I’ve noticed a message stating that regenerative braking is reduced even though the battery is at 60% charge. The messages began appearing about October 10th and usually occur on the first drive of the day. Anyone else seeing this, and any ideas as to why?
Regenerative braking
- Thread starter larryj1948
- Start date
Bikeman
Member
Somewhat releated, possibly totally related... All updates on newer vehicles have eliminated the regen Standard/Low choice. Standard is the default and cannont be changed. Story here: Tesla mysteriously removes regenerative braking strength option in new cars - Electrek
Maybe there's a reason, like Tesla trying to go for more miles/WH or something like that, but this is a bummer of an update. Some EV's have as many as 5 levels of regen choices.
Maybe there's a reason, like Tesla trying to go for more miles/WH or something like that, but this is a bummer of an update. Some EV's have as many as 5 levels of regen choices.
Last edited:
This is normal behavior when the battery is cold, even at mid-SOC. The low cobalt chemistry used in Tesla battery cells makes them very temperature sensitive.
Hmmm, had to check mine as it was built 3 Jun. Have the "low" option so guess I just missed the cut-off, though I never use the "low"...
I have a Sept build Model Y and it still has the choice. Wouldn't bother me at all if "standard" was the permanent setting. It's my second Tesla and I haven't driven a mile on "low" regen.
Puma2020
Member
Saw another thread with the same topic. Zoomit is correct. It is cold weather related. Went out today and it was about 46 (F) / 8 (C) and when I put the car into drive (or reverse), I noticed that the regen line had dots on the left. Need to turn on climate via the app to start the car warming up before you want to drive. The dots ended about where the "D" was for the "gear" selector. I expect it to get worse as it gets colder. I didn't notice much difference in the regen but I wasn't going highway speeds and needing to slow down.
See page 80 of your owner's manual.
I had the low tire pressure on Saturday due to the colder weather. Pressure was down to 34. Usual autumn event. Pumped up the tires and it was happy again.
Agreed low temp related.
On the low regen setting, that is a critical safety feature for those of us who drive on ice.
On the low regen setting, that is a critical safety feature for those of us who drive on ice.
Jimt29
2020 Tesla Model Y LR AWD, MSM/Black
Poor journalism. Author should do more research and find that it only affects the S and X.
I just picked up an October build on Sunday and it does not have the regen setting option.
I have to admit, I hadn't really thought about this yet. I was completely OK with the removal of the option and the aggressive regen is one of my favorite things about the car so far on good grippy pavement, but thinking about how it might behave on an icy road is definitely cause for concern. I guess we'll find out soon.
Maybe (hopefully) there's some smart ABS features involved that don't just react like normal ABS, but once low-traction conditions are sensed, somehow change the aggressiveness of the regen. Although even that, being unpredictable to the driver, doesn't sound ideal. Hmmm....
And even though we're in the Model Y forum, just to be clear, I picked up an October build Model Y.
The standard regen makes me sick. I always use low. I’ll sell my Tesla if they remove the low regen option from existing cars.
@relevante so I jabe a rwd S P85 and live near Green Bay.
When the roads are slick the regen will try to kick in, cause the rear to lose traction, cut regen, regain traction then try and go normal regen..........it can't react fast as ABS and is not a "smart" system. On those days you need to switch to low regen once it is safe to play with the screen.
Maybe awd regen works better, I had a S 85D as a loaner last fall and while I drove in slush it was not all that slick. Oddly I will say the front felt like it was scrambling for traction and I prefer the feel of my rwd car, though I am sure past a few inches of snow the AWD is better.
Heading into my 4th winter I don't have a problem with how it all works. I have gotten better about preemptively switching to low, and the cold battery limits regen a lot too
When the roads are slick the regen will try to kick in, cause the rear to lose traction, cut regen, regain traction then try and go normal regen..........it can't react fast as ABS and is not a "smart" system. On those days you need to switch to low regen once it is safe to play with the screen.
Maybe awd regen works better, I had a S 85D as a loaner last fall and while I drove in slush it was not all that slick. Oddly I will say the front felt like it was scrambling for traction and I prefer the feel of my rwd car, though I am sure past a few inches of snow the AWD is better.
Heading into my 4th winter I don't have a problem with how it all works. I have gotten better about preemptively switching to low, and the cold battery limits regen a lot too
The article references that it appears to only have been removed from new production MY's, not older ones. I wonder if it was replaced with another adjustment somewhere deeper in the menus? Do any of the driving modes (Standard, Chill, Sport) affect regen?
It makes you sick because you have not yet gotten use to one-pedal driving. It takes a few hundred in-town miles, give or take.
-----------------
On topic
Saw this question today on the FB group too, attributed to ambient temperature. I said it there and I'll say it again, never had this message on any of the 3 BMW i3's we had. BMW would simulate regen using the friction brakes and the driver would never know the difference. Someone speculated that the hardware is different and if Tesla did this, that the brake pedal would move. I wouldn't mind this as the car would always act the same under any conditions. The i3 brake pedal does not move.
I've seen several references to the regen braking and using 'low' in slippery conditions. I'm a little confused about this. In slippery conditions, you mainly slide when applying the brakes (or cornering). Regen isn't doing this, just slowing the car using the motor(s), right? So why would you be concerned about slipping if you're not actually braking?
Puma2020
Member
Performed a test today as it was cool outside. The car in the garage was at about 55 (F) / 13 (C). Not very cold but enough that when I hopped in the Y, it warned about regen not being fully functional.
Image 1 was the initial look. Notice how many dots are present.
I then used the app to turn on climate inside the car and raise the temp to 72 (F) / 22 (C).
Waited 15 minutes. The inside temp was 72 and toasty.
Image 2 shows the # of dots have decreased, but as expected so has the expected range (as the car was NOT plugged in).
Image 1 was the initial look. Notice how many dots are present.
I then used the app to turn on climate inside the car and raise the temp to 72 (F) / 22 (C).
Waited 15 minutes. The inside temp was 72 and toasty.
Image 2 shows the # of dots have decreased, but as expected so has the expected range (as the car was NOT plugged in).
Last edited:
Puma2020
Member
Having driven standards most of my life, I was very used to coasting up to lights and stop signs.
Standard regen bothered me during the initial test drive and I then switched it to low, which was still not coasting as I wanted but at least not too bad.
However as I started driving a Tesla, I used low for the first 2 days. Then when I got to the mountains in Colorado, I switched it to standard for going downhill. Never went back to low. Once I understood that pressing the accelerator did not mean pull juice from the battery but sometimes just lower how much regen was happening, I got used to one pedal driving. Love 1 pedal driving now.
As with any new technology, it takes some learning and some times adapting.
