Tesla drops regenerative braking options for new EVs

[Dangerous Fish]

how is regen braking different from using brake pads in snow? Either way, you don't want a fast deceleration, but how does regen fair worse? Just don't let up on the "gas" pedal so fast.

Exactly. But some drivers use binary inputs. Even then, the TC and SC will sort it out, although it's slightly more messy.
Driving finesse is almost a lost art and the more automation there is the worse it will get, but it's still possible to use technique to overcome a car's heavy-handed nannying.

 

[glide]

how is regen braking different from using brake pads in snow? Either way, you don't want a fast deceleration, but how does regen fair worse? Just don't let up on the "gas" pedal so fast.

Let’s say you’re driving along, take your foot off the gas and THEN you hit a patch of black ice.

Options are to re-apply the gas, apply the brake, or continue to coast on regen. None of which are optimal.

 

[noshadow]

Let’s say you’re driving along, take your foot off the gas and THEN you hit a patch of black ice.

Options are to re-apply the gas, apply the brake, or continue to coast on regen. None of which are optimal.

Hitting black ice is going to suck if you're also pressing your brake pedal.

In an ICE car, you can be "coasting" in neutral (I have always driven a manual shift car my entire life) and I guess that's good. But if you're maintaining speed using 1-pedal driving, it's kind of the same thing.

If you're trying to slow down by using regen braking or in an ICE car using your brakes to slow down, it's the same problem on black ice, and the best solution is the same in both situations, stop decelerating.

I think the problem here is, for those who are used to ICE cars, they would just stop doing anything with their feet, which means to lift off the brake pedal. For a Tesla with regen braking, just press down on the "gas" pedal.

It's different, but it has the same outcome.

 

[E_R_N]

Let’s say you’re driving along, take your foot off the gas and THEN you hit a patch of black ice.

Options are to re-apply the gas, apply the brake, or continue to coast on regen. None of which are optimal.

The only proper option here for any vehicle is apply more throttle to match your road speed and steer. Brakes on surfaces that slick are the wrong choice. People have a habit of going for the brake because that is all they know and I live on a steep hill and see people doing it all the time, brake and pray when they should be changing their strategy to throttle for control and steer. It’s counter intuitive because most people get in the bad situation and just want it to stop.
Ask any serious mountain biker how they handle steep slippery inclines (roll in super slow, let off the brake and roll it out) or any serious off road 4wd vehicle driver, they will tell you the same thing. You slide, use the throttle and steer to a better outcome, not brake and hope for the best.

 

[Az_Rael]

just sayin' how do we know this is actually true?

the google search link to the owner's manual - https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/model_y_owners_manual_north_america_en.pdf still has both.

My freshly delivered S does not have any regen options. So, yes it is true for new cars.

 

[Carbon888]

My car still has the regen option. If I update the software, will it get rid of it?

 

[spokey]

My car still has the regen option. If I update the software, will it get rid of it?

i'm on 40.8 and still have it. But I guess if they keep the standard, I'm OK with the choice going away. At least if they have it integrated with traction and such for winter driving.

 

[Snow Drift]

While I prefer Hold and Standard, if anyone wants less regeneration braking force, just switch your Stopping Mode to Creep. My wife uses it, I've tested it, and the regen is less as the car coasts and drives you even after releasing the accelerator.

 

[Merrill]

I’m confused, the thread says no more regeneration but I read that they took away the option of low and everything is on standard.

 

[frankvb]

While I prefer Hold and Standard, if anyone wants less regeneration braking force, just switch your Stopping Mode to Creep. My wife uses it, I've tested it, and the regen is less as the car coasts and drives you even after releasing the accelerator.

Not my experience, stopping mode set to creep, regen to standard, and the regen is very strong (until you've almost stopped and then it keeps moving forward at very low speed as expected). I'll change stopping mode to hold though and see if it really does not make a difference.

That makes sense to me as these are two different settings. Not saying that's how it will work on a 2021 without the regen setting.

 

[Big Earl]

I’m confused, the thread says no more regeneration but I read that they took away the option of low and everything is on standard.

There is no more LOW regeneration setting on new vehicles. Old vehicles retain their settings (for now).

EPA ratings average the drive modes (unless they revert to a default on each drive cycle, which Tesla does not do with the regeneration settings). Since most Tesla drivers use standard regen, this artificially lowers their EPA rating. By removing the option, Tesla has boosted their EPA ratings.

It's possible that we'll see low regen return with some sort of snow mode or perhaps it will revert to the default standard setting on each drive cycle. In my opinion, they removed the option altogether (for now) in order to avoid complaints about the system reverting to standard regen on each drive cycle when it would previously stay in low regen if that's what you wanted.

