So I've been waiting along time for this comparison. Reading others RR numbers after full charge scattered throughout many threads I've been remiss to crow about mine since I simply couldn't understand definitively why they would be so good consistently. Maybe there was something amiss with my cars systems, but no.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to have my wife drive the car all day, (she resist driving it, mostly for her own credible reasons). But in this case it was the lesser of two evils. All in all she made six trips (three round trips). Two (of six) legs she was driving with me in the passenger seat. The other four alone in the car. I was stealthily watching every nuance of her throttle and brake use and overall driving style. Now she is no slouch when it comes to good fuel economy in an ICE. She bests the EPA rating in her Honda Fit (5 speed manual) by 6 mpg regularly. All that running around left the 'I' with four bars and 15miles on the RR meter. A perfect chance to compare our efficiency since I drive those same parts of town frequently. Give or take a couple of city blocks.
After a full recharge the RR meter was at 64 miles (not bad right?).
I've been keeping track for months and my morning RR ranges between 84 miles and 98 miles with a few outliers lower like the 72 mile RR after recharging from taking my wife to have her knee looked at, after hurting it surfing in Costa Rica, in January. But I drove her there and did two hours in the parking lot running the heat steadily (31F outside partly cloudy) doing some work on my laptop.
So what then achieves the almost 25% increase in efficiency for my approach to driving the car over hers.
My 19 year old son would say I drive more aggressively than his mom. So that's not it.
I've concluded it's not what you do, but how you do it that matters!
1. I'm super steady on the throttle none of the constant on and off, on and off, that many drivers do by default.
2. I'm super smoooooth with the throttle changes I do make.
3. I accelerate briskly to be sure but rarely push the power meter very much past the second mark to do so.
4. I "brake" long and steady to stops rarely pegging the power needle in the regen zone.
5. I drive well ahead of my position which allows me to drive proactively to upcoming conditions instead of reacting to them later when I'm upon them.
Number five is the critical one in my mind since it enables one to do most of the others. I read a study once where drivers were gauged. (one of those eye position instruments) they deemed that most drivers drive a little under 100 ft from their hood. Some measured significantly less. I drive more like 400 to 600 feet in front of my position, Even farther on the freeway. I was taught this in a defensive driving course taught by a very convincing, rational, smart instructor. It pays off in other ways too. Like avoiding traffic issues instead of sitting in them. Knowing whats ahead lets one catch more free lights and always maximize regen recovery from ever stop that can't be avoided.
Observing my wife drive the 'i' she was on and off the throttle constantly. and regen/braking later than I would using more friction braking. Even braking hard with just regen (B mode pegging the needle) is significantly less efficient. High rate charges (regen) and discharges (needle pegged acceleration) waste power more than lower rates. Just as power conversion at maximum rates (motor and controller) is less efficient.
Sure I pegg it once in a while getting by the SUV's to be first up the ramp onto the freeway. But most ICE's can be beat with 2 1/4 notches on the power meter.
I hope these proven strategies help some have more range and just as much fun leading the pack around!
Just as s side note I went to the DMV this morning a 15.2 mile round trip and started with my wife's 64 mile RR and returned home with the RR showing 63 Miles
Aerowhatt
Yesterday I had the opportunity to have my wife drive the car all day, (she resist driving it, mostly for her own credible reasons). But in this case it was the lesser of two evils. All in all she made six trips (three round trips). Two (of six) legs she was driving with me in the passenger seat. The other four alone in the car. I was stealthily watching every nuance of her throttle and brake use and overall driving style. Now she is no slouch when it comes to good fuel economy in an ICE. She bests the EPA rating in her Honda Fit (5 speed manual) by 6 mpg regularly. All that running around left the 'I' with four bars and 15miles on the RR meter. A perfect chance to compare our efficiency since I drive those same parts of town frequently. Give or take a couple of city blocks.
After a full recharge the RR meter was at 64 miles (not bad right?).
I've been keeping track for months and my morning RR ranges between 84 miles and 98 miles with a few outliers lower like the 72 mile RR after recharging from taking my wife to have her knee looked at, after hurting it surfing in Costa Rica, in January. But I drove her there and did two hours in the parking lot running the heat steadily (31F outside partly cloudy) doing some work on my laptop.
So what then achieves the almost 25% increase in efficiency for my approach to driving the car over hers.
My 19 year old son would say I drive more aggressively than his mom. So that's not it.
I've concluded it's not what you do, but how you do it that matters!
1. I'm super steady on the throttle none of the constant on and off, on and off, that many drivers do by default.
2. I'm super smoooooth with the throttle changes I do make.
3. I accelerate briskly to be sure but rarely push the power meter very much past the second mark to do so.
4. I "brake" long and steady to stops rarely pegging the power needle in the regen zone.
5. I drive well ahead of my position which allows me to drive proactively to upcoming conditions instead of reacting to them later when I'm upon them.
Number five is the critical one in my mind since it enables one to do most of the others. I read a study once where drivers were gauged. (one of those eye position instruments) they deemed that most drivers drive a little under 100 ft from their hood. Some measured significantly less. I drive more like 400 to 600 feet in front of my position, Even farther on the freeway. I was taught this in a defensive driving course taught by a very convincing, rational, smart instructor. It pays off in other ways too. Like avoiding traffic issues instead of sitting in them. Knowing whats ahead lets one catch more free lights and always maximize regen recovery from ever stop that can't be avoided.
Observing my wife drive the 'i' she was on and off the throttle constantly. and regen/braking later than I would using more friction braking. Even braking hard with just regen (B mode pegging the needle) is significantly less efficient. High rate charges (regen) and discharges (needle pegged acceleration) waste power more than lower rates. Just as power conversion at maximum rates (motor and controller) is less efficient.
Sure I pegg it once in a while getting by the SUV's to be first up the ramp onto the freeway. But most ICE's can be beat with 2 1/4 notches on the power meter.
I hope these proven strategies help some have more range and just as much fun leading the pack around!
Just as s side note I went to the DMV this morning a 15.2 mile round trip and started with my wife's 64 mile RR and returned home with the RR showing 63 Miles
Aerowhatt
