Increasing the range while driving

[peterg]

Thought I would share an experience last weekend of a trip from Southampton to Chelsea which may be an experience seasoned ID3 drivers have already worked out [ the range not the trip to Chelsea] but I was surprised at the results. on the way to London used the 'B' setting rather than 'D' so the effect of the brake retarding was more significant. I also kept at 65/70 on the motorway. In terms of mileage shown, the car used 65 miles of range to get there. On the way back, left the car in 'D' and drifted up to 70/75 often on the motorway. Also used the ACC a bit more as it didn't seem too consistent when the car is in B mode. The return journey accounted for 90 miles of range. Similar conditions, traffic etc.
I know the danger is to get very obsessive about range but for mixed driving B mode certainly does the job - nearly 50% better at conserving electric on a less than scientific but realistic mixed distance journey. Using B mode can take a little getting used to but if for a longer journey it makes that much of a difference then a no brainer I think.

[Deleted User 192]

Headwind vs tailwind
5mph faster often

Hard to isolate ONLY B versus ONLY D.

[digital]

Unless I'm missing something, I can't see how regen can be different between D and B. Assuming that the braking needed doesn't involve friction and that the car is being slowed from the same higher speeds to the same lower speeds, then the conversion of the vehicle's kinetic energy into potential energy in the battery must be the same.

[Andreas]

Unless I'm missing something, I can't see how regen can be different between D and B. Assuming that the braking needed doesn't involve friction and that the car is being slowed from the same higher speeds to the same lower speeds, then the conversion of the vehicle's kinetic energy into potential energy in the battery must be the same.

The difference as I understand it is that the car does not brake when you get off the accelerator in D, it just continues to roll out with no recovery. In B it immediately starts regen.

All the best

Andreas

[G43FAN]

Unless I'm missing something, I can't see how regen can be different between D and B. Assuming that the braking needed doesn't involve friction and that the car is being slowed from the same higher speeds to the same lower speeds, then the conversion of the vehicle's kinetic energy into potential energy in the battery must be the same.

I'm kind of with you on this and have struggled to get my head around it, I thought just as in other cars where you can change the level of regen that in B mode it is a higher level of regen than in D although as you say if you are slowing down at the same rate that doesn't make sense either.. ???

[Daveion]

I have tried B and D on a whole range of journeys and miles in different modes. B for me just has the edge on miles/kw but Im back with D on all drives because I enjoy it.
Im sure someone can dig out the braking figures of regen V friction but by observation when I brake in D, unless pressing hard, I brake at what looks like 100% from regen on the pedal which is why there is now little to choose between them.
My drive style in D is odd as well if I say so myself.
On long stretches of road if Im not in ACC I squirt the Go pedal gently rather than look for a steady position. The result is more coasting. It sound daft but it seems to enhance economy and is not noticeable as the change in velocity is so small.

[gfoldys]

The physics of A and B wont be the same since it is likely to change your driving style for example when coming to a junction. Which is better I suspect depends on how each of the modes affects your own driving - Daveions point about coasting is interesting- the ECO setting on my old golf ICE made the car coast if you took your foot off the accelerator

[MotMot]

It’s probably a bit moot as it’s largely software controlled. So coasting in D and then putting your foot gently on the brake to stop will not use the brakes but stop you on regen.

Exactly the same as keeping your foot on the same position in B then lifting off to come to a halt.

I prefer B around town - but my leg gets to ache a bit after a while - so then switch to D or use the ACC for a bit.

[MotMot]

For me hills make the biggest difference to the GOM. Going from Leeds to Manchester on the 62 - the predicted miles takes a big hit going up the hill - then stays about the same for the remaining 30 miles home which has a large chunk of downhill.

[Warminster id]

I was travelling east-west last weekend and my consumption was not good, I put it down to the head wind mostly and some heavy rain

[colonelpurple]

Thought I would share an experience last weekend of a trip from Southampton to Chelsea Using B mode can take a little getting used to but if for a longer journey it makes that much of a difference then a no brainer I think.

My experience is the same

Firstly both me and my wife love B mode, and will never go back to D. Although when we bought the car we thought we would do the other way round.
The main advantage is more control over driving, the D mode just runs away like on an ICE. If fact we hardly use the brakes these days.
You are also right about its regenerative effects.

