Regenerative Braking

PCS2021

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I’ve noticed that people following me get real close before they apply their brakes. This got me to wondering if my brake lights come on when the regen brakes are activated?
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Kamuelaflyer

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People on the forum have done tests with family members following them and the answer is “Yes.” Your brake lights will come on when regen braking is being used. The people following your are with ignoramuses or so mesmerized by the sight of a Mach-e they enter a trance like state and forget to stop until they have too.
 

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The people following your are with ignoramuses or so mesmerized by the sight of a Mach-e they enter a trance like state and forget to stop until they have too.
Probably mostly the latter...

What is that vehicle? Never seen anything like it before. Why does it have a Mustang pony?! Who is that fine man behind the wheel? Etc. ;)
 

MailGuy

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Had a Prius following too closely while the driver was taking pictures. I showed him what acceleration looked like…. More gawks and thumbs up when they “finally” caught up and passed on the left.

On a side note, drove my own Prius for the first time last week (son’s car now). All those reviewers I poo-poo’d over the last decade were right. That car is as numb as they said. Twlve years of hybrid driving made me numb too apparently. I just didn’t realize it at the tine ?.
 

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Had my wife following me this morning - on the way to drop her car off to be serviced in the next town. I"m driving in "unbridled" with the one-pedal driving OFF. When I slowed down to make turns, she watched closely, and there were NO brake lights showing on the MME! Regen braking is great, but I fear that I'll be rear-ended if this continues! Going to contact Ford about this - a real safety issue.
 


RickMachE

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Had my wife following me this morning - on the way to drop her car off to be serviced in the next town. I"m driving in "unbridled" with the one-pedal driving OFF. When I slowed down to make turns, she watched closely, and there were NO brake lights showing on the MME! Regen braking is great, but I fear that I'll be rear-ended if this continues! Going to contact Ford about this - a real safety issue.
Does your ICE car put on the brake lights when you come off the accelerator?

Try driving with the L button pushed. Come off the gas, and the brake lights will turn on.
 

methorian

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Had my wife following me this morning - on the way to drop her car off to be serviced in the next town. I"m driving in "unbridled" with the one-pedal driving OFF. When I slowed down to make turns, she watched closely, and there were NO brake lights showing on the MME! Regen braking is great, but I fear that I'll be rear-ended if this continues! Going to contact Ford about this - a real safety issue.
Brake lights will only automatically come on when the vehicle is slowing at a certain speed/force. I'd imagine that with 1-pedal off, the regen when you lift the accelerator pedal isn't enough to force them on.
 

krazieboy

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I drive a manual ecoboost and downshift all the time. No issues. shoot, my first car had no brake lights after my radio got stolen. nobody rear ended me because of that.

A good tip is also to always pay attention to your rear drivers when you brake hard. if they are close, try to have the longest braking distance as possible imo.
 
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PCS2021

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Had my wife following me this morning - on the way to drop her car off to be serviced in the next town. I"m driving in "unbridled" with the one-pedal driving OFF. When I slowed down to make turns, she watched closely, and there were NO brake lights showing on the MME! Regen braking is great, but I fear that I'll be rear-ended if this continues! Going to contact Ford about this - a real safety issue.
I’m confused. You were driving “with one pedal driving off”, so regen was not working. With regen off, you need to use the brake pedal, to activate the brake lights as with any car. Did I read that right? As you said regen (one pedal) is great. That’s all I use. But I seem to have a lot of close braking behind me, which was the reason for my original question.
 

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I’m confused. You were driving “with one pedal driving off”, so regen was not working. With regen off, you need to use the brake pedal, to activate the brake lights as with any car. Did I read that right? As you said regen (one pedal) is great. That’s all I use. But I seem to have a lot of close braking behind me, which was the reason for my original question.
Thanks for your comment, but when you come off the accelerator with 1PD off, the car does do regen braking - just not as much as with 1PD switched on. Around town, I was driving in "unbridled" with 1PD off, and I hardly had to touch the brakes - unless coming to a full stop. So, the scenario is: left-hand turn, slow down, but not a full stop, regen does the slowing, so no brake lights - the guy behind is too close - or distracted - and Bam! All that said, I now drive exclusively with 1PD on - and appear to be getting much better range per charge.
 

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Thanks for your comment, but when you come off the accelerator with 1PD off, the car does do regen braking - just not as much as with 1PD switched on. Around town, I was driving in "unbridled" with 1PD off, and I hardly had to touch the brakes - unless coming to a full stop. So, the scenario is: left-hand turn, slow down, but not a full stop, regen does the slowing, so no brake lights - the guy behind is too close - or distracted - and Bam! All that said, I now drive exclusively with 1PD on - and appear to be getting much better range per charge.
Brake light activation is triggered by an accelerometer. Just like an automatic transmission ICE car will slow down gently when you let off the accelerator, so will a BEV. This is the regeneration with 1PD off in D. If you switch to low or 1PD, the car will slow much more rapidly and should be picked up by the accelerometer.

People on the forum have done tests with family members following them and the answer is “Yes.” Your brake lights will come on when regen braking is being used.
Had my wife following me this morning - on the way to drop her car off to be serviced in the next town. I"m driving in "unbridled" with the one-pedal driving OFF. When I slowed down to make turns, she watched closely, and there were NO brake lights showing on the MME! Regen braking is great, but I fear that I'll be rear-ended if this continues! Going to contact Ford about this - a real safety issue.
I have run this exact test and can assure you that when you drive in Unbridled with 1PD ON, the brake lights will come on. The issue is one of degrees -- how much deceleration merits brake lights? That is determined by the accelerometer and is comparable to times you feel the car is obviously slowing (I can't remember the G-force but it has been stated in here somewhere).

Ever drive a manual transmission? Remember that the brake lights never came on when you downshifted, no matter how many Gs you pulled. The use of the accelerometer is an improvement over that.
 

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I’m confused. You were driving “with one pedal driving off”, so regen was not working. With regen off, you need to use the brake pedal, to activate the brake lights as with any car. Did I read that right? As you said regen (one pedal) is great. That’s all I use. But I seem to have a lot of close braking behind me, which was the reason for my original question.
Regen works in both one pedal and regular mode. It is much more effective in 1-PD though and contributes more back to the battery.
 

rodhx

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While sitting at a traffic light one day I realized the brake lights are also on when the car is stopped and your foot is off the brake & throttle. They go off when the throttle is depressed.
 

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Regen works in both one pedal and regular mode. It is much more effective in 1-PD though and contributes more back to the battery.
In actuality, both settings harvest nearly the same amount of energy. 1PD being slightly less efficient in recapturing energy but the difference is very small.

For example. With drive mode setting of Engage or Unbridled, a braking event from 60 mph down to 4 mph will harvest slightly less energy with 1PD enabled compared to having it turned off.
 

Blackbluff

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In actuality, both settings harvest nearly the same amount of energy. 1PD being slightly less efficient in recapturing energy but the difference is very small.

For example. With drive mode setting of Engage or Unbridled, a braking event from 60 mph down to 4 mph will harvest slightly less energy with 1PD enabled compared to having it turned off.
You may have better info than I do but 1-pd is total regen as the motor is doing all the work to slow and stop the car. When the brake is applied some of the energy in braking is lost to friction heat with the pads and rotors.
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