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I was a big coasting driver before having an EV. I will admit I miss it slightly for how it feels. However, I don't find this to be genuine. Regenerative brakin

I was a big coasting driver before having an EV. I will admit I miss it slightly for how it feels. However, I don't find this to be genuine. Regenerative braking wastes more energy? That doesn't really add up if you're doing it correctly. Also, for every one of us coasting drivers there are many, many, many others that accelerate all the way to the light and slam on the breaks. I see it constantly and remember because it almost always slows down traffic.

planckscnst 2y ago
Yes, it feels wasteful compared to my previous driving, in specific circumstances. I drove a manual transmission and made it a goal to not touch the brakes at all for red lights (given acceptable traffic conditions - sometimes people would just be annoyed or confused if I did it every time). I'd see the light from far back, understand its timing, and how many cars were stopped behind it and gauge when I should disengage the clutch and coast. It frequently worked out that I was arriving at the stopped car in front of me just as they were starting to move forward. It feels particularly satisfying not to lose all your momentum just to have to accelerate again from a dead stop. Overall, however, regenerative braking probably is better given the conditions don't always allow for this game.
- terribleperson 2y ago
  I think this is a solvable problem with a control alteration. There should be a zone right at the start of pushing down the accelerator pedal that is "don't brake without brake input, but don't accelerate"
Marsymars 2y ago
> Regenerative braking wastes more energy? Not regen braking per se, but the lack of ability to coast. Often it's optimally efficient to coast without any acceleration or braking before you brake. i.e. Braking turns your kinetic energy into heat energy. Regenerative braking brings that penalty down by a lot (70%, or whatever), but efficiency-wise, you're still best off to minimize braking. (Insofar as minimizing braking isn't offset by travelling at a less efficient speed.) To be clear, I'm not opposed to regenerative braking - I just don't like single-pedal driving.
- afiori 2y ago
  Another issue is that regenerative braking does not light up your braking indicator lights, so can be more dangerous
  - sliken 2y ago
    Teslas turn on the brake lights when regeneratively braking.

planckscnst 2y ago

Yes, it feels wasteful compared to my previous driving, in specific circumstances. I drove a manual transmission and made it a goal to not touch the brakes at all for red lights (given acceptable traffic conditions - sometimes people would just be annoyed or confused if I did it every time). I'd see the light from far back, understand its timing, and how many cars were stopped behind it and gauge when I should disengage the clutch and coast. It frequently worked out that I was arriving at the stopped car in front of me just as they were starting to move forward. It feels particularly satisfying not to lose all your momentum just to have to accelerate again from a dead stop. Overall, however, regenerative braking probably is better given the conditions don't always allow for this game.

terribleperson 2y ago
I think this is a solvable problem with a control alteration. There should be a zone right at the start of pushing down the accelerator pedal that is "don't brake without brake input, but don't accelerate"

Marsymars 2y ago

> Regenerative braking wastes more energy? Not regen braking per se, but the lack of ability to coast. Often it's optimally efficient to coast without any acceleration or braking before you brake. i.e. Braking turns your kinetic energy into heat energy. Regenerative braking brings that penalty down by a lot (70%, or whatever), but efficiency-wise, you're still best off to minimize braking. (Insofar as minimizing braking isn't offset by travelling at a less efficient speed.) To be clear, I'm not opposed to regenerative braking - I just don't like single-pedal driving.

afiori 2y ago
Another issue is that regenerative braking does not light up your braking indicator lights, so can be more dangerous
- sliken 2y ago
  Teslas turn on the brake lights when regeneratively braking.