[sokoloff]

Had to do a 75 mile round trip yesterday in the cabriolet. Of course I started with a full charge that gave me a projected range of 74 miles. The drive was sort of a city drive with speeds generally around 45 mph, stop lights, etc. I nursed it along by often popping it into "N" when I saw a red light coming up. Made it easily and when I pulled into the garage, I still had 22% of charge left. Adding the miles driven to the range left at the end, I got a total range of 96 miles which pretty closely matches the charge remaining.

Charged it overnight at based on that drive, I'm getting a projected range this "tankful" of 88 miles. I was thinking that if I could get the car up to 88 mph, I wonder if I'd go Back to the Future?

Did a battery test this morning and it is showing:

Individual Cell Statistics:
-----------------------------------------
CV mean : 4179 mV, dV= 27 mV, s= 2.87 mV
CV min : 4154 mV, # 79
CV max : 4181 mV, # 5
-----------------------------------------
CAP mean: 18141 As/10, 50.4 Ah
CAP min : 17953 As/10, 49.9 Ah, # 40
CAP max : 18317 As/10, 50.9 Ah, # 37

Len
2014 EV Coupe 18,000 miles
2014 EV Cabriolet 11,500 miles

 

[Yinzer]

I'm curious about how you the coasted to traffic lights in neutral - and presumably using at least some service braking, versus feathering the throttle for slight application of regen. The latter would seem to be more efficient. Admittedly, you driving environment is a lot different than mine - long-straight flat suburban roads and relatively light traffic with the traffic lights visible from at least a half-mile away.

In my case, the traffic light is likely to be downhill, around a curve, or with quirky cross-traffic-dependent timing, so that all putting it in neutral would do is require lots of service brake application when regen could be used instead. And certainly I'm way ahead not putting it in neutral down long hills - as I often do in my M/T IC engine car.

 

[sokoloff]

Not a lot of downhills, but a fair amount of traffic lights and light traffic. If I see a light turning yellow/red ahead of me and traffic behind me is reasonably clear, then I will drop it into "N" as much as a half mile away. It is my belief that the battery at zero in "N" will give me more range than using a combination of accelerating and then regenerating. I never used the parking brake to slow me down. If needed, I'd pop it back into "D" and use the brake if necessary. Many, many times I'd have it worked out to the point that I'd get to the light near the time when the light was turning green and it was time to go back into "D." The "N" in this car is amazingly free wheeling and keeps up the speed for a long time on the flat and especially down slight grades which is all we've got.

Len
2014 EV Coupe 18,000 miles
2014 EV Cabriolet 11,500 miles

 

[Rob22304]

Why go through the hassle of shifting into neutral and wear/tear in the shifter when feathering the gas pedal will give you neutral? Alternately, you can turn regeneration off in the menu if you donÂ’t like it.

The last thing IÂ’d do is shift a car into neutral while driving at speed.

 

[jimsokoloff]

"Shifting" an ED into neutral does not do anything mechanical. It merely disables the effect of the "throttle" and regen (pins it at 0%, rather than feathering which probably ranges from minus a few percent to plus a few percent).

 

[Rob22304]

"Shifting" an ED into neutral does not do anything mechanical. It merely disables the effect of the "throttle" and regen (pins it at 0%, rather than feathering which probably ranges from minus a few percent to plus a few percent).

Sure it does, there are springs and detentes in the shifter along with the electrical contacts. Those wear out and will cause early replacement of the shifter assembly. There are no shifting gears so I agree with you on that. Also there’s no “probably” about feathering in zero current, I do it often in traffic. Neither of those is the best reason not to drive around in neutral, it’s safety. I don’t want to fumble with the gear shifter and not have both hands available to steer the car in a crisis situation. Leaving the car in drive at all times gives you instantaneous and full control over your car at all times.

 

[Smart car]

Excellent range Sokoloff!
I have a 2015 ED and I have an average of 78 miles on my dash every morning. Highest I've seen on the range guestamator was 83 miles.