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How important are regen settings in snow and ice ?
- Thread starter rotarypower101
- Start date
I didn't know that! I believe (correct me if I am mistaken) "snow mode" is an automagical thing that happens when the car detects slip. It isn't a feature that the manual calls that. Off road mode is an available switched mode, and different from what many of us might consider an actual snow mode.
rpiotro
Active Member
Had a set of Hakkas on my last car. The best snow tire. Period. I've had others.
Yes "snow mode" is automatic. Bjorn shows it here with Scan My Tesla:
As I said before I've found it makes a big difference. I don't really find the M3P any worse in the snow now than my BMW 335xi I had previous. When I first got the M3P it was a complete disaster under braking.
As I said before I've found it makes a big difference. I don't really find the M3P any worse in the snow now than my BMW 335xi I had previous. When I first got the M3P it was a complete disaster under braking.
I’m in Alaska and on my 9th winter with a Tesla. 5th with my 2018 LR AWD 3. AK banned salt years ago (environmental impact) so we drive on mostly packed snow/ice ~7 months a year. Regular regen sucks on slick roads, especially when you have an unexpected sudden release of the accelerator or going downhill. When I switch to my winter tires (Nokian Hakka 9’s) in early October I switch to regen low and Chill and leave the car that way until I switch back to all seasons mid to late May.
No idea why Tesla removed the option on the newer ones. For where I live I would not own an EV that couldn’t be switched to regen low for winter.
No idea why Tesla removed the option on the newer ones. For where I live I would not own an EV that couldn’t be switched to regen low for winter.
Does anyone know how regen affects antilock braking? In other words, do you need to press the brake pedal for antilock braking to be active or will antilock braking activate while the car is braking regeneratively? I suspect that you need to press the brake pedal for antilock braking but I have not been able to confirm that anywhere.
Now that we can set the car to blend regen and friction brakes do antilock brakes trigger when applied due to the battery being cold or full (i.e. while blending is active)?
Now that we can set the car to blend regen and friction brakes do antilock brakes trigger when applied due to the battery being cold or full (i.e. while blending is active)?
The car will automatically reduce braking when regenerating if it detects slip so yes, "ABS" works with regen. I put it in quotes only because it's not actually using the brakes but the effect is the same.
When I was playing with this the other day on snow floor, I didn't feel the pulse of antilock brakes when I just lifted my foot off the accelerator (blended engaged). I had to hammer the brake pedal to get the antilock to go.
Maybe at higher speeds it would have engaged.
Would be interested to know at higher speeds if you think about it, and are out in conditions like that.
You need to hit the brake pedal for ABS. This is the main reason full regen is bad on the slick. It will put the car into a straight slide.
I bought 2021 LR two months ago and didn't realize that it doesn't have the ability to alter the regen anymore. It really feels odd decision to remove the option. I live in Finland and drive on icy/packed roads 4-5 months a year and would love an option to switch off the regen. My wife mainly walks or cycles and whenever she drives, she has difficulties as regen is too sensitive for the pedal position.
Have to wait until nearby lake has thick enough ice and ice track made to do some testing how regen/abs behaves.
Have to wait until nearby lake has thick enough ice and ice track made to do some testing how regen/abs behaves.
I am going to defer to @coleAK and say that what they are saying seems correct.
The area I live in was settled by Finns for a reason
and conditions are much the same as those of you from Scandinavia and @coleAK. Last year is exceptional in that the snow ended early.I bought S3XY buttons for the express reason of being able to turn off regen. That said, I am pretty happy with off road assist right now. It redistributes regen 50/50 and turns off TC, which makes the car drive very much like the 4WD trucks I've been driving since dirt was young, except for redistributing the weight of the vehicle much better than a pickup.
That said, I will continue to experiment.
Okay, so in summary, older Model 3s, like mine have high regen and low regen, user-selectable. I put mine into low-regen in winter, and save it as a "SnowDay" setting.
However, newer Model 3s, without a user-selectable regen setting, automagically switch to low-regen when slip is detected, so the end result is the same? Is that what I'm hearing?
However, newer Model 3s, without a user-selectable regen setting, automagically switch to low-regen when slip is detected, so the end result is the same? Is that what I'm hearing?
Agreed, except it isn't just a feeling. I can attest that coming around a curve or corner, especially on a hill, you can kick out the back end at least a foot in that 1/10 second. And that isn't necessarily a good thing in traffic.
once you overcome the force of friction and start to slide there is no going back… physics
With full regen going downhill on ice a sudden release of the accelerator can put my Teslas into a full uncontrolled slide. With studded Hakka’s.
Then that helps you to turn... My feeling since I've had my car, driving in the snow and ice 5 months per year here in Quebec, was that the car behaved in a very understeer-y fashion on slippery roads. I had to really slow down A LOT to get the car to turn, otherwise it would just plow straight. stability control didn't allow the car to rotate enough. On my previous WRX and other AWD cars I would use a bit of throttle to turn. Yes, physics, even professional drivers use some slipping of the wheels to turn better. The car's nannies were way too restrictive and that made the car understeer, in a dangerous way in my opinion. Regen, acceleration, brakes, it all made the car go straight.
I believe that the car got less restrictive last year, or maybe it's my acceleration boost, or a bit of both. It's less hell bent on going straight now and accepts some turning with minimal slip, which I believe is better for driveability. It still won't let the back go up front, which is obviously a good thing.
EDIT: I know, I can always go slower, but what's the fun in that?
I believe that the car got less restrictive last year, or maybe it's my acceleration boost, or a bit of both. It's less hell bent on going straight now and accepts some turning with minimal slip, which I believe is better for driveability. It still won't let the back go up front, which is obviously a good thing.
EDIT: I know, I can always go slower, but what's the fun in that?
