Regenerative Breaking: Oh, I get it! A $50K Golf Cart!

[reidthaler]

I'm on about day four with the Tesla. At first, I found the regenerative braking pretty annoying. It felt like driving around in first gear when I took my foot off the accelerator.

But then I figured they put this on for reason, so I might as well give the Tesla Way a try. As soon as I realized that you won't get a great driving experience letting up all the way on the accelerator it started to make sense, just let up a little.

I now find that I don't use the brakes until I've slowed up to about 6 miles an hour, so I can see how the brakes can last 100,000 miles this way.

One thing that would be great, is that if the car was programmed so that when you let up on the accelerator it will flash the brake lights, since it can be startling to slow up suddenly for the car behind you when they have no indication how assertive regenerative braking can be.

Reid

 

[Vines]

Your brake lights do light up when you regenerative braking is taking effect.

 

[trunks13]

One thing that would be great, is that if the car was programmed so that when you let up on the accelerator it will flash the brake lights, since it can be startling to slow up suddenly for the car behind you when they have no indication how assertive regenerative braking can be.

Reid

I believe that's exactly what happens. The brakes lights come on based on the rate of deceleration and not whether you are actually pressing on the brake pedal.

 

[ilg]

Well, then chalk up another "great thing" about your Model 3, because it does exactly that. The brake lights come on any time the deceleration goes beyond a certain threshold.

Edit: Beaten to it. Twice!

 

[reidthaler]

Your brake lights do light up when you regenerative braking is taking effect.

Oh great! Thanks for letting me know!

 

[Jeeps17]

One thing that would be great, is that if the car was programmed so that when you let up on the accelerator it will flash the brake lights, since it can be startling to slow up suddenly for the car behind you when they have no indication how assertive regenerative braking can be.

Welcome to the Tesla family.

When there is enough regenerative braking (somewhere around 20-30kW), the brake lights do come on to warn those behind you. They will not come on with very gradual mild regen, so as not to drive said following drivers crazy.

On the S/X you can see this on the matchbox vehicle in the instrument cluster. On the 3 this may be a bit trickier to notice.

Easy way to clarify this is yourself is to drive at night and experiment with various amounts of regen (if traffic safely allows it).

Enjoy your new car, you'll get used to EV driving very quickly.

 

[drawfour]

The Model 3 on the display will light up its brake lights when your car's brake lights are on. Harder to see if you have a red Model 3, but the other colors, it should show up just fine.

 

[Don TLR]

Much easier to see in a Model S with the rear camera on, you can see exactly where letting off a lot or a little with engage brake light..