[JohnMars]

I know this have been covered before but I'm getting more shocked at my behaviour when I drive the car in normal, D mode with no eco........ I literally turn into a monster!!!!

I normally drive my car in eco mode with B, and I love pootling about, driving carefully and taking great pride and care in my leaf. I stop getting angry with other motorists, I don't care if someone wants to cut me up as I am more aware and feel I'd rather keep my little car and self safe.

I didn't dare drive without Eco as felt it was too fast getting to know my new car.

BUT......

Since wanting to drive without eco to test my range with my cell issues, my god once I turn Eco off Im a different man! I love the speed, the pull away, the fact you can accelerate hard anywhere and the car just moves, it grips the road like glue with its low centre of gravity ughghg, I can feel the thrill just writing about non eco driving!!!! Oh and the noise!!!! I absolutely LOVE hearing that futuristic high whine sound of my car as it accelerates!

I thought to myself "this is madness", just control your foot, and drive the car without eco in the same way you would if you had ego activated, and I'm ashamed to say I just cannot. I have excellent fine motor control, it just comes down to the fact I love that full torque!!!!!!!

Ok, I'm shaking and slightly sweaty now just thinking about it, and know I need to just stop pressing the button, cold turkey, stay in eco.

Detox time me thinks.

 

[husoi]

It's called Adrenaline
You will get used to it and you will calm down on your driving.
The advantage is that you will know how to control the car far better and you always know you have the power available. Handy for teasing kids at traffic lights.

 

[Barfly]

My guilty secret is exposed for all to see-this old fart must also acknowledge his secret pleasure when the foot stamps down! And that's coming from a 3 litre turbocharged EOS!

 

[Layzee]

I know this have been covered before but I'm getting more shocked at my behaviour when I drive the car in normal, D mode with no eco........ I literally turn into a monster!!!!

I normally drive my car in eco mode with B, and I love pootling about, driving carefully and taking great pride and care in my leaf. I stop getting angry with other motorists, I don't care if someone wants to cut me up as I am more aware and feel I'd rather keep my little car and self safe.

I didn't dare drive without Eco as felt it was too fast getting to know my new car.

BUT......

Since wanting to drive without eco to test my range with my cell issues, my god once I turn Eco off Im a different man! I love the speed, the pull away, the fact you can accelerate hard anywhere and the car just moves, it grips the road like glue with its low centre of gravity ughghg, I can feel the thrill just writing about non eco driving!!!! Oh and the noise!!!! I absolutely LOVE hearing that futuristic high whine sound of my car as it accelerates!

I thought to myself "this is madness", just control your foot, and drive the car without eco in the same way you would if you had ego activated, and I'm ashamed to say I just cannot. I have excellent fine motor control, it just comes down to the fact I love that full torque!!!!!!!

Ok, I'm shaking and slightly sweaty now just thinking about it, and know I need to just stop pressing the button, cold turkey, stay in eco.

Detox time me thinks.

Wait till you try the 40Kw version with the more powerful 150hp motor

 

[husoi]

Not to mention the 62kw with 217...
You can spin the wheel of it at 40mph

 

[Hitstirrer]

I've always been mystified by the extensive use of various eco mode selections in EVs. The driving experience is awful. Lethargic and like driving through a treacle bed. In normal or sport mode or whatever a car calls it is --err -- normal. And if someone is inclined to drive like a nuns granny they still can as long as they have adequate control of their right foot. This also means that there is no massive difference between treacle driving and normal driving that invokes this Jekyll/Hyde reaction that worries people.

 

[husoi]

Hence having turned everything off except e-pedal, this I turn off when I'm about to use all the power. like overtaking on a short distance.

 

[JohnMars]

one question I have is about the ”balls of power”. I try to drive as much as possible with just the main middle, one ball showing, and always worry if I let it show the ball plus one regen ball that I’m wasting power or not driving at max efficency.

Am I right thinking of you have a regen ball showing your wasting energy, e.g is it better to either have no regen showing and be crushing, e.g. If your going to use regen, use it well to slow and stop if you have too.

I hope i’m making sense!

Also ive noticed if I’m driving along, say using two balls, then slip it into B mode, I can feel the engine slow slightly as if I’m now driving against resistance. Does the B mode actually decrease economy if cruising maybe by causing more friction the motor has to power against?

