[PedalPowerPanther]

I’ve finally sussed out ‘B’ mode (thanks YouTube) and it seems to be quite a bit more efficient. (Ignore temperature, didn’t have heating in for the 4.5 effort.) All week I’ve been hovering around 4.5 for the 15ish mile commute to and from work, so 5.2 is quite an increase. Will verify it tomorrow, but it looks like my already cheap to run car is gonna be even cheaper! What’s every ones best (and worst) results?

 

[Aragorn]

i usually get low 3s but its almost all motorway driving. Getting into the 2's is also doable in cold weather.

However, dont be so quick to assume the difference was all down to B mode. Your second trip was shorter which potentially means smoother traffic flow which despite the higher average speed might well be a factor.

 

[barneyd]

Same; I'd love to get 4.5. Most of my driving is on 60/70mph roads so lots of accelerating away from junctions. Still that's part of what makes and EV fun.

 

[Northeast David]

I'm getting 4.4 from a daily commute of 13 miles each way with minimal traffic congestion and speeds between 30-60mph. Usually in 'B' mode, although its not much worse in 'D'.

I've had the Leaf about 4 months now. In my previous ICE I tried hard to get the mpg has high as possible to save the cost of diesel. I don't care about efficiency half as much now. At 3p per mile, I'm really not bothered about trying to eake out another 10% efficiency!

 

[Hitstirrer]

It's very easy to get sucked into the drive for efficiency to save cash. But when analysed a bit deeper it can soon become nerdy for no good reason. For instance, assume a home rate cost of 14p per kWh, an annual mileage of 12k and compare with a mile/kWh of 4.5 against 5.2. The annual cost difference would be £50. Life is really too short to be driving like a nun's gran all the time to potentially save £50. Especially when that same car is depreciating by £3k in that same year.

 

[Drewby80]

It's very easy to get sucked into the drive for efficiency to save cash. But when analysed a bit deeper it can soon become nerdy for no good reason. For instance, assume a home rate cost of 14p per kWh, an annual mileage of 12k and compare with a mile/kWh of 4.5 against 5.2. The annual cost difference would be £50. Life is really too short to be driving like a nun's gran all the time to potentially save £50. Especially when that same car is depreciating by £3k in that same year.

This rather puts it into perspective, so the difference between driving like a nun and driving it like you've stolen it is approximately £100 a year over 12,000 miles! (tyres and brakes aside)

This is why I love EV's! It doesn't matter how you look at it, its still a no brainer! 😂

 

[Orrery]

I’ve finally sussed out ‘B’ mode (thanks YouTube) and it seems to be quite a bit more efficient....

Ah but ... more efficient than what? B mode enforces regenerative braking, which can't be 100% efficient in recycling energy back into the battery. It can't be more efficient than having no regenerative braking and planning your approach to obstacles without braking. So...

'B' mode may be more efficient than your style of braking without 'B' mode.

 

[PedalPowerPanther]

I agree that driving economically for financial gain is pretty pointless in an ev....especially when my Octopus switch completes and it’s 5p per kWh. I also have a couple of free chargers within a couple of miles. I suppose it makes sense on a long journey as it could mean the difference between making it ( to my Brothers ) 130 miles away and charging for nowt, or having to supercharge. However, I’ve been going really steady because the Leaf is so relaxing, quiet and comfortable, that I don’t mind getting to work in 30 mins rather than 25......I just chill, drink my latte, and get to work relaxed. Plus, I’m competitive.....maybe next week I’ll give her a damn good thrashing and see how low she’ll go?

 

[Drewby80]

I spend all day city driving delivering food (we run a very busy food establishment that delivers to offices) I permanently drive with e-pedal engaged.
I know e-pedal polarises drivers like marmite but it works perfectly.

On very busy days efficiency completely goes out the window, it’s all about getting everything there on time.

With e-pedal on the busiest day weaving in and out of city traffic, taking every possible gap at junctions and exploiting the clear bits of road my 40 Leaf has never returned less than 4.1 miles per Kw/h.

The enemy of efficiency is the wind resistance of driving above 60 mph.

Tried and tested!

 

[barneyd]

I’m not sure I even know how to drive economically. I’ve tried and my wife still gets better economy than me without trying. Her style looks to me like it should use more but the numbers disagree.

I‘m with others on here, it’s not going to make enough difference to matter.

 

[barneyd]

The enemy of efficiency is the wind resistance of driving above 60 mph.

Tried and tested!

It’s simple physics. Energy is proportional to the square of speed.