I read that it's used for engine braking - but that means nothing to me. In what type of situation would I drive using the "B" gear?

Sorry for the silly question, but I've searched this board already & couldn't find the answer.

Thanks much,

heidi

 

Use the "B" selector position on a long downhill stretch where the speed in drive is faster than you want to go. I don't use it ofter, but coming down the mountain it helps control vehicle speed without using up the brakes.
Steve

 

use it on the mountains.. but not on freeways ( i don't think)

 

I have used them several times, it is not engine braking only, it also brakes with electric motors and helps to fill out battery. In fact, with the B shift battery fills up completely, I have never seen it with pedal braking.

 

I thought the same thing until I was informed on this forum that you get less battery charging in the "B" mode. I used "B" all the time until was told I was getting less of a battery charge. I have to admit I have never gotten the display to show all bars. I tried using the "B" mode when the car was new on a trip from NY to TX and wasn't able to get all the bars to turn on. On my trip back to NY I didn't use the "B" and still couldn't get all the bars to turn on. I will be driving on flat Long Island for the next couple months so I can't try a long hill in the "B" mode but I will give it a try on my next trip to SC in late August / early September. I would like to see someone that lives in hill country to experiment and report back because I am pretty sure the "B" mode charges the battery less.

 

In "B" is mainly for lower gear selection on a steep hill where you may loose control of speed. I came down Mount Washington in New Hampshire alternating between D and B.

 

Cool - thanks much for your replies. I actually live on a steep hill, so I'll give it a shot.

Thx,
Heidi

 

I don't understand the whole "B" thing. I may be wrong but I think people are using it unnessarly and it is olnly there for extream situaqtions. If the "B" mode uses the ICE engine's compression to slow the car down you are recovering less energy because the car is being slowed by engine compression and none of it is recovered. In a conventional car low gear is used to keep the brakes from overheating and save pad wear because there is no other way to blead off speed. But if you are in a hybrid and use light pressure on the pedal the electric motor is slowing down the car while it recovers energy. If you do it correctly you should be able to keep the speed down solely by using the electric motor, so if you do it just right not only are you recovering energy you are also not using the brake pad and causing wear and heating the pads. My theory is that it would be more energy efficient to just use the pedal without using "B". By using just the right amount of pressure you can slow the car down without using the break pads and recover more energy. Is my theory correct? My theory is that "B" should only be used on very long very steep down hill runs.