[apelapan]

I have learned my lesson on regen. Lots of people online (and offline, for that matter) told me that you'll get used to the Tesla behaviour in no time and not to worry about it feeling weird during the test drive.

Many thousands kilometers later I hate it almost as much as at the start, so lack of regen configuration will be a dealbreaker next time I pick a new car.

[stavros]

Hmm, what do you hate about it? I have a BYD and I always leave it at "strong", as otherwise it's too little braking (same as an ICE).

[apelapan]

There are two aspect I don't like:

1. It is inconsistent, especially during winter and when fully charged.

2. Crossings with shrubbery/objects that hides approaching pedestrians/cars/bikes and it is rare that there is anyone actually crossing. I encounter these several times per day.

My preferred way of approaching #2 is to reduce speed well ahead, start gliding and put my foot on the break pedal to be ready for a complete halt in the rare case (once in a 500 maybe) that I need to give way to someone. In the Tesla I must reduce speed to almost standstill and creep slooooowly, since it would take half a second to move the right foot to the break.

I understand it sounds like an extreme corner case, but for me it is all the time every day. Central Scandinavia.

[stavros]

Hmm, I don't really understand what you mean. If I want to reduce speed far ahead, I just ease up on the throttle pedal a little, and the car slows down a little. If I ease up a lot, it slows down a lot. I'm not sure what you mean...

[apelapan]

I want to glide at roughly constant speed for some distance. Some mild breaking is fine. I cant glide if I let off the accelerator, then I come to a fairly firm stop.

I want my right foot on the break pedal, ready to brake hard and fast in the rare case that something comes across the road.

I don't want to reduce speed any further than is necessary to have a safe breaking distance at fully ready state.

With any other car (that I have driven) than the Tesla, I can approach a situation like this at between 20kmh and 40kmh, depending on the specifics. In the Tesla I need to go at between 5 and 10kmh.

[stavros]

Ah OK, I see what you mean. Yeah, on my car, that's a setting I can toggle.

[eldaisfish]

regenerative braking can be uncomfortable for passengers as the car is constantly alternating between accelerating (or constant speed) and braking. It isn't even light braking, it is significant braking.

I generally turn off the auto regen braking because i find it uncomfortable.

Importantly, regenerative braking is a danger on icy roads. I disable it entirely in the winter in eastern Canada because it often causes the tires to lose grip.

[stavros]

I agree about the icy roads, but for the braking, that's easily remedied by just not completely releasing the accelerator. I just modulate how much I want to brake with the accelerator pedal.

[apelapan]

There must be some connection between traction control and regen braking in newer Teslas, because I didn't really have any problems with it during the past winter. A friend working in auto industry was involved with doing competitor analysis and was shocked back in 2014 or something like that, the Teslas they tested simply spun out of control when letting go of the accelerator in slippery conditions.

They didn't care much for convential wisdom and car building competence in the early days of Tesla.