[DarrenHD]

Hi, just got my Silver 2018 Volt LT last Wednesday. Loving it so far. Just curious if anyone else has experienced this.

When using the paddle on the steering wheel to engage re-gen braking, most of the time it is a consistent feeling, you can feel the drag on the car as it slows down. However, sometimes, it doesn't feel the same, like it's not using the same amount of force, it's much lighter, then it kicks in to that "normal" feeling of drag.

I guess what I am trying to ask is this: Do you ever feel that when you press the paddle the re-gen is lighter for a second or two then stronger? That happens on my Volt, it feels almost like the car is lurching forward when I press the Re-Gen paddle with very light re-gen active (or maybe almost none), then a second later the "normal" feeling of pressing the paddle kicks in and all is ok... doesn't seem to happen every time for me, but because it's not always a consistent feeling I have noticed it.

Thanks
Darren

 

[Chrisby18951]

I've never noticed that on my 2017.


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[Arcanox]

Hi, just got my Silver 2018 Volt LT last Wednesday. Loving it so far. Just curious if anyone else has experienced this.

When using the paddle on the steering wheel to engage re-gen braking, most of the time it is a consistent feeling, you can feel the drag on the car as it slows down. However, sometimes, it doesn't feel the same, like it's not using the same amount of force, it's much lighter, then it kicks in to that "normal" feeling of drag.

I guess what I am trying to ask is this: Do you ever feel that when you press the paddle the re-gen is lighter for a second or two then stronger? That happens on my Volt, it feels almost like the car is lurching forward when I press the Re-Gen paddle with very light re-gen active (or maybe almost none), then a second later the "normal" feeling of pressing the paddle kicks in and all is ok... doesn't seem to happen every time for me, but because it's not always a consistent feeling I have noticed it.

Thanks
Darren

Is this in pure EV mode, or is the engine running when this occurs? I've noticed something similar when I use the paddle while the engine is running, as the engine has to first shut down and it can't brake as hard regeneratively while the engine is on.

 

[VoltenRock]

Also, regen won't kick in if you have any force on the accelerator pedal AT ALL. Make sure you have completely released the pedal. It's possible that your timing might not be the same each time you use it. I've also noticed some variation depending on the speed.

 

[DarrenHD]

Also, regen won't kick in if you have any force on the accelerator pedal AT ALL. Make sure you have completely released the pedal. It's possible that your timing might not be the same each time you use it. I've also noticed some variation depending on the speed.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I'm in EV mode. I guess it's possible my foot is on the "gas" a bit. I will test this out tomorrow and report back.

 

[Kraven]

Could also be that when you apply the paddle at higher speeds, the effect of the regen drag feels less than after it starts to slow some. Also, if you are going downhill, the regen doesn't have the same feel because of the momentum of the downhill speed. It's working, just gravity and/or inertia (momentum) are also in play.

 

[Arcanox]

Before I got one of the recalls last year, my regen paddle was pretty abrupt and jerky, but after getting that recall, it gradually and smoothly rolls in the braking force now (takes about a full second to reach full braking). It took a little bit to get used to at first. Your car will have been built after that recall took effect though, so I don't think it applies.

 

[TheBlueFlash]

Do you have a full battery when this happens? I think the paddle behaves a little differently when the battery is full (i.e. you won't receive full regen because the battery is full).

 

[jcanoe]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I'm in EV mode. I guess it's possible my foot is on the "gas" a bit. I will test this out tomorrow and report back.

If your foot is on the accelerator pedal regenerative braking will immediately disengage. Try it and you will see.

 

[JRRF]

If your foot is on the accelerator pedal regenerative braking will immediately disengage. Try it and you will see.

This actually works quite well. If for instance you use the regen paddle to brake as you come into a curve, you can accelerate out of the curve just by leaning into the gas even before you let go of the regen paddle.

Heck, I guess if you hold the paddle down constantly, the car will behave similarly to being in L.

Otherwise, the inconsistent feel of the regen paddle is perfectly normal. Particularly with the Voltec system of two motors and the various clutches, depending on what propulsion mode the engine is in (I don't mean driving modes (N, H, M, etc) which is dependent on speed and load the regen paddle may take a moment to provide full deceleration.

 

[Arcanox]

Heck, I guess if you hold the paddle down constantly, the car will behave similarly to being in L.

