[Palouser]

I drive mostly in open country in a mountainous and curvy terrain and sometimes have long slopes. The 'D' regen in the Bolt apparently has a higher relative level compared to my 2013 Volt. And that level was comparable to most resistance from a standard automatic. The point being that I could drift down long slopes with the Volt and maintain momentum at that level of regen. If I gained a little more speed than was legal I might tap the brake a bit and increase regen. The Bolt slows down too much to maintain momentum even on fairly steep grades, and I value momentum more than regen much of the time, and is more efficient. I don't really want to shift into 'N' but find myself doing it at times, and I don't want to pay attention to 'feathering' as an un-needed distraction. . A slight reduction in regen would be ideal and more natural. With several ways to increase regen if needed I don't think the level of regen in 'D' is warranted.

I wouldn't mind if the paddle modulated regen, and it would be a MUCH more useful feature if it did, but that's irrelevant to my first point as I don't think the paddle issue can be resolved at this point. It's uncomfortable for those not driving as it's not a familiar routine in other cars except where the driver is kind of erratic on the brake. Passengers look up and around thinking there is some issue they should be aware of. And I 'get' 'L' in urban driving.

 

[Neromanceres]

Could it be simple to do by GM - Probably. Will they - probably not. Is it something that can be done by the after market - Probably but it would take some time and work to do so.

I know many on here deride this option but on the Bolt EV if you tap the shiftier forward twice it will go into neutral and all regen will be disabled and the car will be in a true coast. Would that work for you? Though in that case the car might pickup too much speed on the down hill sections for you.

 

[SharkVolt]

If you set the cruise control to the speed you want, the regen and throttle will probably automatically adjust the feathering of the throttle for you and maintain the exact speed you have set. That is what my Volt did. And I would assume the Bolt does also, although I haven't tried it yet in my Bolt. I usually did it in low on the Volt, so it might even work in low on the Bolt.

 

[Neromanceres]

If you set the cruise control to the speed you want, the regen and throttle will probably automatically adjust the feathering of the throttle for you and maintain the exact speed you have set. That is what my Volt did. And I would assume the Bolt does also, although I haven't tried it yet in my Bolt. I usually did it in low on the Volt, so it might even work in low on the Bolt.

That's not what he is looking for. He is looking to drive more efficient and conserve momentum. He want's to be able to accelerate down hills (to some extent) and use that momentum to partially help him up the next elevation. This reduces some of the charging losses through regeneration.

 

[Palouser]

You are absolutely correct Neromanceres in what I want. Been a year since I had the Volt but but the level regen DID allow it to gain some speed on a long slope. It did not increase regen to hold it back in CC. Almost exactly as most automatics did in an ICE auto which usually was just about right. I could shift down an automatic if I needed to but even that wasn't as drastic as the regen paddle and certainly not 'L' in the Bolt.

A tweak of 'D' regen would be VERY appreciated from a practical point of view. These roads you have 'drive' and CC isn't always the best practice in this kind of terrain.

 

[llninja]

I think you're stuck with feathering, the brake pedal, and shifting to N periodically. Too bad the default regen strength wasn't configurable like it is on Teslas

 

[jsmay311]

If N works the same as in the Volt and disables regen via the brake pedal (and maybe also including for several seconds after shifting back to D/L), that wouldn't be a very good solution.

 

[Norton]

.... and I don't want to pay attention to 'feathering' as an un-needed distraction. . A slight reduction in regen would be ideal and more natural. ... And I 'get' 'L' in urban driving.

I would think Cruise Control is an obvious answer.
But it sounds like you totally understand the issue here.
'Feathering the throttle' is exactly what the '1-Pedal' crowd HAVE to do ALL the time.

The part that burns my bunns is: Every review written about the Bolt goes on and on about "To get Max Regen you must use the Paddles and adopt a new '1-Pedal' driving style,,,blah,blah.." and never ONCE mentioning that you can drive it like a normal person in a normal car and get all the Regen available using only the Brake Pedal right up to when the friction brakes are required.

EDIT: All these reviewers must have cut their teeth on a Tesla and don't know that '1-Pedal' driving is optional and not required.
My point is: This is not helping new people considering an EV. They read all this "Regen" talk and think there is something they have to do or learn.

.... Too bad the default regen strength wasn't configurable like it is on Teslas

Too bad Tesla didn't incorporate the advanced technology of Blended Brakes. Their brake pedal is ONLY friction brakes.
AFAIK, Big T offers 2 levels of regen, demanding you adopt '1-Pedal' or very minimal regen which results in using up the brake pads.

 

[llninja]

Too bad Tesla didn't incorporate the advanced technology of Blended Brakes. Their brake pedal is ONLY friction brakes.
AFAIK, Big T offers 2 levels of regen, demanding you adopt '1-Pedal' or very minimal regen which results in using up the brake pads.

