Blended regen brakes???

[JulienW]

First, I got my Model 3 a little over 2 weeks ago. Noticed some brake dust building up. Never had much brake dust on my ELR so thought it may be because on new pads and a little more aggressive driving. Then I was watching a podcast (can’t remember which) and it was stated that the Model 3 doesn’t have blended brakes. So if you pushed the brake pedal the regen completely cuts off. I was like WHAT??? and had just assumed that all EV motors were blended and never thought about it. That made the brake dust build up sound more plausible but disappointed that you lose all regen if braking.

However I just drove and noticed that the regen bar stayed green even when I pushed the brake peddle. So which is it? Does the model 3 have blended brakes or not? If not blended then why is the regen bar saying you are recovering juice if you aren’t?

Just to add one of the things I liked better about my ELR was the energy bar was MUCH better (although Tesla could change any time). Not only was it much more visible (wider and vertical orientation) it also listed the number of kW being used (2kW in pic) or being recovered as -kW.

 

[jyalpert]

Regen absolutely stays on while braking.

 

[ewoodrick]

Brakes aren't connected to Regen, but they both can exist at the same time

 

[css28]

Your ELR had light regen when you were coasting but added regen to do most of the braking when you pressed the brake.
Teslas regen with your foot off the accelerator but don't add anything with brake use.

 

[JulienW]

Your ELR had light regen when you were coasting but added regen to do most of the braking when you pressed the brake.
Teslas regen with your foot off the accelerator but don't add anything with brake use.

So you are saying that Tesla's cuts off regen completely as soon and you push the brake peddle??? Why does the bar say it is adding regen power to the battery if it is not???

Funny I found a short thread from about a year ago and the opinion seems about sprit too. It must be blended or not.

Blended Brakes, yes or no?


Also to add (another nice feature my ELR had) you had 2 selections (obtusely/skumparphicly labeled as D and L) for regen that you could call light and medium. Also you had "Shifter Paddles" that added a much heaver regen (not as much as Tesla). I still keep pressing the back of the steering wheel. Kind of a sporty and fun feature.

 

[1.21GW]

In a Tesla, If you touch the brake pedal then you are using the friction brakes.

 

[JulienW]

In a Tesla, If you touch the brake pedal then you are using the friction brakes.

Then way does the energy bar keep saying it is feeding regen energy back into the battery? It should go back to neutral if it is NOT regening.

 

[compu85]

No, that's not what he's saying. In the GM, when you have the gear selector in L, when you lift off the go pedal you get about half regen. Pressing the paddle gives you full regen, and pressing the brake pedal the system will use as much regen as it can, and bring in friction brakes when you need to stop more quickly.

Braking in the Tesla is like using the brake pedal in the ELR, while also holding the brake paddle. In the Tesla, lifting off the go pedal always gives you all available regen. Pressing the brake pedal adds friction braking on top of regen.

-J

 

[1.21GW]

Then way does the energy bar keep saying it is feeding regen energy back into the battery? It should go back to neutral if it is NOT regening.

It is still regening when using the friction brakes.

Lift off accelerator = max regen
Push brake pedal = max regen + friction brakes

Regen has nothing to do with the brake pedal. Only lifting off the accelerator

 

[JulienW]

No, that's not what he's saying. In the GM, when you have the gear selector in L, when you lift off the go pedal you get about half regen.....Pressing the brake pedal adds friction braking on top of regen.....

I know and read my post and I explained ELR's regen modes. Also always drove in L and used "Shifter Paddles" for most regen.

Also adding friction is the definition of blending. Some say it does blend and others say it doesn't (friction only). So you are saying blended. Should have made it a poll.


Wish I could remember the podcast but I think was someone who should know like Ben Sullins MAYBE.

 

[compu85]

We have both a 3 and an ELR in the driveway, as well as a Fiat 500e. The ELR and Fiat have blended brakes. The brake pedal controls both the regen, and the friction brakes. A computer decides when to bring the friction brakes in (and is... usually... smooth about it). Tesla does not have blended brakes. The brake pedal is always, only friction brakes. Regen is controlled by the go pedal.

