kids to downshift the Sienna in similar situations - also to use the lowest Sienna gear going up our driveway when snow is heavy.

However, my point is that the regen is, IMHO, *better* at this function than a lower gear on the vast majority of ICEs I've driven in this situation - especially 2WD ICEs which have the engine breaking in only two wheels. And the low-speed torque on the LEAF is similarly better, IMHO, than the vast majority of FWD ICEs of similar size for the situation of climbing in snow.