Amount of pressure on acceleration pedal to maintain speed

[secondclaw]

I've done two test drives so far, M3 and MY. The former I couldn't take on highway due to location of the Tesla store, so I didn't have much experience speeding up and then maintaining speed. When testing MY, I was close enough to a freeway entrance to take one exit. This is where I have some doubts. I distinctly remember when accelerating I had to put a lot of pressure on the pedal to get to speed - which I think is OK (though I found it oddly uncomfortable on my foot, maybe due to not a well adjusted seating position), but I don't think I had an opportunity to maintain that speed for prolonged period of time.

I was driving in my hybrid ICE today when I realized that to maintain its speed - even at 70mpg, only a slightest, barely perceptible pressure is necessary on the pedal (once I get up to speed), and I'm not sure I want to lose that, because my drives - even long ones - are pretty relaxed. It got me wondering when people talk about linear pedal response, if this is why Autopilot becomes so important on long trips when driving a Tesla?

Short of an other test drive and asking for a longer one - like an hour, maybe those with MY's can chime in. When on freeway and accelerated to lets say 70mph, do you have to maintain constant heavy pressure on the pedal tin order to maintain speed? Is that behavior linked to regen setting? I would find it extremely uncomfortable for prolonged driving.

Thank you!

 

[jmaddr]

It’s all about what your used to. Every ICE car is tuned differently. In general sport tunes shove in more fuel more quickly per the accelerator pedal depression. That would lead to “less” pedal to maintain speed. If you were to drive any car for a few days that would likely be your new normal and perhaps then it would feel “too light” then.

Second, when you have no depression on the pedal, Tesla’s will actually decelerate. So if you are not used to that, that may also contribute to the feeling you have to press harder. Drive one for a few days and it will be second nature.

 

[secondclaw]

My issue isn't really about acceleration, or even letting go of the pedal, but amount of force necessary to maintain high speed. So If I depress the pedal hard to get up to 70, is a light pedal depression sufficient to maintain that speed? I understand that regen kicks in the moment I let go and that's fine (I've been driving a hybrid for 12 years, so I'm familiar with regen), I just don't want to be uncomfortable having to force a pedal for prolonged period of time. During MY test drive I felt it in the hamstring ...

 

[DDrawer]

Maybe the difference you are talking about is the fact that there is no throttle (or fly by wire throttle these days) in the Tesla. So on a gas car a lot of times there can be big windows of pedal modulation that doesn't do very much. With the Tesla, putting your foot down 70% gets you exactly 70% output from the motors. So if you are on the highway trying to go 80 MPH and you need 60% of the power to maintain that 80MPH, no you will not be able to leave your foot at say 20% modulation without slowing down.

Not sure about the pedal being heavy though. Maybe it was in chill mode so it seemed like you had to give it a lot more modulation to get to a speed you wanted?

Whatever it is, no doubt you would get use to it after a few drives.

 

[iamnid]

It doesn't feel any different to maintain speed on a highway that any other vehicle I have driven.

 

[AKTech.it]

OP - in my Perf Y in Sport mode, a tap on the accelerator will send me flying...in chill mode, I can modulate very easy. Its slightly a struggle in my wife's Lexus CT200h to keep at speed around 70-75mph but that car has the same engine as the Prius V (137hp -_-)

 

[cab]

I notice this in our Model S too. Most ICE cars I’ve driven in recent years basically coast with only slight pedal pressure. On Tesla’s you have to apply more constant pressure. It can get annoying on longer trips.

 

[frankvb]

It can get annoying on longer trips.

How about using TACC or AP?

 

[Puma2020]

First test drive back in 2014 with model S, I was annoyed with how strongly the regen was in standard.
I have driven a stick for well over 30+ year and I got used to putting in the clutch and coasting up to lights.
Including EVs, the less you have to slow down, the more efficient your "mileage" will be.
Last year, rented a model 3 for a week while in CO. It was only about $150 more than what Hertz and others wanted for a "regular" car.
I figured worst case scenario test since I wouldn't have a garage at night to re-charge, so went from supercharger to supercharger.
Initially, I put regen into low (less regen) mode, which was the best to mimic the coasting I was used to.
While going down some of the mountains (such as into Aspen), I put it into standard regen to better control the speed.
Never took it out of regen after that. Very easy to get used to regen. Plus I noticed that applying the "gas accelerator" was not actually applying juice to the motors but simply doing less regen (while going down hill). Quickly got very comfortable with the car and accelerator pedal pressure, so much so, that I decided to go buy one (but waited for the Y and some reviews).

 

[db93]

I believe Chill mode requires more movement on the go pedal, I prefer this for better modulation of the regen feel

But for less pressure on acceleration, give standard or sport try

I assume we are just pushing against a spring of sorts on drive by wire systems

 

[secondclaw]

I believe Chill mode requires more movement on the go pedal, I prefer this for better modulation of the regen feel

But for less pressure on acceleration, give standard or sport try

I assume we are just pushing against a spring of sorts on drive by wire systems

I will try when I get my MY ... i guess from muscle memory perspective, utilizing constant pressure on pedal instead of pulsing it is going to be something to get used to ... if Standard/Sport alleviate having to push the hamstring to do too much work, then that would be good.

