arnis
Well-known member
jjeff,
all cars with adaptive cruise control (that hold distance with a car in front) car brake if going heavy downhill,
but very few without that will brake on downhill. BMW-s with automatic gearbox do shift to use engine braking.
But that is pretty new function. I think that it started in 2010.
Most electric cars are limited to regen braking.
For example 2013+ Leaf are all braking at 30kW power and that is enough. Older Leafs have problems with
battery degradation and had software update that screwed regen down to non-existent.
Hitting bumps will move accelerator pedal if not conscious about that.
I also tried hypermiling and got impressive results. Usually economy is 14kWh per 100km (62mi) but if I limit
my accelerations to 3 bubbles (up to 20kW motor load) and speeds up to 60mph I can get 11kWh/100km.
That is literally 20% reduction. Just by eliminating inefficient accelerations and accelerator pedal movements.
In Europe Leafs have "LIMITER" function. You set maximum speed and vehicle only goes that fast if pedal
pressed hard (except kickdown). I use it all the time. It is almost like cruise control but speed will fall if going uphill
and not pushing harder.
all cars with adaptive cruise control (that hold distance with a car in front) car brake if going heavy downhill,
but very few without that will brake on downhill. BMW-s with automatic gearbox do shift to use engine braking.
But that is pretty new function. I think that it started in 2010.
Most electric cars are limited to regen braking.
For example 2013+ Leaf are all braking at 30kW power and that is enough. Older Leafs have problems with
battery degradation and had software update that screwed regen down to non-existent.
Hitting bumps will move accelerator pedal if not conscious about that.
I also tried hypermiling and got impressive results. Usually economy is 14kWh per 100km (62mi) but if I limit
my accelerations to 3 bubbles (up to 20kW motor load) and speeds up to 60mph I can get 11kWh/100km.
That is literally 20% reduction. Just by eliminating inefficient accelerations and accelerator pedal movements.
In Europe Leafs have "LIMITER" function. You set maximum speed and vehicle only goes that fast if pedal
pressed hard (except kickdown). I use it all the time. It is almost like cruise control but speed will fall if going uphill
and not pushing harder.