Instrumented Speed Testing On The LEAF

[ELROY]

I have tested my Racelogic Performance Box at the track, and have found it extremely accurate when running against the time slip. It is so accurate I will often pickup the variances between different drag strips. I have used it at Famoso Dragstrip, Fontana, Sacramento, and LACR when it was open. Needless to say, when testing with the same exact starting line/technique, you will pick up differences of taking out 20lbs of weight, slight headwind, tire pressures, etc.It was a invaluable tool in tuning my 335i BMW in which I held the quickest/fastest dragstrip runs for over a year. (0-60 3.1 sec, 11.1 qtr mile, and 130mph+traps, 0-100mph in mid 7 second range).

So I thought I would do some testing on the LEAF.
First I wanted to verify the speedometer accuracy on the LEAF.
I found it was very accurate. Consistently within 1mph in the 55-65mph range. (42psi tire pressure)

 

[ELROY]

Here is the qtr mile data. (std 1 ft roll out as most magazines test)
Run #1 17.4 at 77.9 mph
0-60 9.8 secs
60' time 2.6 sec

Note the Vmax of 91.7 mph is within 1.3mph of the speedometer indicated 93mph at speed limiter intervention. You can see on the youtube video how the throttle bubbles automatically go down at 93mph indicated:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd6O3TpyS9U[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd6O3TpyS9U" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Run#2 17.3 at 78.1mph
0-60 9.7 sec
60' time 2.6 sec

Run#3
0-10mph .8sec
0-20mph 1.9 sec
0-30mph 3.1 sec
0-40mph 4.8 sec
0-50mph 7.0 sec
0-60mph 9.9 sec
0-70mph 13.7 sec
0-80mph 18.7 sec
0-90mph 25.6 sec

 

[surfingslovak]

Very cool, thanks for posting! In the Phoenix range test, Tony's test protocol called for steady 100 km/h or about 62 mph. I found that this equated to 64 mph per LEAF's dash, but this was via an iPhone GPS-based app, and not through a Racelogic box. I wonder what others have observed in this regard. If memory serves, 1 to 2 miles delta have been reported before.

 

[ELROY]

Very cool, thanks for posting! In the Phoenix range test, Tony's test protocol called for steady 100 km/h or about 62 mph. I found that this equated to 64 mph per LEAF's dash, but this was via an iPhone GPS-based app, and not through a Racelogic box. I wonder what others have observed in this regard. If memory serves, 1 to 2 miles delta have been reported before.

It is surprisingly accurate. To be only off about 1.3mph at 93mph indicated is very surprising.

0-30mph is pretty decent at 3.10 seconds.
Was looking at a test between at 2013 ILX (201hp) and a 2013 Buick Verano T (250hp)
The ILX is 2.2 sec, but the Verano is identical to the LEAF at 3.1 sec 0-30mph

But after that they both leave the LEAF behind.
But the ILX only weighs 2953 (3451lb for the Verano)
And they have about double the HP, so the results are expected.

What is amazing though is that as long as they aren't winding out WOT, most ICE cars do have to breath decently to keep up with a LEAF's effortless acceleration off the line. Kind of fun to watch the videos I did today to illustrate how a LEAF is actually faster than its test numbers would indicate in every day in town driving. These are in no way races against many of these ICE cars, since most of them would eventually beat the LEAF. But I merely wanted to share with potential LEAF owners that the car will more than hold its own in city traffic.

vs Lexus SC300
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf5cW-Bghf4[/youtube]

vs V6 Mustang
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HacAGp0kc0k[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HacAGp0kc0k" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

vs GMC V8 Lowered Truck
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NGpP_lOn0w[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NGpP_lOn0w" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

vs Nissan Altima
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUceey-ext8[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUceey-ext8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

vs OlderMerc Sedan
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDZxNJDHxGA[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDZxNJDHxGA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


It does kind of leave you itching for more. Sure fast driving will deplete your battery much faster. But you wonder if a more powerful motor can still be just as efficient in everyday driving, and yet provide outstanding acceleration should the situation demand it.

Case in point, the Tesla S Performance has the same EPA rating as the lesser S model with the same 85kWh battery:
Yet it can produce about 54more HP and almost 120lbs more TQ!

Estimated Range
at 55 mph

300 miles S
300 miles S Performance


EPA 5-Cycle
Certified Range

265 miles S
265 miles S Performance

0 to 60 mph

5.6 seconds S
4.4 seconds S Performance


Quarter Mile Time

13.7 seconds S
12.6 seconds S Performance


Top Speed

125 mph S
130 mph S Performance

Peak Motor Power

362 hp (270 kW)
6,000-9,500 rpm S

416 hp (310 kW) S Performance
5,000-8,600 rpm


Peak Motor Torque

325 lb-ft (440 Nm)
0-5,800 rpm S

443 lb-ft (600 Nm)
0-5,100 rpm S Performance

 

[surfingslovak]

Great data, thanks again. I think many posters on this forum like to engage in stoplight competitions. It's fun. I once outran a Ferrari F430, but the driver probably wasn't going all out. Beat an Audi S4 Avant too, much to the delight and surprise of the owner. There is a youtube button in the edit window. The BBCode for that looks like this:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDZxNJDHxGA[/youtube]

 

[ELROY]

Great data, thanks again. I think many posters on this forum like to engage in stoplight competitions. It's fun. I once outran a Ferrari F430, but the driver probably wasn't going all out. Beat an Audi S4 Avant too, much to the delight and surprise of the owner. There is a youtube button in the edit window. The BBCode for that looks like this:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDZxNJDHxGA[/youtube]

Got it...works like a charm!

I actually didn't like the Eco Package with the HUGE Zero Emissions sticker on the side. However, now I am glad its there to advertise the 100% BEV nature of the LEAF. I see people looking over, and then no doubt leave them surprised with the acceleration of the car.

Kind of like my 40mpg 335d, it runs 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, but I wish it had a big diesel sticker on the window!


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix2tbcc9p9o[/youtube]

And here the Ferrari owner would probably have been a little bit surprised if he knew this was a diesel:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDlp0KKWVec[/youtube]

 

[TonyWilliams]

You can adjust the LEAF speedometer.

It's in the maintenance screen at:

Radio power off, then

MAP, MAP, MAP
Radio PWR, Radio PWR
MAP

Our Phoenix test LEAF's were all driven at 64mph indicated on the dash display, which equalled about 62mph / 100kmh ground speed measured by the LEAF onboard GPS.

 

[LEAFfan]

Very cool, thanks for posting! In the Phoenix range test, Tony's test protocol called for steady 100 km/h or about 62 mph. I found that this equated to 64 mph per LEAF's dash, but this was via an iPhone GPS-based app, and not through a Racelogic box. I wonder what others have observed in this regard. If memory serves, 1 to 2 miles delta have been reported before.

I've tested my Speedo several times with my NAVMAN GPS and its the same as ELROY'S, +1.

 

[lordkevin]

Thanks for the nice post and happy new year...