 

[Snow Drift]

Not my experience, stopping mode set to creep, regen to standard, and the regen is very strong (until you've almost stopped and then it keeps moving forward at very low speed as expected). I'll change stopping mode to hold though and see if it really does not make a difference.

That makes sense to me as these are two different settings. Not saying that's how it will work on a 2021 without the regen setting.

It feels like a run away train with a lot less braking force in Creep compared to Hold.

I expected it to work like you said, full regen braking force until the end where it would creepy. You can really feel it when trying to make a turn. In Hold the car is just braking and you turn, in Creep the car starts to drive at the end, requiring you to use the brake pedal.

 

[strider]

Wait until winter

I've been driving Teslas for 10 years and always had regen in its most aggressive mode. Granted, 6 of those were in the Bay Area, but the last 4 has been in a place that gets winter for very short periods. We love our ice storms here, they just don't last long. As @E_R_N stated, you can modulate the regen with your foot. I realize it's scary when you're sliding, but that's what car control clinics are for. Wet down a paddock area w/ water, jump in a car w/ bald tires, and see how the car behaves. My wife and I did a Skip Barber school years ago. I will definitely have my kids go through it before they start driving.

I also know that software updates can remove features. I've been a Tesla customer for a very long time. I realize that wild speculation is a hallmark of Internet forums, but I can only speak to the current situation. If in fact it is an EPA or other regulatory-related change, there would be no upside to removing it for previously sold cars so why would they do it? Someone could argue that it would simplify their code base as they wouldn't have to keep track of which cars had it and which didn't, but they are already doing that for the massive numbers of changes they have made over the years, different battery packs, drive modes, motor changes, etc.

 

[Az_Rael]

It feels like a run away train with a lot less braking force in Creep compared to Hold.

I expected it to work like you said, full regen braking force until the end where it would creepy. You can really feel it when trying to make a turn. In Hold the car is just braking and you turn, in Creep the car starts to drive at the end, requiring you to use the brake pedal.

The better comparison would be creep vs roll mode. Hold mode uses the brakes to get to a stop, so it is hard to say when regen stops and brakes start. Or just put the car in creep/low if you still have the option and see if you can tell the difference vs creep/standard. Creep/low feels like the car with a mostly full battery on a cold day. You will be able to tell.

I have been using creep and Standard for years and I did not notice any difference in regen feel for the new S vs our old one.

 

[frankvb]

It feels like a run away train with a lot less braking force in Creep compared to Hold.

I expected it to work like you said, full regen braking force until the end where it would creepy. You can really feel it when trying to make a turn. In Hold the car is just braking and you turn, in Creep the car starts to drive at the end, requiring you to use the brake pedal.

That's weird, I did change the setting to 'hold' today, and regen braking felt exactly the same to me at speed over 5mph or so.

BTW: I have an AWD LR, but it has a performance VIN (and rear motor), wondering if that makes any difference here. Also have acceleration boost.

I might keep the setting on hold, I like it when driving, but not when reversing into my garage, easier to control with the creep setting. Will try it out for a while to see if I get used to that.

 

[quakthunder]

Took delivery VIN 626xx today (not sure of build date) and can confirm no regen option

 

[Snow Drift]

That's weird, I did change the setting to 'hold' today, and regen braking felt exactly the same to me at speed over 5mph or so.

BTW: I have an AWD LR, but it has a performance VIN (and rear motor), wondering if that makes any difference here. Also have acceleration boost.

I might keep the setting on hold, I like it when driving, but not when reversing into my garage, easier to control with the creep setting. Will try it out for a while to see if I get used to that.

Just ease your foot off the accelerator when driving and notice you don't have strong braking, the car keeps driving.

 

[frankvb]

Just ease your foot off the accelerator when driving and notice you don't have strong braking, the car keeps driving.

Yes, I understand, that doesn't happen, when doing that it slows down quickly (in either 'creep' or 'hold').

 

[Ldub22]

Yes. They are removing "Low" and forcing everyone to be in Normal. We love one-pedal driving so no loss for us.

So I drove a brand new Model Y Performance YESTERDAY, with the latest firmware, and this was NOT the case.

So YMMV.

 

[strider]

So I drove a brand new Model Y Performance YESTERDAY, with the latest firmware, and this was NOT the case.

Sounds like hearsay.

Well, there are 2 users up above in this thread that confirmed they are not able to change their regen settings. Maybe the MY you drove had been built a few weeks/months ago?