Is there a proper way to use the Regenerative Braking?
Do you initiate the lowest regenerative setting (click right paddle shift once) and not mess with it any further? I understand going downhill, you can increase the regenerative setting (in engine braking style) but for normal day-to-day drive, what's the proper way? Coming from hybrids where there were no driver controls in modulation of regen braking; trying to find the most optimal way.
Do you initiate the lowest regenerative setting (click right paddle shift once) and not mess with it any further? I understand going downhill, you can increase the regenerative setting (in engine braking style) but for normal day-to-day drive, what's the proper way? Coming from hybrids where there were no driver controls in modulation of regen braking; trying to find the most optimal way.
8th Gear
No proper way - use what feels most natural to you day to day. If you like the feel of one-pedal drive, set regen braking higher. Max setting isn't quite as strong as it is with other EV's though.
If you want to maximize efficiency/range though, there's an advantage to setting regen braking to minimum as you'll have more control over how much regen braking you want. Regen braking is only ballpark 60-70% efficient -- still more efficient than using your friction brakes (which is 0% efficient), but when you are trying to maintain speed and don't need to slow down/stop, it's much more efficient to keep your speed as kinetic energy (no regen braking at all). You waste energy with conversion loss each time you put energy into the pack (with regen braking) and you waste energy again when you take that same energy back out to the wheels (to get back up to speed again). Same idea maximizing efficiency with the hybrids. When you need to maintain speed, gliding (slight pressure on accelerator pedal until no arrows to/from battery pack -- no regen braking, only friction of suspension/wheels/air drag gradually slowing you down) is the most efficient way to go. When you actually need to slow down, light regen braking > heavy regen braking (there's an upper limit to how quickly you can put energy back into the pack) >> friction brakes.
If you want to maximize efficiency/range though, there's an advantage to setting regen braking to minimum as you'll have more control over how much regen braking you want. Regen braking is only ballpark 60-70% efficient -- still more efficient than using your friction brakes (which is 0% efficient), but when you are trying to maintain speed and don't need to slow down/stop, it's much more efficient to keep your speed as kinetic energy (no regen braking at all). You waste energy with conversion loss each time you put energy into the pack (with regen braking) and you waste energy again when you take that same energy back out to the wheels (to get back up to speed again). Same idea maximizing efficiency with the hybrids. When you need to maintain speed, gliding (slight pressure on accelerator pedal until no arrows to/from battery pack -- no regen braking, only friction of suspension/wheels/air drag gradually slowing you down) is the most efficient way to go. When you actually need to slow down, light regen braking > heavy regen braking (there's an upper limit to how quickly you can put energy back into the pack) >> friction brakes.
@pcp2117 I see. Yes maximizing efficiency makes sense the way you explained it. I've been using it like downshifting while slowing down but wasn't too sure if I was doing it right. Thank you for the in-depth explanation. Much appreciated.