Green Bar / brake usage

[cadone]

When I see a green bar I know Tesla is reducing the speed and regenerating the power to the battery.

Sorry for dumb question; To reduce the speed, does it use brakes or reduce the motor speed?

If it’s using brakes, Over time, too much of green bar can wear the brakes?

Thanks

 

[ucmndd]

The green bar depicts electric motor regeneration, not friction brakes.

 

[MY1stEV]

This used to be a much less nuanced answer, but recent software updates have changed this representation. (I am only referencing the 3/Y, I am not sure what happens in the S/X now.)

If you are "one-pedal driving", not touching the brake pedal at all, then 100% of your stopping is due to "engine braking" or "regenerative capture" (green line). If you are on TACC/Autopilot/FSD it could be a combination of both, braking and regenerative stopping.

Some have reported a recent software change shows a thicker gray bar extending beyond the green bar to indicate what portion of your stopping force is coming from the brakes vs the engine.

 

[cadone]

@MY1stEV good information, thanks. I may want to turn off the TACC and see what I may lose. Hope I don’t miss out too much. That way, the brakes drying wear off too much.

As I am writing this message, it occurs to me to check my screen on my next drive.

I know the car image on the screen shows All accurate details.

Like, If I push the turn signal, the image in the screen also shows it. So, this time I will want to see if the brake light turns on when there is green bar shows up.

Thanks
C1

 

[Grabthar]

When you use regenerative braking, your brake lights can light up; it depends on the braking force. So even if you aren't using the "brakes", your lights may come on.

 

[GtiMart]

On recent software updates, the green bar ONLY means regeneration. If the car slows down by itself using mechanical brakes, that portion of the bar will be black.