EV Specific Driving Tips?

[sendler]

In L you can get 1 kW of regen and coast effortlessly also. You just don't let off all the way. In D, if you are pressing on the brake hard enough to get 20kW of regen, you are also applying some pressure to the brake pads and wasting energy.

[cowmeat]

L is not there as a fuel economy tool. It is LOW gear to give you the equivalent of more engine braking for descending steep slopes.

Maybe not, but I'm sure using it as one.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by sendler

In L you can get 1 kW of regen and coast effortlessly also. You just don't let off all the way. In D, if you are pressing on the brake hard enough to get 20kW of regen, you are also applying some pressure to the brake pads and wasting energy.

I doubt it. If that was the case I wouldn't have put 150K stop and go miles on a 05 Prius and had the front brake pads measure almost new. EV's and full hybrids use regen for the vast majority of their braking. The friction brakes are there as a backup and for very slow speed use. The biggest issue I had with my Prius brakes was that the rear drums would rust up.


If the car can generate 20kw of regeneration in low without using the brakes there is no reason it can't do the same thing using the brake pedal.

[Erasmo]

I've set my Zero to coast with zero regen and when I engage the brake lever to regen fully before actually braking.
However in busy cities and when filtering I drive in Eco mode which has moderate regen when you release the handle because it's more stop and go-ish in nature.

[secaturbo]

When I first got the 1st gen Volt 6mon ago I read it was better to use L. I liked the 1 foot braking although difficult at first to modulate.
I have lately been using D with the same procedures for coasting as L ( lift just enough to see 0 Kw on the center meter ). Then using my foot to determine when to and how much regen brake to apply. So far-It seams better to use D on my commutes.
However I have not done an actual back to back tests.
Gliding is a lot easier in D than trying to find that prefect foot position in L.

I guest I would best equate Driving in L and slowing down economically to; Driving in sport mode and carefully acelerating more economically than someone in Normal. It requires more effort
Hope that came across.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by cowmeat

That's free miles I'm adding back in that battery, people!

No, it's not. There is no such thing as free.

[Giles_K]

I'm no expert at this, but regen braking does give you some power back yet, a lot of the time, I don't think you're gaining anything worthwhile compared to energy required to accelerate in the first place. Pulse and glide might work in a few situations, but I would prefer to drive in L and just keep the car at a consistent speed.

[cowmeat]

I see a lot of Volt drivers in this thread but no fuel logs.

What kind of mpg are (or were) you guys pulling in your Volts? I feel like I'm doing pretty good in mine, but I really don't have anybody to compare to

No, it's not. There is no such thing as free.

I have to disagree since I see the proof every day that it is.

There's a long, gentle downhill run at the end of my morning commute where I ease down the hill in "L" and regen all the way down to the light. I usually end up seeing an extra mile pop back up on my range at the bottom of the hill, just like I did this morning.

I define that as "free" since I have to stop at the light to turn right anyway, and I now have more range courtesy of the regen.

[Erasmo]

Pulse and glide is less efficient than constant speed. Hypermiling in an EV isn't that different from ICE cars;

- Look ahead know what's coming
- Coast when possible if you need to reduce speed for eg. a roundabout
- If you need to reduce speed even more engage regen
- Only brake when you can't use regen to stop fast enough

Most EV's only engage regen for the first part of the brake pedal, only after pushing further you'll actually use your brake.

[sendler]

Originally Posted by Erasmo

Pulse and glide is less efficient than constant speed.

In an EV. In an ice vehicle, PnG is way more efficient.