Option for NO regen?

I came to realize the opposite from "more regen" is needed - no regen at all at some times!

Few posts mentioned to get worse milage in ECO mode on highway - which supports my observation - when on highway, it's difficult to never let go accelerator pedal all the way (triggering regen) while no regen was actually needed - just wanted to coast for a while. Just a little ahead-thinking, and you'll never have to press brake pedal on highway, unless some stop and go traffic is in the way.

But every time Leaf regens - power is wasted thru charging/discharging efficiency. I often shift in Neutral to coast, to give my foot a rest. Feathering becomes tiring after a while.

So I wish there would be an easier way to shift from typical D regen to ECO regen and to No regen. Putting car in N is not convinient, since you have to put it back to D when need to accelerate.

Could there be a D1, D2, ECO modes?

Stunt822 said:

I came to realize the opposite from "more regen" is needed - no regen at all at some times!

Click to expand...

Drive at 100% charge only. No regen.

TonyWilliams said:

Stunt822 said:

I came to realize the opposite from "more regen" is needed - no regen at all at some times!

Click to expand...

Drive at 100% charge only. No regen.

Click to expand...

Probably better for those who are autocrossing too!

Stunt822 said:

But every time Leaf regens - power is wasted thru charging/discharging efficiency. I often shift in Neutral to coast, to give my foot a rest. Feathering becomes tiring after a while.

Click to expand...

I have always wondered about this.

I have been stepping on the accelerator such that the power usage/regen shows just about zero.

Yep, Neutral's the only option. It's just training.

With my Prius I now actively shift from Drive to Brake (when slowing) and N when I need to coast and I don't mind doing it. It's an activity to keep my mind busy - I also get about 2-3 mpg more when doing it so it saves me some $$.

just to clarify - regen on the brake pedal is ofcourse needed. but i find my driving will be alot easier (without working gas pedal around zero power) and efficient in some scenarious if i'd have this option

I agree with the OP. Personally, I would like to have all the regen on the brake pedal and let the car simply coast if neither pedal is pressed. I don't desire the simulated automatic transmission feel. Also, I'd like to have the regen tuned to go all the way to maximum before the friction brakes are engaged. Of course, this is a matter of personal preference, and everybody has their own preference. So it would be nice if one could adjust the settings for their own vehicle. Maybe someone will hack the firmware so we can do this.

I have the opposite request, I want all the regen on the gas pedal. At least in eco-mode, I never use D anyway. I frequently have to use the brakes to slow fast enough for other cars, roundabouts etc. Also some hills over here are too steep for eco-regen to keep the speed consistent so I have to ride the brake pedal to get enough regen. This is a hassle on long hills, and I can't use cruise control either since it won't engage "brake pedal"-level regen.

Either max regen in eco or a "B"-mode like the Mitsubishi.

jkirkebo said:

I have the opposite request, I want all the regen on the gas pedal. At least in eco-mode, I never use D anyway. I frequently have to use the brakes to slow fast enough for other cars, roundabouts etc. Also some hills over here are too steep for eco-regen to keep the speed consistent so I have to ride the brake pedal to get enough regen. This is a hassle on long hills, and I can't use cruise control either since it won't engage "brake pedal"-level regen.

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That might be convenient compared to riding the brakes, but from an efficiency standpoint "one pedal regen" a poor strategy.

You converted precious battery energy into kinetic energy for the purpose of overcoming air and rolling resistance. A perfect coast ensures all of the energy you invested goes towards pushing the air out of the way.

Putting it back into the battery is guaranteed to waste a nontrivial amount of that energy, so it's better to not do that unless you absolutely MUST dispose of that energy somehow. Yes, regen is better than friction braking, but if you don't need to slow down coasting freely is optimal.
=Smidge=

ECO mode is not going to give worse range on the freeway. If you are engaging regen it is NEVER less efficient it means you want to slow down. Most people just simply don't know how to drive well. Almost every discussion I have with LEAF owners complaining about range reflects false perceptions and poor driving skills. LEAF regen is so low it's not even an issue, in D it's laughable. Splitting hairs here.

Stunt822 said:

I came to realize the opposite from "more regen" is needed - no regen at all at some times!

Few posts mentioned to get worse milage in ECO mode on highway - which supports my observation - when on highway, it's difficult to never let go accelerator pedal all the way (triggering regen) while no regen was actually needed - just wanted to coast for a while. Just a little ahead-thinking, and you'll never have to press brake pedal on highway, unless some stop and go traffic is in the way.

