Some general confusion / frustration with reduced regenerative braking

[jesusbowls]

2020 Model 3 Performance, recently switched back to 20" stock wheels from winter setup.

Anyway, the weather has been getting warmer where I live, and I've been looking forward to being able to finally have some full regenerative braking capability. However, as shown in this photo, even during what seems like close-to-ideal conditions, I almost always have several dots on the left side of my regen braking line. I have to drive around for quite awhile, like at least 20 minutes, before the line becomes solid. But I never really take 20 minute drives, especially now.

So, is it normal to almost never have full regenerative braking capability during 60+F degree weather?

 

[woodguyatl]

2020 Model 3 Performance, recently switched back to 20" stock wheels from winter setup.

Anyway, the weather has been getting warmer where I live, and I've been looking forward to being able to finally have some full regenerative braking capability. However, as shown in this photo, even during what seems like close-to-ideal conditions, I almost always have several dots on the left side of my regen braking line. I have to drive around for quite awhile, like at least 20 minutes, before the line becomes solid. But I never really take 20 minute drives, especially now.

So, is it normal to almost never have full regenerative braking capability during 60+F degree weather?

Outdoor temp is irrelevant. Only battery temp matters. If the car is cold all night the battery will warm much slower than air temp. Here in Atlanta cooler nights have meant I have reduced regen when I pull out of my garage even when air temp has been in the 80’s.

 

[jmaddr]

It’s battery temperature dependent, not ambient. So if you leave in the morning after a cold night, it will take some time to warm up the battery. It’s the same temper as tire for everyone. If you want to get dss as at, use scan my Tesla or something similar and you can find when that it. My experience in Florida is I never get those dots above 70 but did in the 60s and certainly below.

 

[jesusbowls]

Outdoor temp is irrelevant. Only battery temp matters. If the car is cold all night the battery will warm much slower than air temp. Here in Atlanta cooler nights have meant I have reduced regen when I pull out of my garage even when air temp has been in the 80’s.

Understood. In these cases, my car will be parked out in the sun all day at my office, and I'll pull away after work (or in the linked photo, around noon) when the car has been sitting in 60+ degree weather for some time, while charging.

I suppose I just need to reset my expectations and realize that for probably 70+% of the time that I drive this car, I won't get full regen.

 

[TX_M3P+]

In the charge settings, I believe there is an option to set a departure time. If you set this time then the car will preheat the cabin and the battery so that it is all warmed up enough by the time you are ready to go. This should help with the regen issue as well.

 

[RB88]

I definitely think they’ve changed something with the regen breaking to make it more conservative. This time a year ago the weather was similar but I wouldn’t get any dots. Now I’m getting a few dots at the start of drives still too.

 

[WilliamG]

Understood. In these cases, my car will be parked out in the sun all day at my office, and I'll pull away after work (or in the linked photo, around noon) when the car has been sitting in 60+ degree weather for some time, while charging.

I suppose I just need to reset my expectations and realize that for probably 70+% of the time that I drive this car, I won't get full regen.

If you have only a few dots, you won’t notice any difference anyway. My advice: stop worrying about it.

 

[SigNC]

your battery is almost certainly still cool if you are getting that much regen limit at 82%

 

[MountainPass]

I live in a cold area, so to get some more battery heat and regen when I leave for work, I set the scheduled departure and charge at a higher amperage. Charging at 5A overnight barely generates any heat, whereas when charging at 32A (the limit of my SR+) starting closer to when I leave, I have a decent amount of regen right away. - Jesse

 

[Wvapoker]

In the charge settings, I believe there is an option to set a departure time. If you set this time then the car will preheat the cabin and the battery so that it is all warmed up enough by the time you are ready to go. This should help with the regen issue as well.

The model 3 puts the front motor into an inefficient state to prepare the battery for super charging or preheat the battery. It can’t heat the battery unless the car is in motion. The best thing you can do is to try to end your nightly charging session as close to departure as possible and even then you’ll have regen dots. I bought my car in September and can only think of a few times I haven’t had dots in the morning.