is it safe to assume?

[Ingineer]

Need to clarify this:

Is voltage 220 or 240? I've seen both.

If 240, and drawing at 16A, so charging at 3.84 kW, why do they say the inboard charger is 3.3 kW?

Is it because voltage is 200 in Japan?

As others have correctly confirmed, the official single-phase voltage spec in the US is 120v or 240v, and it's been that way for the better part of a century. Prior to WW2 in some parts of the country we had 110v and 115v, but it's since been nationally standardized at 120/240. (Europe/China/Australia is 220-240v and Japan has dual voltages like us, but lower: 100/200V)

Actual Watts = Amps X Volts X PowerFactor. The Leaf's OBC (on-board charger) can pull up to 16A with close to a unity power factor (~.99) when on 240V yielding a draw of 3.84kW. Now after internal conversion losses and powering all the overhead on the Leaf's various systems, only a little over about 3.3kW is delivered to the battery. This is why Nissan calls it a "3.3kW" charging system. In Japan, the national voltage spec is only 200V, so the charger will pull more current (provided the EVSE allows it), but even so, the charging system outputs a bit less to the battery.

-Phil

 

[SKY888]

No idea how y'all get these miles. I just checked--am in NY state. My fall/2012 mileage (got car at start of sept) averaged to 3.4. For 2013 so far it's 2.9. Looks like I'll probably, including summer, average around 3.3 over a year. Btw I'm regularly driving without any heat at all, even below freezing, just to maintain distance. At $4/gas it's still the equivalent of about 90 mpg or so in a gas-drinking car, so I'm ok with it.

Batteries are less efficient when cold so producing the same energy you'll lose capacity faster.

I think its how you drive, and the type of roads your drive in. 2.9 miles/kwh, is indeed very low

I'm a very aggressive driver (ICE).

But when I started driving my leaf that I just leased last Jan 2013, I changed my driving habits. Hypermiling/coasting/slowing down early instead of braking.....and just drive 2-3 mph above the max mph.

I don't use any heat during winter, even if its only single digit outside during January/February here in RI. ECO mode always on my city/highway driving. During that time, I'm only getting 3.5 miles/kwh

But now that its low 30s, I'm at 3.6 miles/kwh

Actually today, it just turned 3.7 miles/kwh

 

[SKY888]

In hilly spots, maintain constant throttle rather than constant speed..

so you think its more effecient not to go cruise control on hilly spots?

 

[TonyWilliams]

In hilly spots, maintain constant throttle rather than constant speed..

so you think its more effecient not to go cruise control on hilly spots?

Yes.

 

[SKY888]

In hilly spots, maintain constant throttle rather than constant speed..

so you think its more effecient not to go cruise control on hilly spots?

Yes.

thank you!

good to know!

I've been on cruise control on my 8 mile highway that is has several hills, thinking that its more efficient.

So just letting go off the pedal during downhill? Or just control the gas pedal making sure that it has constant speed the whole time?

 

[TonyWilliams]

So just letting go off the pedal during downhill? Or just control the gas pedal making sure that it has constant speed the whole time?

Constant power, not constant speed.

Ideally, you would use the exact power needed to get to the top of the hill at 0mph, then just enough constant power (or coasting) on the downhill to hit the top of the next hill at 0mph again.

There are plenty of other considerations, like other drivers. Also, going down the hill too fast will turn that energy into aerodynamic drag (lost energy), in which case you would want to use regeneration over losing drag to aero losses.

 

[SKY888]

So just letting go off the pedal during downhill? Or just control the gas pedal making sure that it has constant speed the whole time?

Constant power, not constant speed.

Ideally, you would use the exact power needed to get to the top of the hill at 0mph, then just enough constant power (or coasting) on the downhill to hit the top of the next hill at 0mph again.

There are plenty of other considerations, like other drivers. Also, going down the hill too fast will turn that energy into aerodynamic drag (lost energy), in which case you would want to use regeneration over losing drag to aero losses.

thank you! I understand now!

 

[planet4ever]

So just letting go off the pedal during downhill? Or just control the gas pedal making sure that it has constant speed the whole time?

Constant power, not constant speed. Ideally, you would use the exact power needed to get to the top of the hill at 0mph, then just enough constant power (or coasting) on the downhill to hit the top of the next hill at 0mph again. There are plenty of other considerations, like other drivers. Also, going down the hill too fast will turn that energy into aerodynamic drag (lost energy), in which case you would want to use regeneration over losing drag to aero losses.

thank you! I understand now!

The best way to monitor this is with the Energy Usage display on the central console (press Zero Emissions button, then touch Energy Info). In addition to the pie chart on the left which displays what Tony is talking about, keep a sharp eye on the pie chart on the top right. You may think you aren't using the heater, but the LEAF system has all sorts of tricks up its sleeve. Anything shown on that pie chart will drag your m/kWh down. By the way, ignore the bottom right pie chart and the "Turn [on/off] climate control for [-/+][nn] miles." Those are just guesses made up by the computer, and we know how good those computers are at guessing.

Ray

 

[surfingslovak]

The best way to monitor this is with the Energy Usage display on the central console (press Zero Emissions button, then touch Energy Info). In addition to the pie chart on the left which displays what Tony is talking about, keep a sharp eye on the pie chart on the top right. You may think you aren't using the heater, but the LEAF system has all sorts of tricks up its sleeve. Anything shown on that pie chart will drag your m/kWh down. By the way, ignore the bottom right pie chart and the "Turn [on/off] climate control for [-/+][nn] miles." Those are just guesses made up by the computer, and we know how good those computers are at guessing.

Excellent point, Ray. Nissan has a nice show and tell about this:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxlh6D0MAfA[/youtube]