Just raced with a Chevy Volt

[ericsf]

He got me by surprise on the left flank while I was cruizing at 60mph in heavy commuter traffic. Once I realized it was a Volt I immediately decided to show him who's boss. I sneaked through the traffic (probably did a few illegal things) to get back at his side, took a good look at him and took off. I think he got the message

Okay, that was dumb of me (and screwed up my mileage) but it did feel good :twisted:

Has anybody else has engaged with the "enemy" yet or am I the only dumb Leaf owner who need to grow up

 

[LakeLeaf]

YES! Eric!

 

[abasile]

Has anybody else has engaged with the "enemy" yet or am I the only dumb Leaf owner who need to grow up

Enemy??? Perhaps a big gas guzzler (like a Hummer), but not a Volt! :lol:

 

[Stoaty]

Certainly not "the enemy"... but I hope you showed him who is boss anyway!

 

[ENIAC]

Well, um.. I'm beat a late model Vette off the line from a green light the other night. But I don't think he actually thought he was in a race. :lol:

I should contact Barrons. How about this headline, "LEAF beats Vette off stop light! Then leaves driver stranded!" (It didn't actually leave me stranded but no LEAF has actually stranded anyone either)

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

I would love to see a standing-start 1/4 mi drag race between a Leaf and Volt.

 

[ericsf]

Yeaa. I guess calling the Volt the "ennemy" is pushing it a bit. But it still has a fuel tank and to me we're not the same species. Anyway, I am cracking up thinking he might be posting about a "crazy Leaf" in their own forums :lol:

While we're on the topic of loosing a few IQ points when we get behind the wheel : Any speeding tickets yet? (freeway speeding, of course)

 

[mxp]

He got me by surprise on the left flank while I was cruizing at 60mph in heavy commuter traffic. Once I realized it was a Volt I immediately decided to show him who's boss. I sneaked through the traffic (probably did a few illegal things) to get back at his side, took a good look at him and took off. I think he got the message

Okay, that was dumb of me (and screwed up my mileage) but it did feel good :twisted:

Has anybody else has engaged with the "enemy" yet or am I the only dumb Leaf owner who need to grow up

YES!!!!! Good stuff Eric!

 

[blackvalkyrie]

Two eco-sloths "race" each other - priceless !

 

[GeekEV]

I would love to see a standing-start 1/4 mi drag race between a Leaf and Volt.

This could be arranged... Though if i were the Volt owner, I'm not sure I'd want to. :lol:

 

[mark13]

Uh Oh could we be talking modding the motor next ..I know there goes the warrany once you do it..It will be interesting to see if any company offers mods for the Leaf in the future..

 

[Bassman]

Two eco-sloths "race" each other - priceless !

I wouldn't call the LEAF a sloth. It's pretty quick at low end acceleration. Equal to an Altima V6 or better.


It's quick to a very low speed and then it is a bit poor after that.

 

[mwalsh]

I've been in two throwdowns, and fared pretty well in both. First was with a Toyota Tacoma TRD, (engine size unknown beyond V6 or V8). Second was with a Mustang (also V6 or V8). While I couldn't necessarily beat either, they certainly couldn't get away from me, and both the other drivers seemed surprised and embarrassed. The Tacoma driver was especially satisfying, because he was being really obnoxious, revving his engine to the point where I thought it was going to blow up. He probably used a gallon of gas just waiting for the light to change. :lol:

 

[EVDRIVER]

Uh Oh could we be talking modding the motor next ..I know there goes the warrany once you do it..It will be interesting to see if any company offers mods for the Leaf in the future..

There won't be a motor modification as it won't do any good. The motor is designed to do some things well in the LEAF and others not so great, it's not optimized for performance and the only way to get more is to replace it which is pointless on a car of this type. There may be hope in improving the inverter but I doubt that's worth it and there are power limitations placed on the pack as well. A performance EV needs a different motor design and a much higher power inverter and lower weight. The LEAF is a very average performance EV designed to be a utility car.