 

[Bikeman]

Hello. Awakening an older thread here. After searching threads for similar circumstances, I found this one.

Test drove a MY LR yesterday and couldn't believe how much constant pressure needs to be applied on the accelerator pedal. I am having serious doubts my wife, (with much weaker legs and feet) could ever drive it, even a short distance, without pain. There is no current adjustable Regen settings in the Y's firmware. We had the car set in Chill mode vs. Standard. Tested it in both Hold mode for stopping and Creep mode. There seemed to be no decrease in pedal force application. Did not try Roll mode. It is the acceleration and maintaining the speed that concerns me. I will get used to this, but for her -- I am seeking advice on what to do, if anything, to help her drive the car without pain.

I expect FSR would help, but at $12K current price, that won't be happening. Is setting the car to AP in heavy traffic even advisable? She would still have to moderate the accelerator pedal for local slower traffic, no? Or am I wrong? I don't want her to fear driving the car. Looking for answers. Thanks in advance!

Model Y is on order, BTW.

 

[father_of_6]

I'm surprised to read this. I've not driven a Model Y, but the pedal on my Model 3 is fairly sensitive and easy to press... I thought the 3 and Y were similar enough that the pedals would feel the same.

Perhaps seating position was not ideal? Maybe the ball of your foot was pressing the bottom of the pedal. I suspect this will be a non-issue once you've gotten comfortable with driving it.

I'm mashing my pedal to the floor with ease at every opportunity

 

[jjrandorin]

I'm surprised to read this. I've not driven a Model Y, but the pedal on my Model 3 is fairly sensitive and easy to press... I thought the 3 and Y were similar enough that the pedals would feel the same.

The model 3 performance and model Y performance I have, the pedals feel very similar (and not hard to press). Some people "puuuushhhhh and release..........puuuuuuusssssshhhhhh and release........" on accelerator pedals, rather than "hold them at a set speed".

"puuuussshhhh ...............release" doesnt work on an EV with regen braking because you are always either accelerating, or decelerating, there is no coasting without pressing the pedal. This make some people think the "pedal is harder to push" because they have to hold it there, not "puuuushhhh... and release".

its something some people have to unlearn (this push ..... release and coast in between) to drive an EV with regen braking. My wife drives that way (or used to before we got her model Y a month ago ish. She is learning how to hold it there now.

People that are used to driving a stick adjust faster. Most people adjust in time, some dont, and complain that the EV is uncomfortable to drive ( especially on test drives when they are not used to "holding it there" vs pulse pushing the pedal.

 

[Bikeman]

I tried different seat and foot positions. We stopped a couple times in parking lots on the test drive to adjust those things and other firmware settings.

The feeling was that a very powerful spring was pushing the accelerator pedal back at me and I was at a gym pushing against the leg press machine. Not comfortable at all.

 

[Madsen203]

Imagine you hit a bump and dig into the accelerator. Having a slightly stiffer pedal should help prevent it from being a jerky ride.

IMHO it drives like any other car and takes all of one day to get used to and then you forget about it.

The one pedal driving has been more comfortable on my hips and back as I’m not twisting my legs often to go back and forth.

 

[frankvb]

And no need to spend $12K on FSD as AP is standard, so you can use that most of the time (with or without auto-steering) as it's basically adaptive cruise control.

 

[DanDi58]

I've done two test drives so far, M3 and MY. The former I couldn't take on highway due to location of the Tesla store, so I didn't have much experience speeding up and then maintaining speed. When testing MY, I was close enough to a freeway entrance to take one exit. This is where I have some doubts. I distinctly remember when accelerating I had to put a lot of pressure on the pedal to get to speed - which I think is OK (though I found it oddly uncomfortable on my foot, maybe due to not a well adjusted seating position), but I don't think I had an opportunity to maintain that speed for prolonged period of time.

I was driving in my hybrid ICE today when I realized that to maintain its speed - even at 70mpg, only a slightest, barely perceptible pressure is necessary on the pedal (once I get up to speed), and I'm not sure I want to lose that, because my drives - even long ones - are pretty relaxed. It got me wondering when people talk about linear pedal response, if this is why Autopilot becomes so important on long trips when driving a Tesla?

Short of an other test drive and asking for a longer one - like an hour, maybe those with MY's can chime in. When on freeway and accelerated to lets say 70mph, do you have to maintain constant heavy pressure on the pedal tin order to maintain speed? Is that behavior linked to regen setting? I would find it extremely uncomfortable for prolonged driving.

Thank you!

No. It's a normal amount of pressure.

 

[father_of_6]

No. It's a normal amount of pressure.

Yeah, I was thinking about this post while driving today, and I just couldn't agree with the "hard pedal". My best guess is that your current vehicle has a really "light" feeling pedal.

No doubt you'll get used to the pedal feel after a day or two of driving.

 

[Stevedore]

I've had my MYP since september, and have noticed essentially no difference in accelerator pressure compared to any other car I've owned. Several of the above posts mention the problem while taking test drives. I wonder if the store changes some setting(s) in the car to inhibit careless acceleration, speed, or whatever during test drives? Just a thought.