Snoqualmie Pass Summit -- bad range?

Our family car had an issue and decided to drive to Snoqualmie pass using my Leaf to drop my son off for ski lessons.

You can see the route on the below link.

I charged almost to 100% in North Bend (about half way for me) and thought I should easily make it. However on top, I had only 20% battery left. The L1 charger at the Summit was broken and I barely got back (on limp mode).

How is this possible? Is the range so bad if you go uphill in the cold? Regen downhill saved me a tow truck trip, but only barely.

I even wonder whether my battery pack has issues.

Thoughts?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ti2a4hbr29k5p3f/SnoqualmiePass.png?dl=0

So by Tony Williams range chart. figure 55 to 60 MPH. So 4 miles per KWH , 25 miles = 6.25 KWHs
3000 foot gain @ 1.5 KWHs per 1000 feet = 4.5 KWH
Less 1% for each 4 degrees F below 70F =?
cabin heat 1.5 KWH per hour?
So I would say you used about 10.75+ heat 1.5+ temp ? So 12.25 KWHs +
Is that about what you got? the load in the car would come in to play to.
I normally go over the route with Google earth, to look for highs and lows. That is a hard trip with a car a few years old. Slow down is the way to make that trip work. at 45 MPH you would be better off.
that is what I came up with. hope it helped.

Hi, that seems quite accurate indeed. Very helpful these range calculations. I drove 55Mph uphill and coasted down on 50Mph (as there is a good flat section).

Great to know that my car (2013 model) performs about as expected.

Since uphill is 1.5kwH per 1000ft, is the reverse true as well?

Yes it was a hard, agonizing trip...

Found the range chart. Still learning!

Just ran the numbers

52 miles roundtrip
4.3 m/kWh at 55 mph
12.1 kWh base trip energy use
1.5 kWh climate control
2.3 0.75 * elevation
15.8 kWh capacity needed

24 Max capacity
15 % Degradation (LeafSpy)
20.4 kWh Degraded capacity
10 % Temp adjustment
18.0 kWh Effective capacity

2.2 kWh Capacity left after trip <<<<<

This seems to reflect the experience quite closely...

happydutch said:

Since uphill is 1.5kwH per 1000ft, is the reverse true as well?

Click to expand...

No, you can't just reverse it because the system is not 100% efficient. You still have rolling resistance, cabin to heat, and air to push out of the way on the downhill run. But, often, the miles going down are essentially gained for zero energy use, or a small net gain.

Could someone link the range chart? Thanks in advance.

I have been asking myself the same question. I recently purchased a used 2012 to use as a commuter (bummer that my employer is not Green friendly and I am now toting a generator to work since going the the quick charge at lunch 1/2 hour was not working and I can get home w/o stopping). Work is 32 miles away.

With my current consumption and the very notable drain on the hills (I have accepted dropping below 60 on the hills and driving like a semi), I figured a full charge would get me to the summit and then I would need to use the CHAdeMO charger shown on plugshare. I am guessing that this post was entered before this was in place. Comments show it working now. Toying with going over the pass seems a little scary.