The “L”ow Down (shifting into L - Low when approaching a stop)

[AutobahnSHO]

You guys who said just hit the brakes do know if you have a hybrid that actually doesn't use the friction brakes unless you hit them hard. It uses regen braking to slow car. Hitting the L button or hitting the brakes softly are pretty much the same thing. Look at the dash gauge it will do the same thing .

No, friction brakes engage pretty quickly if you're at speed.

L engages MAXIMUM regen (which is not a lot of speed reduction at 60mph but is lots more at 30mph) then turns on engine braking after the battery is "full".

ALSO,
in FWD pushing the brakes will engage the brakes on 4 wheels (if regen is exceeded) while L will only regen brake the front wheels

And as noted over and over- L will slow the truck without turning on the brake lights. very bad if other drivers are behind you.

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[HeyBales]

No, friction brakes engage pretty quickly if you're at speed.

L engages MAXIMUM regen (which is not a lot of speed reduction at 60mph but is lots more at 30mph) then turns on engine braking after the battery is "full".

ALSO,
in FWD pushing the brakes will engage the brakes on 4 wheels (if regen is exceeded) while L will only regen brake the front wheels

And as noted over and over- L will slow the truck without turning on the brake lights. very bad if other drivers are behind you.

Ohhhh - now there's some observation I need to make on PID's I already display.
Brake pressure to each wheel.

Does the regen from braking engage the rear brakes on it's own, maybe different at different speeds?
Considering some of the comments on rear brake wear that seems premature - must be getting used extra at some point, or it truly just is the effect seen with gentle brakers.

 

[TheSEARCH]

No, friction brakes engage pretty quickly if you're at speed.

L engages MAXIMUM regen (which is not a lot of speed reduction at 60mph but is lots more at 30mph) then turns on engine braking after the battery is "full".

ALSO,
in FWD pushing the brakes will engage the brakes on 4 wheels (if regen is exceeded) while L will only regen brake the front wheels

And as noted over and over- L will slow the truck without turning on the brake lights. very bad if other drivers are behind you.

I disagree. apply the brakes lightly and watch the dash gauge. Then apply L and I can get near EXACT same readout . Starting at about 50 mph. If brakes are light they wont do a thing until near stopped. Heck it even says 100 percent recovered on dash if done correctly .

Sure the L button is fun but isn't really needed. Light brake pressure will do the same . I always drive in Eco mode so maybe is reacts differently in other modes.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

I disagree. apply the brakes lightly and watch the dash gauge. Then apply L and I can get near EXACT same readout . Starting at about 50 mph. If brakes are light they wont do a thing until near stopped. Heck it even says 100 percent recovered on dash if done correctly .

Sure the L button is fun but isn't really needed. Light brake pressure will do the same . I always drive in Eco mode so maybe is reacts differently in other modes.

I cannot get max Regen braking without activating the hydraulic brakes. I can get up to almost all of the green and get 100% recovered but not have the needle at the white without getting something like 95%-96% recovered. L puts the needle right there.

 

[TheSEARCH]

I cannot get max Regen braking without activating the hydraulic brakes. I can get up to almost all of the green and get 100% recovered but not have the needle at the white without getting something like 95%-96% recovered. L puts the needle right there.

It might be a little better using L button BUT not a big difference with light brake pedal use. I bet I get at least 100K miles before brakes are needed.

 

[AutobahnSHO]

It might be a little better using L button BUT not a big difference with light brake pedal use. I bet I get at least 100K miles before brakes are needed.

Exactly, it's not hard to just brake light. Took some getting used to at first though- using the brake coach for "regular" stopping we'd only get 60-80 energy recovered.

 

[AutobahnSHO]

I disagree. apply the brakes lightly and watch the dash gauge. Then apply L and I can get near EXACT same readout . Starting at about 50 mph. If brakes are light they wont do a thing until near stopped. Heck it even says 100 percent recovered on dash if done correctly .

Sure the L button is fun but isn't really needed. Light brake pressure will do the same . I always drive in Eco mode so maybe is reacts differently in other modes.

You'd have to actually compare the speed droppage between L and braking to get an accurate readout.

Yes, Eco mode gets more aggressive in regen (don't have to use brake pedal as much) and you have to push accelerator a little harder for same effect as "normal".

 

[HeyBales]

I cannot get max Regen braking without activating the hydraulic brakes. I can get up to almost all of the green and get 100% recovered but not have the needle at the white without getting something like 95%-96% recovered. L puts the needle right there.

As long as you've given enough space for the braking in regen without L and staying in the Green recharge - it doesn't matter if you are doing 75% regen or 98% regen - compared to the Low button allowing 100% regen.
100% Recovered is the max potential - if you got it, you got what was possible - using brakes or Low before brakes.

At the end of the stop - both methods have yielded the same amount of Amps sent to the battery (or engine if waste was needed), and same amount of HVB recharge.

Ok - nit-picky, except for the potentially slightly longer distance yields slightly more wasted energy to road/tire & wind resistance. Mathematically it could be calculated - @Engineering Explained!!!!

