Anyone drive their hybrid in low?

[GPSMan]

YOU SHOULD NOT USE L FOR DAILY DRIVING!

It DOES mimic braking but you'll have NO BRAKE LAMPS ILLUMINATING.

It's fine for maintaining a steady or near steady speed on downhills.

Plus there's no advantage, no reason to use it in daily driving... unless you were born without feet.

The brake pedal gives you 100% regen and you get maximum regen with that pedal, you'll miss not a single watt and your MPG will be really high so long as you keep that needle in the green off the peg. Once you hit the peg, THEN friction pads hit the rotors for additional deceleration.

Hope that helps, knowing these things.

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[TRUCKHEF]

I hate trying to balance my foot pressure to get max regen when coming to a stop or slowing down, I hit L and forget about it. Yah your brake lights don’t illuminate so don’t do it if you have a texter on your ass.

 

[Ford Maverick Maniac]

Here is a demo in low gear. It saves your brakes by holding your speed on downhills.

 

[GPSMan]

I hate trying to balance my foot pressure to get max regen when coming to a stop or slowing down, I hit L and forget about it. Yah your brake lights don’t illuminate so don’t do it if you have a texter on your ass.

Ok, so sounds like "comfort" is your goal not highest MPG possible then.

Stopping gently, moving the green needle the least in amplitude will net highest MPG which is why I prefer slippery mode. Coasting is key. L mode is opposite of coasting.

 

[GPSMan]

Here is a demo in low gear. It saves your brakes by holding your speed on downhills.

True for hills longer than say a mile because your battery will be full by then and you'll need engine brake for resistance.

 

[Daemoss]

Can't vouch for its application to a CVT like we have in the Hybrid but in a normal automatic transmission it forces the vehicle to hold a lower gear. This keeps the engine revs higher and increases the amount of engine braking that occurs when you take your foot off the gas. Very useful for avoiding runaway speeds without having to ride the brakes and risk burning them out when you are descending a long steep grade. *Source* Many years of living in Phoenix, AZ and routinely escaping to the surrounding mountains to get out of the Summer heat.

 

[JayBoegs]

Probably would kill your fuel economy which is the point of a hybrid.

Crazy thing is it increases mpgs. More regen?

 

[sprcoop]

Page 183 of owners manual. L is recommended for towing with EB or Hybrid.

LOW (L) - GASOLINE

In low (L) your vehicle holds low gears.

Note:We recommend using this mode for
driving on hilly or mountainous roads or
when towing a trailer. See Towing a Trailer
(page 267).

LOW (L) - HYBRID ELECTRIC
VEHICLE (HEV)

In low (L) your vehicle decelerates more
noticeably than in drive (D) when the
accelerator pedal is released.

Note:We recommend using this mode for
driving on hilly or mountainous roads or
when towing a trailer. See Towing a Trailer
(page 267).

 

[MakinDoForNow]

Page 183 of owners manual. L is recommended for towing with EB or Hybrid.

LOW (L) - GASOLINE

In low (L) your vehicle holds low gears.

Note:We recommend using this mode for
driving on hilly or mountainous roads or
when towing a trailer. See Towing a Trailer
(page 267).

LOW (L) - HYBRID ELECTRIC
VEHICLE (HEV)

In low (L) your vehicle decelerates more
noticeably than in drive (D) when the
accelerator pedal is released.

Note:We recommend using this mode for
driving on hilly or mountainous roads or
when towing a trailer. See Towing a Trailer
(page 267).

Low is excellent in stop and go traffic 0-40+ mph. Except that some say brake lights do not illuminate, which I have not verified. But definitely minimizes use of brake pedal. Perhaps one could very lightly touch brake pedal?? Very nice to use with cruise in hilly areas. I suspect engine braking assist will be implemented sooner at least after the increased amp transfers should warm battery sooner. I could also be that HVB gets to 70%+ SOC then engine braking occurs. I suspect in hybrid when engine braking is happening and in low fuel is just switched on and off more than using HVB to help keep battery cool. ().

