So, owners what range are you getting ?

[Adrian]

My "unsustainable" commute to work is 74 miles round trip. Using ECO mode, I got to work with 54 miles left. Of the 37 one way miles, 30 are fwy, which I drove at 67 MPH using the cruise control. The rest is street driving. I'm pleased I can make my round trip commute without needing to charge at work (until battery has some capacity loss). Good news is I can plug in at work, which I have been, so I can can go to lunch as well instead of keeping the car parked the entire time.

[gascant]

hmmm, I'm thinking the strategy of leaving for the office a little later (when I-880 is a little slower) might be very workable. 63 miles RT and sounds like it will be a breeze at 55 MPH. I've gotten up to 66 MPG one way in the Prius under similar conditions (but that was only once).

That should be no problem at all. Even with climate control. Speed and acceleration seems to be the primary range killer, unsurprisingly. Eco mode does a wonderful (if somewhat boring) job of discouraging both. As previously observed and reported elsewhere, the heater also has more impact than the AC.

I was so excited during my test drive in October that I completely forgot to test out eco mode. Does it make that big of a difference? I'm usually pretty slow off the line (especially with the Prius, but even with my wife's Altima Hybrid) but I like to have the juice for maneuvering at highway speeds.

[TomT]

The two biggest differences you will notice is that the first half or so of the accelerator pedal travel gives you much softer acceleration to help reduce fast starts and acceleration power usage. Though, if you push through that to full travel, you will still have full acceleration as in regular D mode. The other is that regeneration is more aggressive in ECO mode. In D you get no regen until you press the brake pedal. In ECO you get some regen just by taking you foot off of the accelerator or holding it slightly depressed. Thus you can modulate between moderate regen, coasting, and acceleration with just one pedal. Pressing the brake pedal some still gives you more regen though, of course. One smaller difference in ECO is that the Climate Control parameters are shifted to make it less aggressive in holding a preset temperature exactly, to save some energy. This is much more obvious in heating mode than cooling mode.

I was so excited during my test drive in October that I completely forgot to test out eco mode. Does it make that big of a difference? I'm usually pretty slow off the line (especially with the Prius, but even with my wife's Altima Hybrid) but I like to have the juice for maneuvering at highway speeds.

[Jimmydreams]

The two biggest differences you will notice is that the first half or so of the accelerator pedal travel gives you much softer acceleration to help reduce fast starts and acceleration power usage. Though, if you push through that to full travel, you will still have full acceleration as in regular D mode. The other is that regeneration is more aggressive in ECO mode. In D you get no regen until you press the brake pedal. In ECO you get some regen just by taking you foot off of the accelerator or holding it slightly depressed. Thus you can modulate between moderate regen, coasting, and acceleration with just one pedal. Pressing the brake pedal some still gives you more regen though, of course. One smaller difference in ECO is that the Climate Control parameters are shifted to make it less aggressive in holding a preset temperature exactly, to save some energy. This is much more obvious in heating mode than cooling mode.

I was so excited during my test drive in October that I completely forgot to test out eco mode. Does it make that big of a difference? I'm usually pretty slow off the line (especially with the Prius, but even with my wife's Altima Hybrid) but I like to have the juice for maneuvering at highway speeds.

I also drive mostly in D, but keep my hand on the 'shifter' and go to ECO when I want to slow down and maximize regen. If I need to maximize range, I'll use ECO all the time, but switch into D momentarily if I need some quick acceleration.

Learning to use them both enhances regen AND range.

[TomT]

I initially thought I'd almost never use ECO unless I was desperate for every mile of range for a particular trip. With close to a thousand miles now though, I find I have changed my philosophy and am using ECO most of the time. I like being able to modulate the pedal to easily control regen, coast and power with just one foot. Also, for me at least and my terrain, Cruise Control seems to work better and more efficiently in ECO mode. (I admit that I am a big Cruise addict and use it frequently even though I know it costs a little in range...) I've seen no real difference in Climate Control performance between the two modes but it has been so temperate since I got the car that I would not expect to. Come summer here in the valley, I may change my mind...

Now I'm off to change that pathetic and embarrassing excuse for a horn!!! I opted for the PIAA 400/500 Hz. 115db pair.

I also drive mostly in D, but keep my hand on the 'shifter' and go to ECO when I want to slow down and maximize regen. If I need to maximize range, I'll use ECO all the time, but switch into D momentarily if I need some quick acceleration.

[gascant]

The two biggest differences you will notice is that the first half or so of the accelerator pedal travel gives you much softer acceleration to help reduce fast starts and acceleration power usage. Though, if you push through that to full travel, you will still have full acceleration as in regular D mode. The other is that regeneration is more aggressive in ECO mode. In D you get no regen until you press the brake pedal. In ECO you get some regen just by taking you foot off of the accelerator or holding it slightly depressed.

So is hypermiling different in the LEAF from what it is in the Prius or other hybrid? It sounds like shifting between the two modes helps, or am I over-interpreting? I don't consider myself a hypermiler, but I do consistently achieve 50-52 in the Prius and most of my driving is at 67 MPH on freeways.

[sproqitman]

I also drive mostly in D, but keep my hand on the 'shifter' and go to ECO when I want to slow down and maximize regen. If I need to maximize range, I'll use ECO all the time, but switch into D momentarily if I need some quick acceleration.

I live in a pretty hilly area, and I use ECO just like downshifting. In other words, I normally drive in D, but if the hill is steep enough that I would ordinarily downshift an automatic, I shift into ECO.

[Herm]

So is hypermiling different in the LEAF from what it is in the Prius or other hybrid? It sounds like shifting between the two modes helps, or am I over-interpreting? I don't consider myself a hypermiler, but I do consistently achieve 50-52 in the Prius and most of my driving is at 67 MPH on freeways.

Hypermiling in a Leaf is much simpler than in a Prius.

The definition of a hypermiler is a driver that exceeds the EPA ratings for his car.. an elite hypermiler would rarely use regen in his Leaf, he would drive it as if the car had no brakes at all, and would use air and tire drag to slow him down. He would only use regen on the down trip from Pikes's Peak as a last resort.. regen is not 100% effective in recovering energy.

I believe hypermilers in Japan are getting 190 miles of range with the Leaf.

[gasmiser1]

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Now I'm off to change that pathetic and embarrassing excuse for a horn!!! I opted for the PIAA 400/500 Hz. 115db pair.

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Please post photos and instructions about the horn upgrade for those of us mechanically challenged

[DeaneG]

Now I'm off to change that pathetic and embarrassing excuse for a horn!!! I opted for the PIAA 400/500 Hz. 115db pair.

Please post photos and instructions about the horn upgrade for those of us mechanically challenged

+1, please start a new thread about upgrading the horn. I'm sure it will be popular.