Tips on maximizing range on Spark EV

In the 10 or 11 months I’ve own this car now (and now approaching 13k miles), there are several things I’ve learned through trial and error, change of habits, and/or settings on the Spark EV that I’d like to share that I feel will help maximize driving range, should that be a goal of yours. I’ll assume most everyone knows most of this, so the below is meant to be a little accumulation of the tips and tricks that should help maximize range. And as a reference, I’ve owned 3 different Prius’s and a Camry Hybrid before the Spark EV.

1) Inflate tires to between 42-44 PSI to get the least rolling resistance.

2) Use only factory tires and factory sizes; do not go “square”. I’ve put on Direzza’s and Yoko S Drives and they’ve both taken significant hits on range.

3) Throttle temperature HVAC of cabin at 70 degrees when cold outside (i.e. around 40 – 30 degrees F). And only use when the windshield starts to fog. During the summer, no issues or significant decreases in range are seen when using AC.

4) Drive in D when coasting, however throttle to L when in traffic or needing to slow the car down. I’m constantly switching back and forth between D and L (and sometimes N) throughout my drive, to the point where some people driving with me will ask if the car is a manual. Being in D is important to help maximize your coast, and L will help regenerate some energy.

5) Change the Drive Efficiency gauge to show the “ACCEL …. BRAKE” only display. Maintain your drive to where the green ball is consistently centered (and leaves are rotating). This will help teach you to pulse and glide and not to accelerate rapidly. And if you’re braking too fast (yellow ball towards BRAKE), that just means you’re driving too fast. Changing the display and gauging your drive alone I think is one of the most beneficial for maximizing range. Unfortunately, that also means driving slow.

6) Tint the windows to help shield the sun and maintain a more consistent cabin temperature without having to use the HVAC constantly.

7) Swap out as many halogen bulbs for LED’s (headlights, dome light, license plate light, etc.). I don’t know if this does anything, but it just give me some peace of mind and allows me to leave my lights on all the time.

If anybody else has any other tips not mentioned here, please chime in (always up for learning new tricks!).

Doing all these, what is your mi/kWh? Mine shows 5.3 mi/kWh after over 15K miles, and I don't do most of what you suggest. I keep it in L, rarely use AC/heat, windows mostly open, almost always have at least two dogs in the car that weigh over 70 lb each.

The best way to maximize range is to drive in Los Angeles. With the terrible traffic jam ALL THE F'ing TIME, I always get over 6 mi/kWh, sometimes 7 mi/kWh. I don't go there often, but unfortunately, even once is once too many.

This morning, I was able to muster about 6 m/kwh (MPGE was 194 for 30 miles, 5.9 kwh used). Unfortunately, I have quite a bit of elevation gain on my commute. Looks like +1800 ft according to ridewithgps. And the temperature when I left the house was 34F here in Oregon.




And the obligatory picture of the beater commuter this morning

zzzzzzzz said:

.. that I’d like to share that I feel will help maximize driving range, should that be a goal of yours. ...

Click to expand...

1- Is this to save a few cents in electron costs? The Spark EV is already probably the least expensive car to power, $/mi. I have more range than I can use commuting. On weekends there is a network of DCFC all over my metro area for long days of driving.

2- Were you able to quantify the 'hit' the the Yoko S Drives had? Did you try 50 psi? Did you use them up, or swap back to LRR tires before using them up? 15k mi? I think not. Are they for sale!?!

3- Using the brake pedal in D supplies the exact same amount of Regen as shifting to L and there is NO friction brake usage. Watch the regen display. Once it maxes, then you get BLENDED friction brakes. I can see using N might have benefits at times, (not sure when that would be? In D with 0kW displayed would be the same thing as N, no?)

Love the mud flaps! That is one hard working Spark EV !!

If you're getting 5.9 mi/kWh over 1800 ft elevation gain, that seems incredible. For about 1800 ft gain at about 45 MPH average speed and very little stopping, the best I got was 4.2 mi/kWh, mostly 4 mi/kWh.

Why does your SparkEV look dirty, and what's all that white stuff next to it? Cocaine? ;-)

SparkevBlogspot said:

....Why does your SparkEV look dirty, and what's all that white stuff next to it? ....

Click to expand...

Yeah, what's the deal?
I am considering a job in Salem, Or. I thought the weather would be nicer.
But this picture looks just like KC, so, no thanks.....

NORTON said:

zzzzzzzz said:

.. that I’d like to share that I feel will help maximize driving range, should that be a goal of yours. ...

Click to expand...

1- Is this to save a few cents in electron costs? The Spark EV is already probably the least expensive car to power, $/mi. I have more range than I can use commuting. On weekends there is a network of DCFC all over my metro area for long days of driving.

2- Were you able to quantify the 'hit' the the Yoko S Drives had? Did you try 50 psi? Did you use them up, or swap back to LRR tires before using them up? 15k mi? I think not. Are they for sale!?!

3- Using the brake pedal in D supplies the exact same amount of Regen as shifting to L and there is NO friction brake usage. Watch the regen display. Once it maxes, then you get BLENDED friction brakes. I can see using N might have benefits at times, (not sure when that would be? In D with 0kW displayed would be the same thing as N, no?)

Love the mud flaps! That is one hard working Spark EV !!

Click to expand...

Yeah, thanks, love the RA flaps as well!

And unfortunately I didn't get the DCFC on mine; the only time I plug it in is at home (240V) as my workplace doesn't have any stations as well. I drove the Yoko's (195's) over the summer with some Rota C8's, and although they were lighter, I went from 104 to 80 ish for several months. Not exactly 15k miles but enough for me to make that assumption. One thing with D is at least I don't have to always keep my foot on the peddle to coast versus when in L. My commute is so long that that gets old (I guess?).

SparkevBlogspot said:

If you're getting 5.9 mi/kWh over 1800 ft elevation gain, that seems incredible. For about 1800 ft gain at about 45 MPH average speed and very little stopping, the best I got was 4.2 mi/kWh, mostly 4 mi/kWh.

Why does your SparkEV look dirty, and what's all that white stuff next to it? Cocaine? ;-)

Click to expand...

You should see what else we have here in Oregon. There's literally a house behind my workplace that has ganga field; we can smell it throughout every spring and summer.

zzzzzzzz said:

.... I drove the Yoko's (195's) over the summer with some Rota C8's, and although they were lighter, I went from 104 to 80 ish for several months. ....

Click to expand...

That sounds really horrible. You should get rid of those turkeys quickly before you are tempted to use them again this summer.
You should really sell them to me! :mrgreen: TPMS sensors installed?

My commute is +90% interstates. I'm now driving mostly with the cruise control. Tap, tap up, tap, tap down, or hold down for a nice regen amount. Disengage for coast.
On a good day I touch the brake pedal twice!
I accelerate briskly like the electric shuttle trains at DFW and then abruptly go to cruise speed when I engage CC.

zzzzzzzz said:

You should see what else we have here in Oregon. There's literally a house behind my workplace that has ganga field; we can smell it throughout every spring and summer.

Click to expand...

Now we know why you sleep so much, zzzzzzzz !!