EV brake lights
Poll: EV brake lights
Total Members Polled: 30
Discussion
On the i3 (and the Zoe before it), lifting off the accelerator pedal causes the brake lights to come on
Regen does cause the car to slow more quickly than is the case in (most) ICE cars - much more so in the i3 than in the Zoe as it happens
Should the brake light come on independently of the brakes being applied by the driver? Is regen deceleration sufficient to warrant brake lights when lifting off in an ICE car usually doesn't?
Regen does cause the car to slow more quickly than is the case in (most) ICE cars - much more so in the i3 than in the Zoe as it happens
Should the brake light come on independently of the brakes being applied by the driver? Is regen deceleration sufficient to warrant brake lights when lifting off in an ICE car usually doesn't?
True re the Zoe. It's has piss poor regen anyway.
The soul does in B mode, where you get a useful amount of regen power. In D mode I they don't come on.
Basically, If the car has a proper regen mode where the car slows down at a fair old rate then of course the brake lights should come on.
The soul does in B mode, where you get a useful amount of regen power. In D mode I they don't come on.
Basically, If the car has a proper regen mode where the car slows down at a fair old rate then of course the brake lights should come on.
Shilvers said:
A Zoe's brake lights don't come on under regen. Only when you press the pedal.
I'm sure some cars do activate the lights if the regen is strong enough.
when I had a Zoe a mate of mine following me phoned me to ask me why "are you always on the f'in brakes" when I hadn't touched the brake pedal for 10 milesI'm sure some cars do activate the lights if the regen is strong enough.
i3 definitely does because it was noticing the brake lights illuminating things behind me (again) last night that prompted this poll
I voted no...
All cars have differing amounts of engine braking. My current car has very little due to a large mass, a very slushy TC and a big engine that is usually turning at less than 1k rpm in 30s and 40s. Whereas a lightweight manual shopping car will have significant engine braking at 30mph.
One simply adjusts to the vehicle being driven and the traffic around them. In the E500 I drive much more sedately around town than most so that I have more time/space to anticipate when I need to stop.
All cars have differing amounts of engine braking. My current car has very little due to a large mass, a very slushy TC and a big engine that is usually turning at less than 1k rpm in 30s and 40s. Whereas a lightweight manual shopping car will have significant engine braking at 30mph.
One simply adjusts to the vehicle being driven and the traffic around them. In the E500 I drive much more sedately around town than most so that I have more time/space to anticipate when I need to stop.
Most EV's turn on their brake lights under two conditions:
1) The brake pedal is pressed sufficient to trip the top position switch
and
2) The vehicle is decelerating above a certain threshold
On the i3, because it is mapped to allow quite a lot of regen (despite being rwd) less than about 20mm of accel pedal depression causes enough decel to put the brake lights on.
1) The brake pedal is pressed sufficient to trip the top position switch
and
2) The vehicle is decelerating above a certain threshold
On the i3, because it is mapped to allow quite a lot of regen (despite being rwd) less than about 20mm of accel pedal depression causes enough decel to put the brake lights on.
JPJPJP said:
when I had a Zoe a mate of mine following me phoned me to ask me why "are you always on the f'in brakes" when I hadn't touched the brake pedal for 10 miles
i3 definitely does because it was noticing the brake lights illuminating things behind me (again) last night that prompted this poll
I've got one. Definitely no brake lights.i3 definitely does because it was noticing the brake lights illuminating things behind me (again) last night that prompted this poll
I think if the regen is strong then lights definitely need to come on. I suppose there maybe some criteria somewhere that says when that should be, but for the purpose of the poll it definitely shouldn't be a one rule fits all situation as some cars just don't need it and it will cause more problems than it solves.
I can pretty much bring my C350e to a standstill - certainly to walking pace - without the brake lights coming on.
Sometimes I find myself putting the brakes on when I don't need them, to wake up the driver behind.
I would prefer if my brake lights did come on at a certain level of deceleration, whether it was using the brakes or not.
Sometimes I find myself putting the brakes on when I don't need them, to wake up the driver behind.
I would prefer if my brake lights did come on at a certain level of deceleration, whether it was using the brakes or not.
I have an i3.
Really enjoy the regeneration, however, wish is was adjustable, more regen would make for a more interesting driving experience.