But every time Leaf regens - power is wasted thru charging/discharging efficiency. I often shift in Neutral to coast, to give my foot a rest. Feathering becomes tiring after a while.

So I wish there would be an easier way to shift from typical D regen to ECO regen and to No regen. Putting car in N is not convinient, since you have to put it back to D when need to accelerate.

Could there be a D1, D2, ECO modes?

Click to expand...

One of the reasons I only drive in "D" - far easier to coast without losing the control (compared to N).

Smidge204 said:

That might be convenient compared to riding the brakes, but from an efficiency standpoint "one pedal regen" a poor strategy.

Click to expand...

Is that why the heavier, less Aero ActiveE and MINI E (with right pedal regen from completely different manufacturers) used ~12% less energy to complete the RAC Future Car Challenge than the LEAFs?

http://www.green-car-guide.com/rac-future-car-challenge---full-results.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

KeiJidosha said:

Smidge204 said:

That might be convenient compared to riding the brakes, but from an efficiency standpoint "one pedal regen" a poor strategy.

Click to expand...

Is that why the heavier, less Aero ActiveE and MINI E (with right pedal regen from completely different manufacturers) used ~12% less energy to complete the RAC Future Car Challenge than the LEAFs?

http://www.green-car-guide.com/rac-future-car-challenge---full-results.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Click to expand...

How can you possible draw any conclusions about regen strategy when you are talking about completely different vehicles?

At the very least you have to control for drivetrain efficiency, parasitic loads, and driving style - article says vehicles had to complete the 57 mile course between 2h45m and 3h30m, for an average speed between 20.7mph and 16.3mph average respectively, which isn't trivial and says nothing about acceleration habits or top speeds. The 12-15% gap in measured energy usage could vanish in a heartbeat with that.

Most importantly, you need to consider if the course favored right pedal regen or not. I already stated that regen is good when you want to reduce the vehicle's energy, such as when braking or descending a hill. The exact route isn't stated but doing general Google searches for elevation profiles shows a pretty hilly terrain for such a relatively short distance. Let's try a trip from Phoenix to Tucson next, where it's practically a constant uphill climb the whole way.

Meanwhile, the actual physics behind why the ability to use free coasting when appropriate is better is extremely straightforward. There is no apparent reason why you would want to give up that level of control if you are serious about maximizing energy efficiency.
=Smidge=

EVDRIVER said:

LEAF regen is so low it's not even an issue, in D it's laughable. Splitting hairs here.

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This has been my (admitedly brief) experience. Foot-off regen is so mild in the LEAF it seems to me very close to coasting.

tps said:

This has been my (admitedly brief) experience. Foot-off regen is so mild in the LEAF it seems to me very close to coasting.

Click to expand...

Only in D. In E - you will significantly slow down.

There are some interersting discussions about this here.

http://www.plugincars.com/honda-reinvents-regenerative-braking-fit-ev-110596.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What we really need is more regen when needed and coasting when needed. Should be a simple mode/button rather than going to N - which can be dangerous.

There is not one method for all.
I hate having to press the "go-faster" just to coast.
I like to be able to rest my foot (and leg) muscles.

In D all the Regen could be on the Brake pedal.

In Eco mode, there could be a lot of (increasing) Regen as the go-faster is gradually released, but a "dead zone" between Acceleration and Regen would be nice, in my opinion.

Personally, I think getting HIGH Regen if the foot slips off the go-faster ... is dangerous.
I would probably not use it much.

.

evnow said:

There are some interersting discussions about this here.

http://www.plugincars.com/honda-reinvents-regenerative-braking-fit-ev-110596.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What we really need is more regen when needed and coasting when needed. Should be a simple mode/button rather than going to N - which can be dangerous.

Click to expand...

Sounds to me as if Honda's on the right track - normal driving, with a little regen; freeway cruising, with none; and steep downhills/stop and go, with lots.

i think it really depends on the driving situation. in Eco in town, i FREQUENTLY can make an entire trip without touching the brake pedal except at the completion of the trip. i like that.

on the freeway, it can be a bummer when i instinctively take foot completely off electronrator for a sudden brake light ahead and regen slows me down much more than i wanted to realizing too late its just a driver with too much caffeine. but i have rationalized this to a reduction in momentum to be a good thing should an emergency stop situation arise and that regen is reducing my stopping distance by a foot. so i get over it.

i am losing a penny over the possibility of a $5,000 fender bender that might take 3 months to fix