"friendnumber1
Post subject: Drained it –One Leaf Owner's ExperiencePosted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:40 am
This is long, I know, but bear with me.
I now have a firm figure on my expected driving range from a 100% charge, and that figure is not 100 miles, not 90 miles, and not even 80 miles. I offer this account for the benefit of other drivers. Please don’t reply to offer use of your charging dock, or point out that Boardwalk Nissan has them, or provide any other helpful hints. If you want to flame me, go ahead, I can’t stop you. I am writing this purely to share my experience with other LEAF owners. I am happy to answer polite inquiries.
Last night, I tried to take my family (wife and two small kids, well below 500 pounds total payload including the car seat) on an 80 mile round trip from San Francisco to Los Altos and back. Leaving the house, the dashboard estimated our driving range at 112, and this figure steadily decreased as we headed uphill towards, then along 280. I have about 600 miles on the car, and I have experienced the variable nature of the expected range as you go up and down hills, so I expected my cushion to return after passing 92 or so and heading down towards Los Altos. I kept it in ECO, used the fan, but not A/C and we listened satellite radio, and some from my Ipod. I mostly kept the speed between 60 and 65 on the way down. I did not use cruise control.
Once we arrived in Los Altos, we expected to stay a couple hours so I tried to trickle-charge since our expected range at that point was only 42 miles. Unfortunately, that was first time that I used it, and the plug I used was not grounded properly. It wasn’t until about 20 minutes before we left that I read the manual and then changed outlets. So we only got a negligible bit of extra juice for the ride home.
For the trip back, our friends followed us, and we drove between 55 and 65 for the most part, with no heating or air. We did listen to the radio. Some ways after 92, we were asked if we wanted to search for charging stations, and as we passed the 380 interchange, we got the message that we had an extremely low battery and should look for a charging station immediately. But the range was very close to the distance to our house so we kept going. In Daly City we opted to get off the freeway for safety reasons. The route we chose had negligible effect on distance traveled. Near Lake Merced, our expected range hit the three dashes, and as we approached Great Highway we went into turtle mode.
I suppose if you drive 5 miles an hour, turtle mode might last a while but as it was, it only lasted about a mile for us. We ran out of juice about two blocks from our house. I have read on this board some speculate that you can shut off the car and then restart it and get some short distance of “extra” range. This was not my experience. I was able to get the car into neutral, and my Wife and I pushed the car home with my 8 year old steering. I am very glad that I purchased a 25 foot cord as it allowed me to charge the car with it just into the drive way, and 30 minutes later I could pull it into the garage.
Drove the car to work this morning and it seems none the worse for wear.
I have to say that I am disappointed. I realize that I was not a single occupant, and that I didn’t drive 55 (I didn’t go 70 either) and 280 is somewhat hilly, but 80 miles does not seem like an unreasonable expectation. Then there is the stress. Since getting the Leaf, my daughter has been telling my wife that her car is old, and how much she likes my car. Driving the last 10 miles she wanted my wife to hold her hand and was saying how she hated daddy’s car. I hope getting to steer it for that block or so, may have improved her spirits."