 

[husoi]

one question I have is about the ”balls of power”. I try to drive as much as possible with just the main middle, one ball showing, and always worry if I let it show the ball plus one regen ball that I’m wasting power or not driving at max efficency.

Am I right thinking of you have a regen ball showing your wasting energy, e.g is it better to either have no regen showing and be crushing, e.g. If your going to use regen, use it well to slow and stop if you have too.

I hope i’m making sense!

Also ive noticed if I’m driving along, say using two balls, then slip it into B mode, I can feel the engine slow slightly as if I’m now driving against resistance. Does the B mode actually decrease economy if cruising maybe by causing more friction the motor has to power against?

The most efficient mode is using as little power as possible. But this is not always possible because you will have headwind, hills to climb, curves etc.
Slow acceleration is also the most efficient opposite to a stronger speeding up.
if you can drive with 1 or 2 regen balls then you're recharging the battery as if in 6kw mode which is the most efficient charging mode, stronger regen, full range of blue balls, wastes more energy as the batteries will heat up and offer more resistance to take charge.

Below a certain rpm the regen becomes less effective but still better than using mechanical brakes.
The B mode will "cut" on the available power and will favour regen so you will notice a sluggish motor as you say.

To make it as efficient as possible (regarding B mode and discarding all the other factors) you should only use B mode when you know you will be having some regen and turn back to D when you're driving without making any regen.
All comes down to how light is your right foot

 

[PJM MK]

It runs out of steam once you've reached A road speeds. That push in the back vanishes and it feels as if someone threw an anchor out. Helps save the licence I suppose but it is a bit disappointing that it happens at such a low speed. Then again the LEAF is a town runaround, not a tourer or a sports machine, so I guess that's ok.

Using that power absolutely trashes your range though

 

[husoi]

Using that power absolutely trashes your range though

True, but is soooooo much fun

 

[dkelly84]

I agree with the original sentiment, with one exception - I only drive in "D" mode on the motorway when I want to coast a litte more. The brakes are too useless around town without the help of the extra regen of "B". That 100% --> 98% or whatever it is top of the battery, where "B" mode is effectively the same as "D" while waiting for room to be cleared in the battery for regen power is the worst part of any journey for me.

 

[JohnMars]

Yes I agree its hell of a lot of weight to stop!

Im currently driving in D only! And it seems to actually not be having any effect on range so far!

 

[dk6780]

The Gen1 had no B mode but better brakes - twin pot rather than single. Probably only made a difference when racing .

Just a slight note of caution, one thing that may affect battery life is the rate of discharge, and in ECO mode this is limited to a lower figure than not.

 

[JohnMars]

The Gen1 had no B mode but better brakes - twin pot rather than single. Probably only made a difference when racing .

Just a slight note of caution, one thing that may affect battery life is the rate of discharge, and in ECO mode this is limited to a lower figure than not.

what do you mean dk? Eco mode prolonges battery life? Is that due to a slower rate of discharge due to reduced acceleration?

 

[dk6780]

That's the allegation - based on the same pedal movement or above a certain rate of acceleration that ECO doesn't reach easily. Don't ask me to provide evidence at this time of night ......

If you accelerate at the same rate then the energy usage is clearly the same.

 

[JohnMars]

That's the allegation. Don't ask me to provide evidence at this time of night ......

don’t worry I have also had too much Friday night juice!

 

[donald]

The most efficient mode is using as little power as possible.

No it isn't. I have posted in detail about this.

Of course, unless, that is, you're not actually trying to get from one place to another, e.g. that you are referring to staying at home. Then, zero power means, of course, that you use zero energy.

 

[donald]

Driving and driving safety is about attitude.

Make sure you are in the right frame of mind to drive in whatever way you are about to intent to drive in.

 

[donald]

The most efficient mode is using as little power as possible.

Please review and comment;

Getting that bit more range from donald-style driving.

I am using a generalised efficiency map from a public document here, it is quite representative of a lot of motors/inverters, obviously there will be variation. You will notice it is rpm versus torque. Bear in mind the highest point of the torque is the maximum power, so for example at 1000rpm...

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