Agreed, dial-a-regent would have been nice for GM vehicles while blended brakes would have been nice for Teslas. So with my volt, I just drive, using variable regen afforded by the brake pedal. I think regen paddles are a gimmick as you aren't usually trying to maximize regen, in fact you usually get better range by minimizing regen.

I also wish our cars had a press-to-coast button to allow us to coast without regen without having to shift to N. an eco mode would also be nice where it avoid jackrabbit starts unless you really mash the accelerator.

 

[phil0909]

I know many on here deride this option but on the Bolt EV if you tap the shiftier forward twice it will go into neutral and all regen will be disabled and the car will be in a true coast.

It's GM that advises against this. The Bolt owner's manual says don't coast in N. It does not say why this would be bad. Anyone know the reason?

I agree that it would be better if the Bolt had little or no regen in D.

 

[Norton]

.... The Bolt owner's manual says don't coast in N. It does not say why this would be bad. Anyone know the reason?....

A good reason to use N is to clean off the rarely used disc brakes.

I noticed I had a strange variable braking feel during 'somewhat panic' stops.
And my discs had a funky look about them.

I did a few back to back "Bedding In" braking events in N just to get these brakes nice and hot for ONCE in their pampered life.

I recommend this if you have never done it. Brand new pads and discs need this procedure.
My friction brakes feel much more linear and normal now. And the funk is gone too!

 

[srmarti]

I don't want to pay attention to 'feathering' as an un-needed distraction...


Distraction from what? Your I-phone? Aren't you driving?

 

[srmarti]

That's not what he is looking for. He is looking to drive more efficient and conserve momentum. He want's to be able to accelerate down hills (to some extent) and use that momentum to partially help him up the next elevation. This reduces some of the charging losses through regeneration.

Yeah, roller coaster drivers. Lots of truckers will do that. They go screaming by me on the down grade then pull in front of me and make me pass them on the uphill part, again and again. I get why, doesn't make it less annoying though. Charging losses are less than in a ICE car where all the momentum just gets turned into heat.

 

[Palouser]

Smarti, you may be addressing your concerns with smart remarks but not mine! You can easily address me with something constructive or keep it to yourself. It's not helpful for me to hear about your emotional state.

Thanks

 

[Neromanceres]

Charging losses are less than in a ICE car where all the momentum just gets turned into heat.

Actually that momentum only gets turned into heat if you use the brakes. If you coast that does not happen which is the whole point of this discussion. It`s a hypermiling technique that works for both ICE and Electric cars.

 

[Palouser]

Yes. regarding the 'hypermiling' aspect. My issue with regen level in 'D' is not much of an issue for those who drive in relatively level areas of the country or urban driving (streets or freeways). It's amazing what kind of miles/kw I can get if I drive my area the 'right way. And I tend to do it reflexively as I've ALWAYs driven that way here, whether truck, ICE, hybrid or EV.

 

[Sean Nelson]

Actually that momentum only gets turned into heat if you use the brakes. If you coast that does not happen which is the whole point of this discussion. It`s a hypermiling technique that works for both ICE and Electric cars.

It offends me somehow that keeping your foot on the gas pedal until the last second before you have to slam on the brakes for the stop sign is seen as "normal", and if you coast up to the stop sign it's considered "hypermiling". As far as I'm concerned the latter should be "normal" and the former should be "stupid driving"...

 

[srmarti]

Smarti, you may be addressing your concerns with smart remarks but not mine! You can easily address me with something constructive or keep it to yourself. It's not helpful for me to hear about your emotional state.

Thanks

I think you should be concerned too if you really consider modulating the accelerator while driving "distracting" It's a foot control that you need have your foot on all the time unless using the brakes or cruise control. It doesn't require taking your hands off the wheel or eyes off the road. You may find it annoying to adjust, but if you find it "distracting" I think you have another problem whether or not you think so.

 

[srmarti]

Actually that momentum only gets turned into heat if you use the brakes. If you coast that does not happen which is the whole point of this discussion. It`s a hypermiling technique that works for both ICE and Electric cars.

I get what you're saying and it's true to a degree, but the fact that if you're on level ground and the car still slows down means that momentum is still turning into heat from friction. Yes in some instance it's more energy efficient to coast in neutral trading charge recovery for distance, but if you're going down a hill and choose not to speed and break the law, regeneration is more efficient.

 

[srmarti]

It offends me somehow that keeping your foot on the gas pedal until the last second before you have to slam on the brakes for the stop sign is seen as "normal", and if you coast up to the stop sign it's considered "hypermiling". As far as I'm concerned the latter should be "normal" and the former should be "stupid driving"...

I tend to agree. I tend to lift off earlier than some aggressive stop light/sign racers like, but not to the degree a hypermiler does. Both camps probably don't approve...