If the regen paddle gets cancelled by the accelerator pedal, you have to let go of the paddle and re-apply it for the regen to start working again. It doesn't resume just because the pedal was let up.

 

[MrEnergyCzar]

Mine doesn't work the first minute with full battery but I start out going downhill.

 

[JRRF]

If the regen paddle gets cancelled by the accelerator pedal, you have to let go of the paddle and re-apply it for the regen to start working again. It doesn't resume just because the pedal was let up.

Never actually tried that, but good to know!

 

[VoltenRock]

Never actually tried that, but good to know!

Yes, that was my experience. Was hoping for a "super" LOW version, similar to the BOLT EV one pedal driving, but no such luck. Always need to re-engage the paddle.

 

[DarrenHD]

Ok, so I did alot of driving today, about 87KM on battery with about 21 estimated remaining, and two bars left on the battery gauge. The first part of the day (when battery was more full) I did not experience the "feeling" with the paddle re-gen. I do use the paddle alot and I drive in L gear. Re-gen felt normal and fairly "strong" as it (I think) should. Later in the day when battery was half full or less, the feeling of the Re-Gen paddle getting soft for a second happened, twice. It was at fairly low speeds, probably 30km/hr or less. It's like it starts, then disengages for a split second (and you feel the car lurch forward or start to coast) then it gets heavier again (all with my fingers pressing down the paddle, I did not let it go). And I made sure my foot was totally off the gas pedal.

So I guess it can still happen, but it's not that common. Perhaps it is switching re-gen between one of two electric motors when that happens? I will ask my salesperson at the dealership about it but I doubt his knowledge is that deep.

PS - while driving in L mode and putting my foot off the gas I have never felt any change in consistency of the re-gen, it's always fairly strong. This has only happened when using the Re-Gen paddle.

Darren

 

[jcanoe]

Ok, so I did alot of driving today, about 87KM on battery with about 21 estimated remaining, and two bars left on the battery gauge. The first part of the day (when battery was more full) I did not experience the "feeling" with the paddle re-gen. I do use the paddle alot and I drive in L gear. Re-gen felt normal and fairly "strong" as it (I think) should. Later in the day when battery was half full or less, the feeling of the Re-Gen paddle getting soft for a second happened, twice. It was at fairly low speeds, probably 30km/hr or less. It's like it starts, then disengages for a split second (and you feel the car lurch forward or start to coast) then it gets heavier again (all with my fingers pressing down the paddle, I did not let it go). And I made sure my foot was totally off the gas pedal.

So I guess it can still happen, but it's not that common. Perhaps it is switching re-gen between one of two electric motors when that happens? I will ask my salesperson at the dealership about it but I doubt his knowledge is that deep.

PS - while driving in L mode and putting my foot off the gas I have never felt any change in consistency of the re-gen, it's always fairly strong. This has only happened when using the Re-Gen paddle.

Darren

Only Motor Generator A (MGA) is used for regen. MGB is never involved in any regen.

 

[DarrenHD]

Only Motor Generator A (MGA) is used for regen. MGB is never involved in any regen.

Ok, well my theory just went out the window then

 

[Aseras]

Yes, that was my experience. Was hoping for a "super" LOW version, similar to the BOLT EV one pedal driving, but no such luck. Always need to re-engage the paddle.

If you have it in L and hit the paddle it regens much harder. The only other way to get a stronger regen is to throw the car in reverse and floor the accelerator. Then it will say speed limited to whatever speed you are going, and regen super hard 30 mph or less.

 

[TSquare]

Only Motor Generator A (MGA) is used for regen. MGB is never involved in any regen.

Why is it called MGB then? (Motor Generator B)

 

[wordptom]

Only Motor Generator A (MGA) is used for regen. MGB is never involved in any regen.

My understanding based on the graphics I’ve seen is that the primary traction motor in both Generations of Volt is MGB. The motor/generator tasked with generating electricity for extending the driving range is MGA. For both Generations, regenerative braking is accomplished by the primary motor, MGB (which is why you can’t regen while your foot is on the accelerator to maintain speed or to accelerate).

Braking regeneration is likely to be a more complex operation in the Gen 2 Volt because the second planetary gear makes it possible for the gas engine alone to propel the vehicle under certain Extended Mode driving conditions. If someone were to apply the paddle under such circumstances while MGB is idle, it might well take a moment to clutch MGB to the drivetrain to begin the regeneration process.