Recently I drove a Chevy Bolt at an EV event. Just a short drive, a couple of miles on local roads, nothing dramatic.
But the regenerative brakes were surprisingly powerful. They could and did bring the car to a complete stop. At the time, I questioned the salesman how they did it -- whether the car might actually be using energy from the battery, etc. (he did not seem to know much about the technical details). And I also questioned why the setup was so complicated. (As I recall, there were 2 or 3 levels of regenerative braking available, and you had to actuate the highest level of braking by using "paddles" on the steering wheel.) I also drove a Leaf and found it also had very good regen braking (but also felt it is too complicated to activate in the most effective setting).
Then last weekend, I went to another EV event and let someone test drive my car. His own car is a Prius, and he had driven other EVs such as the Leaf and possibly the Bolt. He also commented that the Tesla regenerative brakes were not as effective as other cars. This led me to check to be sure I had the regen brakes on the Normal setting, which I do.
But since these two events, I have been more aware of my Model S's regenerative braking, and find myself wondering why they are not more powerful. I never questioned them before! I do not know enough about the design of such systems to have a good answer if someone asks me why the Model S has less regen braking than these other Evs -- Does anyone else?
I don't think there is anything wrong with my own, and they seem consistent with the handful of other Teslas I have driven. But my experience with the Leaf and Bolt make me wonder if Tesla could have done better.
But the regenerative brakes were surprisingly powerful. They could and did bring the car to a complete stop. At the time, I questioned the salesman how they did it -- whether the car might actually be using energy from the battery, etc. (he did not seem to know much about the technical details). And I also questioned why the setup was so complicated. (As I recall, there were 2 or 3 levels of regenerative braking available, and you had to actuate the highest level of braking by using "paddles" on the steering wheel.) I also drove a Leaf and found it also had very good regen braking (but also felt it is too complicated to activate in the most effective setting).
Then last weekend, I went to another EV event and let someone test drive my car. His own car is a Prius, and he had driven other EVs such as the Leaf and possibly the Bolt. He also commented that the Tesla regenerative brakes were not as effective as other cars. This led me to check to be sure I had the regen brakes on the Normal setting, which I do.
But since these two events, I have been more aware of my Model S's regenerative braking, and find myself wondering why they are not more powerful. I never questioned them before! I do not know enough about the design of such systems to have a good answer if someone asks me why the Model S has less regen braking than these other Evs -- Does anyone else?
I don't think there is anything wrong with my own, and they seem consistent with the handful of other Teslas I have driven. But my experience with the Leaf and Bolt make me wonder if Tesla could have done better.