 

[sprcoop]

Low is excellent in stop and go traffic 0-40+ mph. Except that some say brake lights do not illuminate, which I have not verified. But definitely minimizes use of brake pedal. Perhaps one could very lightly touch brake pedal?? Very nice to use with cruise in hilly areas. I suspect engine braking assist will be implemented sooner at least after the increased amp transfers should warm battery sooner. I could also be that HVB gets to 70%+ SOC then engine braking occurs. I suspect in hybrid when engine braking is happening and in low fuel is just switched on and off more than using HVB to help keep battery cool. ().

Even driving a 2012 Focus (5 spd) I tend to slow by shifting gears and not hitting brakes (so no brake lights). I'm embarrassed if I need to use my brakes on the freeway unless traffic has come to a stop suddenly. That means I was not paying attention.

On my commute (14 miles) I will hit my brakes on the freeway twice while I see all other cars hitting brakes hundreds of times.

Amazing what a little anticipation (actually taking your foot off the gas when staring at a sea of brake lights) and leaving a 2 second space between you and the car in front of you will do. Stress free driving along with 125K miles before changing front brake pads and 190K before doing the rear pads. Not to mention what it does for your gas mileage.

 

[Silver23]

YOU SHOULD NOT USE L FOR DAILY DRIVING!

It DOES mimic braking but you'll have NO BRAKE LAMPS ILLUMINATING.

It's fine for maintaining a steady or near steady speed on downhills.

Plus there's no advantage, no reason to use it in daily driving... unless you were born without feet.

The brake pedal gives you 100% regen and you get maximum regen with that pedal, you'll miss not a single watt and your MPG will be really high so long as you keep that needle in the green off the peg. Once you hit the peg, THEN friction pads hit the rotors for additional deceleration.

Hope that helps, knowing these things.

good points.
So you mean to use the brake lightly to get max regen, no need for L, correct? When you say hit the peg no you mean the at the lower left on the needle? Furthest from the white zone, correct?
This seems to be easiest to do in Eco mode.

 

[Silver23]

Even driving a 2012 Focus (5 spd) I tend to slow by shifting gears and not hitting brakes (so no brake lights). I'm embarrassed if I need to use my brakes on the freeway unless traffic has come to a stop suddenly. That means I was not paying attention.

On my commute (14 miles) I will hit my brakes on the freeway twice while I see all other cars hitting brakes hundreds of times.

Amazing what a little anticipation (actually taking your foot off the gas when staring at a sea of brake lights) and leaving a 2 second space between you and the car in front of you will do. Stress free driving along with 125K miles before changing front brake pads and 190K before doing the rear pads. Not to mention what it does for your gas mileage.

brake pads are much cheaper than a clutch. just sayin'

 

[GPSMan]

good points.
So you mean to use the brake lightly to get max regen, no need for L, correct? When you say hit the peg no you mean the at the lower left on the needle? Furthest from the white zone, correct?
This seems to be easiest to do in Eco mode.

Yes

Maximum recuperated wattage is not the same as maximum regen force.

Gentle over longer time adds up to the same wattage and is best. Less heating of the battery; etc.

 

[Silver23]

Low is excellent in stop and go traffic 0-40+ mph. Except that some say brake lights do not illuminate, which I have not verified. But definitely minimizes use of brake pedal. Perhaps one could very lightly touch brake pedal?? Very nice to use with cruise in hilly areas. I suspect engine braking assist will be implemented sooner at least after the increased amp transfers should warm battery sooner. I could also be that HVB gets to 70%+ SOC then engine braking occurs. I suspect in hybrid when engine braking is happening and in low fuel is just switched on and off more than using HVB to help keep battery cool. ().

could you explain? Especially the "low fuel switched on and off" . what is low fuel?

 

[Deleted member 1483]

I use L to replace “tow/haul” because that mode charging the battery to 70% non stop makes me have no regen

I have done some testing and there “is” a change in how the vehicle accelerates but it doesn’t seem significant enough to need it activated for moving forward or when going up hills.

I mostly use it when “canyon carving”, or when I’m on bad terrain to keep from rolling as much

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