 

[JulienW]

...Tesla does not have blended brakes. The brake pedal is always, only friction brakes. Regen is controlled by the go pedal.

...but if it is in regen and you press the brakes and it adds to it would that not be blending since you ARE mixing the 2 together? I understand that the brake peddle in the ELR worked by applying regen and adding friction as you needed. And I see what you are saying about Tesla just adding fiction to regen (still seems like blending but just in an independent way). As stated it was said (I hope incorrectly) that the Model 3 STOPS using regen when you press the brakes and ONLY uses friction (again hope this is wrong). Here is a thread on the Tesla forum and a lot of people seem to be saying this.

Model 3 Regenerative Braking | Tesla

 

[compu85]

You are using both at once. They are not blended.

Blended brakes means the car is deciding when to use the friction brakes, and when to use regen. Pressing the brake pedal doesn't always engage the friction brakes.

 

[Zoomit]

You are using both at once. They are not blended.

Blended brakes means the car is deciding when to use the friction brakes, and when to use regen. Pressing the brake pedal doesn't always engage the friction brakes.

This is correct.

 

[JulienW]

You are using both at once. They are not blended.

Blended brakes means the car is deciding when to use the friction brakes, and when to use regen. Pressing the brake pedal doesn't always engage the friction brakes.

OK I guess mixing or combining may be better than blended. Also after some thought I think you are correct about the way it works and I think the problem is sorta like me many others are confusing the way Tesla does it compared to others and assuming there is no regen or it is cut off.

 

[KenC]

I stopped using the paddle in my old Volt, it was giving me a repetitive stress injury!

 

[TesSpartan]

The Ford CMAX Energi hybrid plug-in is mixed - it actually shows what percent of the braking you just applied went toward regeneration - it was fun to try to brake lightly and get the number to be 100%.

 

[JulienW]

The Ford CMAX Energi hybrid plug-in is mixed - it actually shows what percent of the braking you just applied went toward regeneration - it was fun to try to brake lightly and get the number to be 100%.

That sounds like blending. I may be WRONG in my wording and someone (compu85) correct me to the proper term. But Telsa doesn't blend but instead mixes them or maybe it is combines them or.......?

Also do any other EV use regen/braking the same way (what ever the NAME is) Tesla does?

 

[wws]

We have both a Gen 2 Volt and a Model 3 - so I am quite familiar with both styles.

On the Volt, like the ELR, you could be driving in "D" - then press on the brake pedal to initially get more regen before it blends in the friction brakes. Using "L" feels more like driving a manual transmission car with more regen on the 'go' pedal, and the paddle for nailing a corner with regen (like downshifting to get more engine braking with a manual tranny) before accelerating out of it. It is kind of a fun style of driving. But can be jolting to passengers when it isn't done with proper style.

As others have said, on the Model 3 all the regen is controlled via the 'go' pedal. You can set "Standard" and "Low" levels of regen on the Driving menu page. "Standard" is kind of like "L+paddle" and "Low" is kind of like "D" in the Volt. Pressing the brake pedal only adds additional friction braking. Regen is already at its max - so as you've observed, there will be green left of center on the line display. (Note: the max is less when set to "Low" than "Standard".)

Efficiency wise, there ultimately isn't a lot of difference between any of them. Many debates about "L" vs "D" and paddle on the Volt forums. But generally most Tesla drivers just set regen "Standard", turn Creep "off", and get on with life. There would be an efficiency loss on the Tesla with "Low" regen setting.

 

[Eno Deb]

That sounds like blending. I may be WRONG in my wording and someone (compu85) correct me to the proper term. But Telsa doesn't blend but instead mixes them or maybe it is combines them or.......?

Tesla neither blends nor mixes. Regen braking and friction braking are completely separate. A blended brake generally means that pressing the brake pedal applies a mix of regen and friction braking. In the Tesla the pedal only applies friction braking. It's just that regen braking automatically starts when you lift your foot off the accelerator pedal.