(Apparently it was stronger on earlier models but was reduced by subsequent software mods?)
I understand there is a legal requirement for brake light application with certain level of deceleration?
The problem I've found is flowing traffic think you're a complete moron for (what they think) is your vast overuse of the brake pedal!
Really enjoy the regeneration, however, wish is was adjustable, more regen would make for a more interesting driving experience.
(Apparently it was stronger on earlier models but was reduced by subsequent software mods?)
I understand there is a legal requirement for brake light application with certain level of deceleration?
The problem I've found is flowing traffic think you're a complete moron for (what they think) is your vast overuse of the brake pedal!
The Outlander PHEV has 5 levels of re-gen braking controled from the flappy paddles behind the steering wheel. You can drive and slow down the car without touching the brake pedal!!!
The two highest levels of re-gen cause the brake lights to come on as it does slow down the cars noticeably!
The two highest levels of re-gen cause the brake lights to come on as it does slow down the cars noticeably!
Higher levels of regen probably ought to trigger brake lights, even if only briefly. There are a lot of dopey drivers who look no further than the back of the vehicle in front, and without "clues" are unable to identify a slowing vehicle.
I've always like the ideas of variable brake lights - a small gentle glow to indicate mild braking or holding at lights, and a dirty great flashing red mass to indicate emergency braking, with graduations in between.
I've always like the ideas of variable brake lights - a small gentle glow to indicate mild braking or holding at lights, and a dirty great flashing red mass to indicate emergency braking, with graduations in between.
Job38 said:
I have an i3.
Really enjoy the regeneration, however, wish is was adjustable, more regen would make for a more interesting driving experience.
(Apparently it was stronger on earlier models but was reduced by subsequent software mods?)
Being RWD the i3 can't do as much regen as say a leaf without encountering stability issues! As it is, drive over a wet drain cover or white line in full regen and it feels like the car actually accelerates as the DSC takes off the neg torque to maintain yaw authority!Really enjoy the regeneration, however, wish is was adjustable, more regen would make for a more interesting driving experience.
(Apparently it was stronger on earlier models but was reduced by subsequent software mods?)
Max_Torque said:
Job38 said:
I have an i3.
Really enjoy the regeneration, however, wish is was adjustable, more regen would make for a more interesting driving experience.
(Apparently it was stronger on earlier models but was reduced by subsequent software mods?)
Being RWD the i3 can't do as much regen as say a leaf without encountering stability issues! As it is, drive over a wet drain cover or white line in full regen and it feels like the car actually accelerates as the DSC takes off the neg torque to maintain yaw authority!Really enjoy the regeneration, however, wish is was adjustable, more regen would make for a more interesting driving experience.
(Apparently it was stronger on earlier models but was reduced by subsequent software mods?)
AnotherClarkey said:
Which is why I want someone to do a proper FWD electric hot hatch with gobs of lift-off oversteer on demand.
You need a Bolt: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2017/09/turns-out-the... (But fit decent tires)AFAIK, Both Volt and Bolt turn on the brake lights if you decelerate at more than 0.15G.
The ZOE does definitely put the brake lights on in some scenarios when regen, I tested last night; certainly on my 2016 R240
I found if you lift off from about 60 and just wait, it puts the brake light on as you go through around 30mph.
Not sure if it's down to time or actual deceleration (maybe the car was going slightly uphill whenI tested)
I found if you lift off from about 60 and just wait, it puts the brake light on as you go through around 30mph.
Not sure if it's down to time or actual deceleration (maybe the car was going slightly uphill whenI tested)
essayer said:
The ZOE does definitely put the brake lights on in some scenarios when regen, I tested last night; certainly on my 2016 R240
I found if you lift off from about 60 and just wait, it puts the brake light on as you go through around 30mph.
Not sure if it's down to time or actual deceleration (maybe the car was going slightly uphill whenI tested)
Interesting. There are no reports that I can see of it activating the lights on the Zoe in any scenario.I found if you lift off from about 60 and just wait, it puts the brake light on as you go through around 30mph.
Not sure if it's down to time or actual deceleration (maybe the car was going slightly uphill whenI tested)
It makes sense at higher speeds though as it really does slow when you take your foot off the pedal, so brake lights in that scenario would make sense.
Time for some experimentation!!
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