 

[Ready2plugin]

I've been in two throwdowns, and fared pretty well in both. First was with a Toyota Tacoma TRD, (engine size unknown beyond V6 or V8). Second was with a Mustang (also V6 or V8). While I couldn't necessarily beat either, they certainly couldn't get away from me, and both the other drivers seemed surprised and embarrassed. The Tacoma driver was especially satisfying, because he was being really obnoxious, revving his engine to the point where I thought it was going to blow up. He probably used a gallon of gas just waiting for the light to change. :lol:

Why would someone come up to a LEAF and want to race like that? They must have no clue. I have a '94 mustang GT convertible (limited edition black w/tan leather & stock chrome wheels), that I just can't part with, even though I probably drive it less than 250 miles a year. Almost every time I take it out, someone is trying to race me....as for the LEAF, never happened yet.

 

[GeorgeParrott]

Everything I have read, in every car mag, reports the Volt a bit quicker than the LEAF, so I would be careful about "calling out" Volt drivers. Remember that at least one of us here (me) own BOTH the LEAF and the Volt.

Based on my driving of both cars, and perhaps because I always drive the LEAF in ECO mode and the Volt in the "L" range (which gives more immediate regen and effectively stronger regen braking)....The Volt feels (much) faster than the LEAF. Last night, coming home from a dinner social, I switched the LEAF into the regular "D" mode for the last couple of stop signs approaching our house and while that felt a bit more responsive than the "ECO" mode, it still was NOT as quick feeling as the Volt.

My recollection on comparative acceleration tests is that the Volt is about .5 second FASTER to 60 mph and about 1 second faster in the quarter mile with maybe 10-15 mph faster top end.

So, fellow LEAF drivers beware of angering the Volt driver. Where we (LEAF drivers) excel is with "miles/kW." I seem to be getting around 3.5-4.5 with the Volt and about 5.5 miles/kW with the LEAF.

And isn't THAT what we actually opted for this (these) cars for?

[Adult/Parent mode off]
:lol:

 

[EVDRIVER]

I've been in two throwdowns, and fared pretty well in both. First was with a Toyota Tacoma TRD, (engine size unknown beyond V6 or V8). Second was with a Mustang (also V6 or V8). While I couldn't necessarily beat either, they certainly couldn't get away from me, and both the other drivers seemed surprised and embarrassed. The Tacoma driver was especially satisfying, because he was being really obnoxious, revving his engine to the point where I thought it was going to blow up. He probably used a gallon of gas just waiting for the light to change. :lol:

The performance of that car varies on the year and motor, likely the 2.7 four (4200 lbs) and sounds like a manual transmission, I have an 05 in auto V6 and I can assure you it will have no problem out doing a LEAF, it's quite fast for it's weight because of it's high torque (275 ft lbs) and 250 HP. At full throttle the issue is keeping traction to the rear wheels.

 

[LakeLeaf]

I've been in two throwdowns, and fared pretty well in both. First was with a Toyota Tacoma TRD, (engine size unknown beyond V6 or V8). Second was with a Mustang (also V6 or V8). While I couldn't necessarily beat either, they certainly couldn't get away from me, and both the other drivers seemed surprised and embarrassed. The Tacoma driver was especially satisfying, because he was being really obnoxious, revving his engine to the point where I thought it was going to blow up. He probably used a gallon of gas just waiting for the light to change. :lol:

Do you have the "My daughter is an honor student at Mission Hills Elementary School" bumper sticker on the car?

Geez, that would be the icing on the cake in getting beat by a LEAF :lol:

 

[AndyH]

Uh Oh could we be talking modding the motor next ..I know there goes the warrany once you do it..It will be interesting to see if any company offers mods for the Leaf in the future..

There won't be a motor modification as it won't do any good. The motor is designed to do some things well in the LEAF and others not so great, it's not optimized for performance and the only way to get more is to replace it which is pointless on a car of this type. There may be hope in improving the inverter but I doubt that's worth it and there are power limitations placed on the pack as well. A performance EV needs a different motor design and a much higher power inverter and lower weight. The LEAF is a very average performance EV designed to be a utility car.

Ok EVDRIVER - I've got your number now. There are different types of geeks with different areas of specialization.
- not optimized for performance?
- motor replacement pointless on a car of this type?
- average performance utility car?

Good thing this guy looks at the world through different colored glasses:


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=369h-SEBXd8[/youtube]

And...a TANGO?!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwiS4t8TMlI[/youtube]

MOD THAT LEAF! :lol: :lol:


edit...better Zombie video...aspect ratio...

 

[Nubo]

A "Street-Killz" thread. The LEAF has arrived. :lol: