For those that are not confident then chill mode has its place. Leaving it in sport or standard mode is not macho, nor does it make you a speed freak. What is does give you is the ability to regulate your acceleration by judicial use of the throttle pedal. I find it to be very linear and the best of both worlds. There are a lot of times I do not need the acceleration on offer, it by pressing less it is delivered, yet when I want more it is available. Simples!
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Chill mode performance
- Thread starter Kenners
- Start date
MrBadger
Badger out
Its nothing to do with confidence, its all to do with personal preference.
I get the frowned against views for Performance variants, or even worse, Acceleration Boost fitted vehicles, but for any other variant, acceleration may not be a primary wish. Its really is no different to having the cars steering not in sport mode - does having the steering in comfort or standard mode make the driver less confident? I guess everyone frowning about peoples ability to modulate the accelerator is driving their car with steering in sports mode?
We unashamedly drive ours in chill mode although I have tried sport on a few occasions. We are far from not being confident, capable or Sunday drivers. But I did use to work for a company that deals with road safety and worked on a project that dealt with information from KSI vehicle crashes - so I have upmost awareness of road safety which means that I will not intentionally put myself or others in a dangerous position. We bought our car as a longer range electric vehicle, the acceleration is more than adequate for our needs, chill suits us just fine thankyou. And one day, we will upgrade our car for free and get a higher performance vehicle, all at the flick of a switch. Nothing macho, nothing wrong with our driving abilities, just no desire to flick that switch to sport mode.
Fine, if you bought your Tesla as a performance vehicle, enjoy Sport mode safely, but not everyone bought the car as a performance vehicle and chill mode will do us just fine. And chill mode will still beat 99% of vehicles off the line...
Spacep0d
Active Member
Some people drive slowly because they fear driving fast, and/or don't have the skill to drive fast. But, there are many good and responsible reasons to drive slowly or at a speed appropriate for conditions; speed limits, safety, tickets, other motorists, speed parity, visibility, etc. A lot of people don't even understand how speed limits work and think 'slow is safer'. It's not. What kills isn't outright speed but speed disparity, or a difference between your speed and the speed of prevailing traffic. One must also drive at a speed appropriate for conditions; visibility, weather, pedestrian traffic, etc. All of this factors in. There's such a thing as too fast but definitely such as thing as 'too slow' as well.
German drivers have higher average speeds than Americans but get into fewer accidents per driven mile, and sections of the Autobahn have no speed limit. This relies on better driver training but also lane discipline, and a more disciplined driver culture generally. The jagoff driving 45 in the 'fast' lane is not safe....they're a hazard because they're creating more lane-changes, and more lane changes mean more accidents. There's a reason that American surface street limits are based on an 85th percentile, not what the local 'concerned parent' club thinks is safe. Slower is actually more dangerous due to the slalom effect of reasonable drivers (the 85th percentile) having to navigate around stubborn slowpokes. Most American freeways are sadly not held to the 85th percentile standards, but that's another story. However, the legal and recommended merge speed is not 'the speed limit' on a DMV test, it's 'flow of traffic'. When one combines selective enforcement, high average freeway speeds, unreasonable absolute limit signs (e.g., 65 mph), and a sense of selfish entitlement...no wonder drivers are confused.
People who drive too slowly for conditions aren't displaying mere personal preference but also a lack of confidence due to many factors; skill, age, reaction time, dulled senses, low skill ceiling due to lack of risk-taking, simple fear (rational or otherwise), etc. The slow driver is generally less confident than the fast driver, though that doesn't mean confidence without skill is a good thing. Sometimes confidence is misplaced or undeserved. New drivers/riders tend to be over-confident, and sometimes drivers who don't understand physics, their own car, etc. are under-confident (compared to how a Tesla performs). In my view, drivers using chill mode are less confident, or simply find it easier to push against an imposed limit rather than regulate the accelerator on their own. It's likely a mix of the two depending on the driver and his/her reasoning.
I think it's okay to limit yourself to chill mode due to concern about speeding, safety, tickets, temptation to 'speed' or race, battery efficiency, extending range, etc. But, you can't *also* say you're as confident as the person who regulates all of this without chill mode. Again, confidence isn't always a virtue if it isn't grounded in skill, knowledge, facts. As they say with riders....there are old riders and bold riders, but few old bold riders.
Otherwise, why use chill mode at all? The 'cost' of chill mode is that you don't have the emergent option of going fast in a hurry, which removes some 'escape' options that could prevent some accidents. Having a full range of options is, in my view, the best way to go. You also have escape velocity if you encounter road-rage (regardless of what caused it). If you enjoy acceleration in short bursts you have more of that without chill mode, which is why it's called 'chill mode'. Why else buy a fast car only to impose such a limit, whilst depriving yourself of some useful accident-avoiding acceleration tools and a bit of fun?
It's okay to use chill mode, but it's also okay to lack confidence to regulate one's speed without it. For a new Tesla owner or driver it makes sense. However, I wouldn't remove the 'go fast' option with chill mode because I've had too many situations where a quick burst of speed saved my bum, literally in some cases. I'm a former sportbike rider so I like all of my options open, speed-bursts included. Acceleration isn't just for go-fast daredevils racing at every light. It's also a very useful tool in the toolkit.
I did once accidentally put myself into valet mode and wondered why my car felt so much less powerful. Discovered it a couple days later. DOH!
Now I know to watch for that because it's as easy as a mistouch on the Tesla smartphone app.
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MrBadger
Badger out
Chill mode has nothing to do with speed. Its to do with acceleration. A car in chill mode is no slower than a car in sport or standard. It just takes a few seconds longer to get there, which is 99% quicker than any other car on the road will get to the same speed and tbh, quicker in 99% occasions than it needs to be for the surrounding conditions. The only traffic that a car in chill mode will not be keeping up with will be a platoon of other Teslas or supercars. I don't think I have ever seen that on UK public roads outside controlled conditions. I don't recognise your argument as being one any more relevant to a car in chill mode than it does with 100% of other vehicles on the road. Chill, standard, sport is a personal preference, not an indicator of driver talent or confidence.
Spacep0d
Active Member
So, why use it? You won't convince me that someone using 'Chill Mode' has the confidence of someone who doesn't. It's a literal handicap imposed on acceleration. Sorry, I kinda rambled about speed disparity and such (fun topic for me) but yeah.....I think the more confident driver is the one who doesn't rely on Chill Mode, because there are benefits to acceleration. It's part of a driver's toolkit. Why undermine this with Chill Mode?
In other words, what do you perceive to be the point of Chill Mode? Does it just encourage you to drive in a more relaxed fashion, like driving a slower car? I'm not trolling..just genuinely curious why some people use it. I only used it once to see how different it was, turned it off, and haven't used it since. I love that the Tesla's accelerator is responsive, yet eminently controllable.
This might be a commentary on human psychology, and how a 'responsive' car may influence one's driving vs. one that is in Chill Mode, perhaps somewhat like driving a smart (car). However, I've never successfully had a car's inherent slowness prevent me from driving how I wanted....I just become frustrated when when I need to accelerate and can't or can't to the degree that I'd like.
MrBadger
Badger out
Its just a ****ing preference and nothing to do with driver confidence or skill.
Spacep0d
Active Member
I get that it's a preference, but why? Why impose the limit? Why remove very responsive acceleration from your toolkit?
What I am getting at is that I think the 'Chill Mode' just emulates a slower car, and thus a 'slower' and more relaxed mindset. Some people might give in to the temptation to 'speed' if they have a more responsive vehicle not in Chill Mode, just like some people don't trust themselves with a literbike (too much power) so they opt for a slow bike they can ride fast and wring out rather than a fast bike they have to be careful with, if that makes sense. My guess is that 'Chill Mode' is the same phenomenon. It turns your 'literbike' responsive power into a 250cc that you can be a little looser with. For me, it would be frustrating if I didn't have the ultra responsive 'go' power when I wanted it.
There are reasons here that people can interrogate. I'm just curious about the mindset. I think I've given my reasons for not using it. Not trying to antagonize here so much as understand.
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Here's the thing - in my Nissan Leaf if I select 'Eco' mode the car accelerates more slowly, regens a bit more, turn the air condition demand down - and the guessometer shows more miles range. But in Chill mode on the M3LR there is no change in available range. So what is it for? I can accelerate quickly or slowly using my right foot. If Chill mode gave more range I would probably use it, if it does not then I don't know what it is for.
It's still a fast car even with chill mode on. Faster than any other car I've driven. Faster than any other car I've beaten off the lights. Faster than any other car I've needed to 'escape' on the motorway.
We get it. You like driving fast. Other people have different criteria for a car. The world would be a boring place if everyone liked the same thing.
Isn’t it for chilling? (When you want to chill a bit)
I don’t understand the problem, it’s a switch, on or off, and the driver controls the switch.
It’s called freedom of choice.
What’s wrong with that?
Spacep0d
Active Member
I don't drive fast all the time and have no tickets or accidents on my record. I'm actually quite sedate but there are moments....moments that a lot of us have with any Tesla where we might need a boost...for fun, to avoid a dangerous situation, etc. I just modulate with my right foot with fine motor control, much like I would on an extremely fast literbike. Motorcycles have 'chill mode' too, or 'modes' to change power map for reduced power.
I'm guessing that chill mode is a state of mind thing, where you just feel more comfortable going more slowly when the car is less responsive. Nothing wrong with that, just trying to understand the mindset.
Also, I can fully understand why someone new to a Tesla would use chill mode. Reduce the power, get used to the car and one pedal driving (where possible), and only change to regular driving when one is comfortable or when the car is familiar enough where most driving is automatic. This is a phenomenon that happens to new riders. The very act of riding uses up a lot of cognitive bandwidth, and things that should be automatic aren't yet. So, I can see where chill mode would reduce some of the driver mental bandwidth needed.
For experienced drivers...maybe people just like the feel of it once they try it out.
Drew57
Active ember
I think it best to leave this running commentary alone please, the thread is not about the psychology of driving choices nor the ability of the driver. Your point was made early on but what looks like drip-drip-drip interrogation until somebody finally breaks down and admits that they are lacking in some way is not helpful or even relevant.
it's also disrespectful to those who choose to use chill mode, with an underlying suggestion of their being less experienced, less talented or inferior. That is not the case & it's not about using chill mode to learn or become more comfortable, nor is it anything whatsoever about 'going slowly' (...'comfortable going more slowly', 'change to regular driving when one is comfortable')
The very fact that it's there & some people choose to use chill mode should be reason enough so please leave this be.
it's also disrespectful to those who choose to use chill mode, with an underlying suggestion of their being less experienced, less talented or inferior. That is not the case & it's not about using chill mode to learn or become more comfortable, nor is it anything whatsoever about 'going slowly' (...'comfortable going more slowly', 'change to regular driving when one is comfortable')
The very fact that it's there & some people choose to use chill mode should be reason enough so please leave this be.
Spacep0d
Active Member
Fair enough. I was really just hoping that someone would explain their reasoning behind it rather than 'it's just a preference' which is obvious. I do have a bad habit of asking too many questions sometimes. It's both a bug and a feature I suppose.
I've had my M3P about 3 months now and though I nearly always drive in sport mode I have had a few times where I've done journeys in chill mode. Coming from an MX5 1.5, what I really miss (apart from the gearchange and top-down motoring) is the sense of working for something - those 8 seconds 0-60s where I felt like I was really pushing the car. Sure, I love the acceleration in the Tesla, but the thrill is over very quickly. I know it's a cliché, but if you like driving, there's a lot to be said for the slow car fast is better than a fast car slow - at least on public roads. You wrote that you would feel frustrated without the 'ultra'responsive go power' - fair enough - I find it frustrating sometimes that I have to reign in the power so quickly. Not because I can't - I agree with those who say the accelerator is easy to modulate. Each to his/her own. Back in the day I used to have a 45 HP Fiat Uno - it was a blast to drive - pedal to the metal without fear of losing your licence - but the overtaking often meant long waits, careful planning and lots of stress if you'd miscalculated. It's nice not to have that problem in the M3. Even in chill mode you have 30-70 mph in about 4.5 seconds - certainly slower than the 2 sec M3P in sport, but still very fast. Anyway - we should enjoy the fact that at present we still have a choice.
Spacep0d
Active Member
I've had my M3P about 3 months now and though I nearly always drive in sport mode I have had a few times where I've done journeys in chill mode. Coming from an MX5 1.5, what I really miss (apart from the gearchange and top-down motoring) is the sense of working for something - those 8 seconds 0-60s where I felt like I was really pushing the car. Sure, I love the acceleration in the Tesla, but the thrill is over very quickly. I know it's a cliché, but if you like driving, there's a lot to be said for the slow car fast is better than a fast car slow - at least on public roads. You wrote that you would feel frustrated without the 'ultra'responsive go power' - fair enough - I find it frustrating sometimes that I have to reign in the power so quickly. Not because I can't - I agree with those who say the accelerator is easy to modulate. Each to his/her own. Back in the day I used to have a 45 HP Fiat Uno - it was a blast to drive - pedal to the metal without fear of losing your licence - but the overtaking often meant long waits, careful planning and lots of stress if you'd miscalculated. It's nice not to have that problem in the M3. Even in chill mode you have 30-70 mph in about 4.5 seconds - certainly slower than the 2 sec M3P in sport, but still very fast. Anyway - we should enjoy the fact that at present we still have a choice.
Thanks for explaining it, and I get the 'more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow' mentality. Same applies to us motorcycle riders. This is why I rode 'slow' bikes for so long, along with my enjoyment of the lighter weight and smaller form factor. I had everything from 250s to literbikes and ended up preferring the middleweights for their power and relative low mass.
I generally prefer smaller vehicles but there aren't really any good EVs with decent range which are small like the FIAT or Mini....and certainly none made by Tesla yet. I do look forward to the Model 2 because of its smaller size.
I guess chill mode can work with passing too, and the shorter space you can use the better here...especially on a mountain road with limited legal passing area....or where some drivers attempt to 'block' the pass by speeding up. In my view, full power is where the Tesla really shines. I ran Ortega Highway down to Orange County last weekend and it was glorious to be able to pass slowpokes so decisively.
'This is not a negotiation!'. Like I said, I'm in the wrong thread, lol.
I also spent lots of time in slow cars (like the smart) so I guess it's one of the reasons I don't touch chill mode. Even that little thing was faster and more maneuverable than people expected I think. I can also see chill mode as being a way to re-experience the full power of your Tesla once you've gotten too used to its full power. Get yourself used to chill mode, adapt your muscle memory...then BLAM release the Kraken and make yourself squeal again....like erasing your mind to watch 'Breaking Bad' again as if it were the first time. I think I get it and I do see some benefits here now that I'm thinking about it more.
I am very glad we have choices, for sure. It's especially good to support a plurality of options even if we don't personally use or fully-understand them.
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Some people drive slowly because they fear driving fast, and/or don't have the skill to drive fast. But, there are many good and responsible reasons to drive slowly or at a speed appropriate for conditions; speed limits, safety, tickets, other motorists, speed parity, visibility, etc. A lot of people don't even understand how speed limits work and think 'slow is safer'. It's not. What kills isn't outright speed but speed disparity, or a difference between your speed and the speed of prevailing traffic. One must also drive at a speed appropriate for conditions; visibility, weather, pedestrian traffic, etc. All of this factors in. There's such a thing as too fast but definitely such as thing as 'too slow' as well.
