It's a selection on the shifter to increase the aggressiveness of the regenerative braking. Sometimes it's a button. This mode creates a noticeable drag on the car when you let off the accelerator, similar to what happens in a manual transmission.
this is the shifter in my Prius. If I’m going downhill or come to a light I can slow the car down by using the B mode instead of the brakes. Saves the brakes (I have 114,000 miles on the car and still have 70% left on the original brakes) and improves the regen.
I think there's the Low (L) mode in the middle of the rotary dial for this downhill braking situation.
The regen braking in our 2020 AWD Escape Hybrid is similar to hill descent control on a regular EcoBoost. Except it’s automatic. There is a green icon on dash illuminating when it sense you’re on a downgrade angle.I think there's the Low (L) mode in the middle of the rotary dial for this downhill braking situation.
Manual page 184-ish
LOW (L) This mode is for driving on steep slopes. The transmission will hold low gear for maximum torque driving uphill and maximum engine braking driving downhill. You can enter this mode at any vehicle speed.
https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...s-manual-version-1_om_en-us_07_2021-pdf.2847/
Obviously "low gear" doesn't mean quite the same for the hybrid but according to Ford Escape hybrid commentary I've read, it increases the regenerative braking resistance and ICE+generator motor can coordinate to do engine braking I think.
I think it matters more if you’re hauling down very long declines, but that’s just what i have read from others, i don’t have personal experience.
B mode (engine braking) is kind of a waste. It doesn't recharge the battery as fast as using the full regenerative braking system that comes from using the peddle for one thing. At leas that's the case in older model Toyota Hybrids, not sure about modern ones. Unless you are going down a steep grade for long periods of time, as in after the battery is fully recharged, there is almost no point in doing that, just throwing away energy that could be going back into the battery. In return all you get is needless engine noise. I got to 121,000 miles (actually 196,000 km, since I'm not in the US) on the original rear brakes of my Camry Hybrid, not sure if the fronts are original, don't remember. If they are they've lasted 150k miles so far. I suspect they would have lasted longer if I didn't get cut off so much, people never look before pulling out into traffic, or so it seems.this is the shifter in my Prius. If I’m going downhill or come to a light I can slow the car down by using the B mode instead of the brakes. Saves the brakes (I have 114,000 miles on the car and still have 70% left on the original brakes) and improves the regen.
On my Kia this is a setting in the preferences for how aggressive it will regen.this is the shifter in my Prius. If I’m going downhill or come to a light I can slow the car down by using the B mode instead of the brakes. Saves the brakes (I have 114,000 miles on the car and still have 70% left on the original brakes) and improves the regen.
I have a Prius C, with 112,000 miles with 80 percent brakes left and never use the B and I have a 12% grade into my valley I drive everyday. The B doest really regenerate the battery and not much if it does....coasting and applying brakes generate much more electricity than the B setting. Shifting to B doesn't change the transaxle, it informs the electrical system to change torque in the motor as in low torque...this is the shifter in my Prius. If I’m going downhill or come to a light I can slow the car down by using the B mode instead of the brakes. Saves the brakes (I have 114,000 miles on the car and still have 70% left on the original brakes) and improves the regen.
