False MPG Figures: Sun Article

[AndyRKett]

I use a Leaf on a regular basis at work. I think Nissan quote 120 miles range.

However, in the winter on a cold day after a full charge it will display just over 80 miles range. Using the heating straight away knocks 20 miles off.

Using the one the other day it said it had 71 miles. After a bit of driving around say at the most 15 miles, the range said 14.

I have run one out of power before, it said it had a range of 20 miles, I needed to do a journey of 12 miles. I didn't make it and had to be recovered.

They are nice enough to drive and not lacking in performance but lack reliability in range.

if this is a work pool car then its not a very fair representation, the range is predicted from the use it gets before and after you got behind the wheel, so if someone is a super carful slow driver who did a nice journey with no traffic, then a few hours later you get in and do a stop start journey with all the electrical systems running while not actually racking up any miles then the range is going to drop significantly, if it was your own car and you were the only driver then it would be much more predictable based on your use

though i did buy something from eBay last year from a woman who had traded her old car in for a Leaf and she pretty much said running the heating or aircon at the extremes (either full hot or full cooling) can effectively half the range depending on the journey

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

They are nice enough to drive and not lacking in performance but lack reliability in range.

Not saying this is the case, and I've not driven a Leaf personally, so cannot comment, but perhaps its down to how its being used?

Range is based upon previous usage type, if driven well and then the next driver hoons it everywhere then this is bound to potentially happen.

You see very few unhappy Leaf owners though.....

 

[JimbbobW1977]

The car is normally left on charge for the next user.

If I needed a car for town use I wouldn't say no to a Leaf at all, however I do motorway driving most of the time, the range on a Leaf drops like a stone on a motorway.

They are nice cars, practical and roomy well specced and reliable.

Apart from creaky suspension at the front, squeaky window seals and a few rattles they are nice. I read somewhere that they are quicker to 30mph than a Golf GTI.

The BMW I3 appears to be having a few reliability issues though.

 

[StevenRB45]

Has anyone ever had a car in general with an accurate range indicator? I know mine will show 530+ miles with a fresh tank of fuel, yet you will find even if you match or exceed the stated economy figures, you can't get more than 420 without every single fuel display including range telling its all about to go pear shaped even though it has 2 gallons left.

In a Leaf it is a much more important thing but it wouldn't surprise me if similarly daft software was used..

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

however I do motorway driving most of the time, the range on a Leaf drops like a stone on a motorway.

Again depending upon what speed you sit at, the power used to sit at 50vs70mph will make a significant difference, no different to the petrol or diesel used at these two speeds.

Has anyone ever had a car in general with an accurate range indicator?

In a Leaf it is a much more important thing but it wouldn't surprise me if similarly daft software was used..

Well the Prius EV range has always been pessimistic in my experience which makes a nice change

But I hear what you're saying.

 

[StevenRB45]

Well the Prius EV range has always been pessimistic in my experience which makes a nice change

But I hear what you're saying.

Neither pessimism or optimism is accurate

Tbf unless it was linked to the sat nav and had up to date gradients, traffic information and learned your driving style it will never be right.