German drivers have higher average speeds than Americans but get into fewer accidents per driven mile, and sections of the Autobahn have no speed limit. This relies on better driver training but also lane discipline, and a more disciplined driver culture generally. The jagoff driving 45 in the 'fast' lane is not safe....they're a hazard because they're creating more lane-changes, and more lane changes mean more accidents. There's a reason that American surface street limits are based on an 85th percentile, not what the local 'concerned parent' club thinks is safe. Slower is actually more dangerous due to the slalom effect of reasonable drivers (the 85th percentile) having to navigate around stubborn slowpokes. Most American freeways are sadly not held to the 85th percentile standards, but that's another story. However, the legal and recommended merge speed is not 'the speed limit' on a DMV test, it's 'flow of traffic'. When one combines selective enforcement, high average freeway speeds, unreasonable absolute limit signs (e.g., 65 mph), and a sense of selfish entitlement...no wonder drivers are confused.
People who drive too slowly for conditions aren't displaying mere personal preference but also a lack of confidence due to many factors; skill, age, reaction time, dulled senses, low skill ceiling due to lack of risk-taking, simple fear (rational or otherwise), etc. The slow driver is generally less confident than the fast driver, though that doesn't mean confidence without skill is a good thing. Sometimes confidence is misplaced or undeserved. New drivers/riders tend to be over-confident, and sometimes drivers who don't understand physics, their own car, etc. are under-confident (compared to how a Tesla performs). In my view, drivers using chill mode are less confident, or simply find it easier to push against an imposed limit rather than regulate the accelerator on their own. It's likely a mix of the two depending on the driver and his/her reasoning.
I think it's okay to limit yourself to chill mode due to concern about speeding, safety, tickets, temptation to 'speed' or race, battery efficiency, extending range, etc. But, you can't *also* say you're as confident as the person who regulates all of this without chill mode. Again, confidence isn't always a virtue if it isn't grounded in skill, knowledge, facts. As they say with riders....there are old riders and bold riders, but few old bold riders.
Otherwise, why use chill mode at all? The 'cost' of chill mode is that you don't have the emergent option of going fast in a hurry, which removes some 'escape' options that could prevent some accidents. Having a full range of options is, in my view, the best way to go. You also have escape velocity if you encounter road-rage (regardless of what caused it). If you enjoy acceleration in short bursts you have more of that without chill mode, which is why it's called 'chill mode'. Why else buy a fast car only to impose such a limit, whilst depriving yourself of some useful accident-avoiding acceleration tools and a bit of fun?
It's okay to use chill mode, but it's also okay to lack confidence to regulate one's speed without it. For a new Tesla owner or driver it makes sense. However, I wouldn't remove the 'go fast' option with chill mode because I've had too many situations where a quick burst of speed saved my bum, literally in some cases. I'm a former sportbike rider so I like all of my options open, speed-bursts included. Acceleration isn't just for go-fast daredevils racing at every light. It's also a very useful tool in the toolkit.
I did once accidentally put myself into valet mode and wondered why my car felt so much less powerful. Discovered it a couple days later. DOH!
My point exactly. Totally agree.
Chill Mode: "For those that want an experience where there head isn't smooshed into the headrest if they accidentally twitch their feet"
- "to chill, to be comfortable"
Had the car on sport mode yesterday, with TACC enabled and was very interesting as the car dealt with the cars in front entering/leaving my lanes - when on chill the cruise control would "gently get back up to 70" as example, whereas in Sport mode it was a more "abrupt" shift in speed to get back up again.
The car will certainly let you know its pulling its weight in Sport mode - top speed of my car is still 155mph either way, but chill mode is the 'preference' i'd stick with when dealing with the SO or anyone else who suffers motion sickness.
So long as the car works for the use-cases and scenarios you need it for - that's all that matters!
- "to chill, to be comfortable"
Had the car on sport mode yesterday, with TACC enabled and was very interesting as the car dealt with the cars in front entering/leaving my lanes - when on chill the cruise control would "gently get back up to 70" as example, whereas in Sport mode it was a more "abrupt" shift in speed to get back up again.
The car will certainly let you know its pulling its weight in Sport mode - top speed of my car is still 155mph either way, but chill mode is the 'preference' i'd stick with when dealing with the SO or anyone else who suffers motion sickness.
So long as the car works for the use-cases and scenarios you need it for - that's all that matters!
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