Cold weather driving in Eastern Ontario Canada

[verobel]

I recently received my 2013 Leaf and have been driving in almost exclusively cold conditions 0C down to -29C. The link below details many of my observations and some suggestions for improvement. If you are planning to operate in cold conditions you should read this and perhaps be prepared to drive with minimal heater use. My webpage includes information from the Leaf users manual, FleetCarma, and various Charge station applications. I have clocked a little over 2000 km so far.

May I suggest a pair of electrically heated boots like the Columbia Silcox 8 series to help to keep your feet warm. The electric seat warmer and steering wheel work nicely for other parts.

You may also be in for some unexpected range losses (based on the guessometer reading). I have tabulated and presented some data. My limiting condition appears to be -30C. At this temperature if I wish to commute 62 km over and back to work, I need to use minimal heat and drive no faster than 75kph. Failure to observe this will lead to a low battery level warning. (less than 20km reserve range, maybey only 10 or 15 in extreme cold)

I also include a suggestion for Nissan to install Level 3 chargers for all Enroute service center on Ontarios major highway the 401. This would help reduce smog on highways and remove the necessity of Leaf owners to own a second internal combustion car for travelling between major centers in Ontario. If we are stuck with 3-4 hour level 2 chargers (or none at all), you should probably invest in a folding 16 inch Vilano Apex bike to store in your trunk. Alternately (heaven forbid), buy the range extended Chevy Volt.

John

website: http://verobel.net/Leaf2013.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[garsh]

We've had temperatures around -10°F (-25°C) a couple times this year in Pittsburgh. I have a 60 mile (97km) round-trip commute.

I usually have no trouble doing so, but the really cold temperatures make it interesting. I don't use the heater (and in fact, made one of the modifications shown here to keep the heat off in cold weather), just the seat & steering wheel heaters. I have snow tires installed currently, reducing range. I charge to 100% during the winter. I kept my highway speed down to 55mph (~90km/h). I was able to barely make it (with mostly dry road conditions). I was fairly deep into the Very Low Battery Warning range when I arrived - probably only 5 minutes away from turtling it.

So, it can be done!

 

[EatsShootsandLeafs]

We've had temperatures around -10°F (-25°C) a couple times this year in Pittsburgh. I have a 60 mile (97km) round-trip commute.

I usually have no trouble doing so, but the really cold temperatures make it interesting. I don't use the heater (and in fact, made one of the modifications shown here to keep the heat off in cold weather), just the seat & steering wheel heaters. I have snow tires installed currently, reducing range. I charge to 100% during the winter. I kept my highway speed down to 55mph (~90km/h). I was able to barely make it (with mostly dry road conditions). I was fairly deep into the Very Low Battery Warning range when I arrived - probably only 5 minutes away from turtling it.

So, it can be done!

That's awesome range. I hit VLBW on my 2012 yesterday on 100% charge at 30.2 miles in mid-teens by using heat and driving as I like to drive (aggressively). 60 miles would be absolutely out of the question for my car even with heat off and babying it.

 

[cdherman]

Distance driving in the cold is an art form. My commute is only 33 miles round trip, but I have some side trips etc. that I like to have some juice left for.

What I have observed in KC in the last months is:

-- A late charge from 80% to 100% right before I leave my garage heats up the battery (in this case, a good thing). My garage hovers right at 32F. So I leave with 4 bars bat temp. The battery is clearly in its sweet spot with 4 bars. I often make it to work with 9 bars remaining, after 16.5 mile commute.

-- Thin driving gloves, along with the heater steering make hands feel fine.

-- A pair of light ear grips keeps the ears fine.

-- Do NOT turn on recirculate. Air is warmer, but the windows fog and then you are hosed. Sometime, a quick window open/close will inject some dry cold air and defrost the windows if they are fogging.

-- If you really must turn on the heat or defrost then, do it right. It takes the inductive heating on a 2012 a while to get to speed. Quick on/off cycles with the 2011 and 2012 never really heat the air and just waist the electricity.

-- Drive slow and even. Stop and go traffic is not much of a benefit at all over free way. But a steady speed of 40 - 50 is excellent, if you can find a stretch to do that. Practice your cold weather route in advance.