So I have two different routes to work.....

[ranss12]

They are both the same distance (28.7 miles) and they both take about 45 minutes to drive. If I take route A, I get about 6.0 miles/kwh and I'm into the 4th charge bar when I arrive at work (after a full charge). If I take route B, I get about 5.7 miles/kwh but I'm still on the 3rd charge bar when I get to work. This is very repeatable - I've done this many times. I don't understand why I get more miles per kwh on route A, but still use more kwh (as indicated by charge bars) than I do for route B when both are the same distance. I would expect that the average m/kwh measurement shown on the dash is fairly easy to accurcately calculate. Route B might be a couple of minutes faster (maybe 42 minutes instead of 45 minutes). I have about 27,000 miles on my LEAF, mostly doing this commute.
Anybody out there know what's going on here?

 

[RegGuheert]

If route B is a couple of minutes faster, than that would likely be the main reason for the lower mi/kWh (more wind resistance due to higher speeds). Another reason could be more lights or hills on Route B, reducing your average efficiency.

 

[donald]

Aerodynamic, and accessory, inefficiencies should record and flag up on a M/kWh gauge like any other electrical load on the car.

I'll bet a cent on the dollar that your route with a better range but worse indicated consumption is a route with few regen cycles.

Whereas the route that lies to you about your unbelievable energy efficiency is full of regen cycles.

Don't believe the M/kWh gauge if you're doing a lot of regen.

Check out the question and my answer in this thread:
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=13827" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yours is a good, practical example of the issue raised in that thread.

 

[TickTock]

Math comes out amazingly consistent with your results. The two routes must have similar stop/start characteristics. Drag is square-law related (meaning if you go twice as fast, you burn 4X the energy per second) however since at that faster rate you get there sooner the energy to go a given distance ends up being linearly related speed. 45/42*5.7=6.1 so, if anything, the slower route should actually achieve slightly higher efficiency (but small things like number of start/stops, amount/type of traffic, angle into wind, etc will have an influence, too, so you are easily within the error bars on the estimation).

They are both the same distance (28.7 miles) and they both take about 45 minutes to drive. If I take route A, I get about 6.0 miles/kwh and I'm into the 4th charge bar when I arrive at work (after a full charge). If I take route B, I get about 5.7 miles/kwh but I'm still on the 3rd charge bar when I get to work. This is very repeatable - I've done this many times. I don't understand why I get more miles per kwh on route A, but still use more kwh (as indicated by charge bars) than I do for route B when both are the same distance. I would expect that the average m/kwh measurement shown on the dash is fairly easy to accurcately calculate. Route B might be a couple of minutes faster (maybe 42 minutes instead of 45 minutes). I have about 27,000 miles on my LEAF, mostly doing this commute.
Anybody out there know what's going on here?

 

[johnqh]

Same distance, same time, same average speed.

However, if your speed is constant, it wastes less energy.

A constant 40mpg is better than half time at 50 and half at 30

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

Iteresting. So, can you detail A and B a little more? # of lights, speed limits, hills, coasting vs regen and/or cruise control opportunities? Etc.

Maybe you're just on the borderline of the bars? A is just over into four, and B is just at the end of three?

 

[Nubo]

6 mi/kWH?

At what speed?