They other thing that has a direct effect on usage is how much you use that lovely acceleration. Try to restrain yourself pays dividends in usage, but is not as much fun

I have found that AC hardly makes a difference. Anyway we want to enjoy the car, so we drive with AC, radio and satnav BTW this is the best satnav I have had in a car to date. It’s still not as good as waze, which we use for critical journeys. But I am happy using it for off peak driving if there are no special road conditions. It’s traffic monitoring is not as good as waze but again better then I have seen before,

Just one other thing, the car is most efficient between 40-60. We drive at 70 on the motorway but if you want to use less electricity but get there a bit later, then around 56 seems to be the measured best.

Best regards

[digital]

Unless I'm missing something, I can't see how regen can be different between D and B. Assuming that the braking needed doesn't involve friction and that the car is being slowed from the same higher speeds to the same lower speeds, then the conversion of the vehicle's kinetic energy into potential energy in the battery must be the same.

The difference as I understand it is that the car does not brake when you get off the accelerator in D, it just continues to roll out with no recovery. In B it immediately starts regen.

All the best

Andreas

That's true but regen is about slowing the car so after coasting in D it's necessary to use the brake. Doing so will provide regen and the amount will be the same as would be provided by allowing B to slow the car as the kinetic energy to be converted must be the same in both cases.

[digital]

It’s probably a bit moot as it’s largely software controlled. So coasting in D and then putting your foot gently on the brake to stop will not use the brakes but stop you on regen.

Exactly the same as keeping your foot on the same position in B then lifting off to come to a halt.

Yes, exactly my thoughts. The regen will be the same in both cases.

[Deleted User 192]

You can "coast" in B by easing off the "throttle" pedal slightly rather than treating that pedal as an on/off switch, so while B mode gives more control to you there's no automatic right answer to D or B being more or less efficient than the other.

There's also a difference between pressing the "brake" pedal and the traditional brakes actually being applied, the car prefers to use regen as a braking force whether you press the "brake" pedal OR lift your foot fully off the "throttle" pedal in B mode OR the car slows thanks to ACC or some of the other front assist technologies.

[iomtosalop]

One feature I really like in D mode is recognition of speed restrictions and automatically reducing speed to match. I have a section of road near where I live that is derestricted and slightly downhill. As it enters our village the speed limit goes down to 40, then 30, then 20:mph. I have worked out now that in D mode I can take my foot off the accelerator about a mile from the village. The car will coast down the hill and then slow automatically down to 40, then 30, then 20mph all without any intervention from me. During this time the car won’t be consuming any battery energy but will regenerate when braking. At least that is my interpretation.

Just to be clear I don’t have ACC switched on during this part of the drive.

[TheJimster]

I find D mode very impressive in terms of how intelligently it applies regenerative braking.

As well as taking account of speed limits, It's the same with junctions, roundabouts and bends in the road, even with ACC off the car will suggest that you ease off the accelerator, and if you do so will slow down using regenerative braking, in what is hopefully calculated to be the most efficient manner.

Same with 'engine braking', where you automatically get regen going downhill, I'm assuming there's a sensor somewhere which detects the angle of the road then applies regenerative braking accordingly.

[djkav]

I think D mode works best with 'Traffic Assist'. As it uses speed limit, and sat nav information to regen at specific points. Like it knows there's a roundabout ahead, and slows via regen, and like wise for speed limits and going down inclines etc.

[Leccy]

Ah, so you're saying D mode is the more intelligent of the modes, have too say I'd noticed the intelligence but hadn't associated it with one mode over the other, interesting. I will check it out as I'd become a B mode fan for town driving and D on the open road.

[Scratch]

I have tried B and D on a whole range of journeys and miles in different modes. B for me just has the edge on miles/kw but Im back with D on all drives because I enjoy it.
Im sure someone can dig out the braking figures of regen V friction but by observation when I brake in D, unless pressing hard, I brake at what looks like 100% from regen on the pedal which is why there is now little to choose between them.
My drive style in D is odd as well if I say so myself.
On long stretches of road if Im not in ACC I squirt the Go pedal gently rather than look for a steady position. The result is more coasting. It sound daft but it seems to enhance economy and is not noticeable as the change in velocity is so small.

My cousin used to use your “squirt the go pedal” style, in his (awful) Range Rover. I am a good traveller and passenger but it made me feel sick.

[Scratch]

Not wishing to hijack the thread but slightly related. Using ACC and following another vehicle, I have noticed that the car seems to leave braking a lot later than if I was manually braking. I thought I had the distance set at the longest between vehicles but I might have missed a setting somewhere?