 

[CBennett]

I guess I will ask... what exactly does this, or would if i was foolish enough to think its a good thing or needed, actually DO for me that pushing down on my brakes wont do?

I just re-read and say Hybrid.. so maybe its a Hybrid thing only I digress if so.

 

[Larrythelunatic]

I guess I will ask... what exactly does this, or would if i was foolish enough to think its a good thing or needed, actually DO for me that pushing down on my brakes wont do?

I just re-read and say Hybrid.. so maybe its a Hybrid thing only I digress if so.

Ever drive a stick?
If so, did you downshift as you approach a corner?
As you came to a STOP or YIELD sign, did you just brake? Or did you downshift?
(On a bike, downshifting is practically mandatory.)
Pushing the L button is downshifting. Only problem is there’s only one lower gear.
Wife’s hybrid RAV allows three lower “gears”, allowing more regen.
After driving hers for a while, coming back to the Mav, I miss more lower gears.
By the way……..
Seems that there are quite a few Mav & Rav couples out there!

 

[CBennett]

Ever drive a stick?
If so, did you downshift as you approach a corner?
As you came to a STOP or YIELD sign, did you just brake? Or did you downshift?
(On a bike, downshifting is practically mandatory.)
Pushing the L button is downshifting. Only problem is there’s only one lower gear.
Wife’s hybrid RAV allows three lower “gears”, allowing more regen.
After driving hers for a while, coming back to the Mav, I miss more lower gears.
By the way……..
Seems that there are quite a few Mav & Rav couples out there!

Learned on one first car ever was a 4 speed so yes. and depended on if I downshifted on whats going on
at a Yield downshift since you may never actually stop at a stop sign since i was stopping often if just stop and not downshift then go to 1st when stopped, no need to downshift at a stop sign just no need when I was coming to a full stop anyways... sorry if we did it different . I dont downshift in a automatic sorry. I was

Coming to a full stop: Just use brake no need to downshift

Slowing down for a light that may change(traffic signal) downshift unless I KNOW im going to have to stop then just break, Yield same deal downshift, corners downshift but this is mostly if I dont know or think I can just go... if im knowing im stopping brake, no downshift needed.

I had a bike once for about 5 months and yes its different on a bike got rid of it as being too dangerous and offering me no real advantages Vs safety.. MPG was nice but its just neither convenient or safe IMO.. too many other idiots out there that supposedly "done see you" so that was a 5 month experiment that made me a non rider.

I have never in my life downshifted in a automatic(thus the question) outside of off road or steep hill. I have never been with anyone else driving(and this is about 41 years of driving) that did/saw another person in a automatic downshift for anything but a steep hill /off road.... while going down a old logging trial to get to a fishing spot..sorry. I have used low in a automatic when off roading thats it though .. Id certainly never use it in a every day situation lol/ but its ok to do things differently.

Ohh I did have a 1969 Roadrunner with a reverse pattern manual valvebody transmission that manually shifted it was the old Reverse pattern manual shift valve body... Those went P/R/N/ 1/2/D that way if your racing you couldnt accidentally slip from 2nd into neutral accidentally passing over D and over rev the engine as drive was at the end of the pattern these had to be manually shifted even though a automatic to go through the gears. So I do digress on that one that was a Automatic you had to shift.

 

[nekodan]

My other vehicle is a Tesla Model Y. I really am accustomed to the “one pedal” driving in it where the regen is pretty strong. In fact, I seldom have to touch the brakes while driving normally. Given the Hybrid’s eCVT is infinitely adjustable and the HVB is monitored for temperatures, driving in L seems more like “increase regen instead of coasting” mode.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

As long as you've given enough space for the braking in regen without L and staying in the Green recharge - it doesn't matter if you are doing 75% regen or 98% regen - compared to the Low button allowing 100% regen.
100% Recovered is the max potential - if you got it, you got what was possible - using brakes or Low before brakes.

At the end of the stop - both methods have yielded the same amount of Amps sent to the battery (or engine if waste was needed), and same amount of HVB recharge.

Ok - nit-picky, except for the potentially slightly longer distance yields slightly more wasted energy to road/tire & wind resistance. Mathematically it could be calculated - @Engineering Explained!!!!

True, I was just saying that "L" can go to 100% of green (assuming HVB can accept all the Regen current BUT I cannot use all the green without also activating the hydraulic braking. Perhaps with a better display, I could come closer not that it would matter a worthwhile bit.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

My other vehicle is a Tesla Model Y. I really am accustomed to the “one pedal” driving in it where the regen is pretty strong. In fact, I seldom have to touch the brakes while driving normally. Given the Hybrid’s eCVT is infinitely adjustable and the HVB is monitored for temperatures, driving in L seems more like “increase regen instead of coasting” mode.

That is what it is.

It also calls upon engine braking a little sooner too.

It's less efficient than coasting though.
Making all the extra heat.

I use slippery all times not towing.

 

[AutobahnSHO]

I have never in my life downshifted in a automatic(thus the question) outside of off road or steep hill.

My other car is an Automatic Miata and the paddle shifters are loads of fun. Tap the downshift a few times and I don't have to move my feet (except keep foot off the accelerator).

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