Scalextrics mode

[advance2020]

Anyone who has been following my Posts over the last year will already know that I’m a great fan of One Pedal mode. And while this OPM may not suit everyone, or be applicable to their Daily commute, I thought I would once again air this topic, especially for those new to driving their “e”.

Initially I was a little anxious. Just controlling my car with my right foot seemed too simplistic. Surely there was a downside. But I soon became a convert, and have never looked back.

After all those years of clutch control, changing gear, and dropping down a couple of gears to power up, surely I would prefer to use the paddles, or Sport mode, and drive like an ICE car. No EVs are different, and we soon notice the difference. Especially, if as I do, you live near hills.

Now I realise if you drive at speed on Motorways & Dual Carriageways you are likely to be using ACC and therefore unable to use OPM as the norm. But if you are driving in slow traffic, in urban environments, I find OPM gives me instant control over the acceleration and deceleration of my car. I usually have it set in Max 3 Chevrons, which is the most “severe” but I know if I need to slow down and stop quickly, most of the work can be done with my right foot, without having to use the brake pedal.

Yes, sometimes I have tried the paddles, and used less Chevrons, but this just confuses my brain, when I do need to pull up more quickly. And I love that there is no creep at slow speeds. It is easy to Stop and stay still, while waiting for the lights to change. And just using the paddles, without engaging OPM, does not generate as much regen or braking via the motor, even though there 4 levels to choose from. No, not a fan of those. Maybe they work well at higher cruising speeds, but no good for me in narrow lanes, and windy B roads.

So I would like to hear from others, esp. those new owners, and also encourage those who have yet to “take the plunge” whether you can be persuaded to adopt OPM as the norm. The bonus is that I’m convinced it improves my economy, and I am a more polite driver, often slowing to let others pass, or turn right etc. You have little to lose, and will probably have a clear road to “enjoy” ahead (using some of the power you just “stored”).

[DJ1978]

I also like to use the one pedal mode. but only because you can't lock the regeneration in normal driving mode

[Marmite]

I use it all the time, with 3 arrowheads. If I forget to put it on or after motorway journey, I realise it when e doesn't slow down as expected...
I just wish the activate switch to be on steering wheel though, without looking down/eyes off road.

[rickwookie]

I use it a lot now, even on the motorway as I find it more efficient and safer than ACC. Also, when I’m using standard two-pedal mode, I use my right foot only for both pedals, but then I’m not a trained rally driver.

[Reuben80]

Strong level regen does not mean that you are putting more energy into the battery than weak level because with strong level you are regenerating only for 1 or 2 seconds, but with low regen you are regenerating for longer time so the amount is the same, even more because you waste less energy into heat. To drive efficient is not how much energy you get back when slowing down but how much the least amount of energy you use to go forward. Use the force of gravity and momentum to go forward and think less about regen. My average is 12.6 kWh/100km with the E and I never use 1 pedal driving. I like to shift it in N while driving as even the lowest regen level slows me down. Only when I need to slow down I use the regen with the brake pedal or paddles and I really like and understand why Honda chose that the regen level with the paddles reset after every braking as not all corners are the same.

[londiniumperson]

Strong level regen does not mean that you are putting more energy into the battery than weak level because with strong level you are regenerating only for 1 or 2 seconds, but with low regen you are regenerating for longer time so the amount is the same, even more because you waste less energy into heat. To drive efficient is not how much energy you get back when slowing down but how much the least amount of energy you use to go forward. Use the force of gravity and momentum to go forward and think less about regen. My average is 12.6 kWh/100km with the E and I never use 1 pedal driving. I like to shift it in N while driving as even the lowest regen level slows me down. Only when I need to slow down I use the regen with the brake pedal or paddles and I really like and understand why Honda chose that the regen level with the paddles reset after every braking as not all corners are the same.

I agree with almost everything you say.
I'm very confident after a number of tests that it's irrelevant whether using paddles or OPM, the amount of regen is the same, for example whilst backing off the accelerator or braking when using the paddles you can easily see that regen is occurring on driver display (aka Meter) and I've also checked my m/kWh using both styles of driving the same journey multiple times and again there's no appreciable difference in economy, the weather conditions have far more impact.
Also the regen reset in paddle mode makes for simple efficient driving without having to be concerned what level it was last set to.

The area that I don't agree with is the use of N and coasting for a number of reasons:
a) It's dangerous. You will have no motor braking/regen or be able to quickly accelerate if required at a moment's notice. For example, if a child ran into the road just in front of you, there'd be no time to engage drive and therefore no deceleration before you've had the chance to press the brake pedal whereas if left in drive then irrespective of whether using OPM or paddles there would be some.
Also just the act of engaging and disengaging N mode would be a distraction and therefore an unsafe act.
It's not illegal in the UK but if you had an collision and it was discovered that the driver was in neutral at the time then it's highly likely that they'd be procecuted as being deemed not to be fully in control of your vehicle and have committed an offence.
b) It's possible that internal damage may occur within the drivetrain. It's well known that driving in neutral causes excessive wear within both manual and automatic gearboxes, why would this be any different for a BEV? Personally I'm not willing to take the chance because it would probably take a number of years to become noticeable and therefore outside of the warranty, and I doubt that Honda would ever be willing to agree to repair it free of charge under any circumstances and certainly not if they were aware that it had been driven in this manner.
c) There's no need to use N mode because it's very easy just like in any manual or automatic ICE car to just apply very light pressure to the accelerator which effectively places the car in neutral, i.e. no regen or power delivery & it's easily noticed on the Honda when approaching junctions on a incline and the car will either continue to roll forward on a downhill incline or backwards on an uphill incline unless I completely release my foot from the accelerator.

[londiniumperson]

I use both OPM & paddles depending on the type of driving, as I'm happy to use either rather than use only one or the other all of the time.
OPM is excellent in stop/start traffic of city driving but the paddles are better suited on faster roads whether that's motorway, A roads or even B roads. Only yesterday I was on the B3006 & B3349 between the A3 & Odiham and used the paddles all the time because I find it more relaxing, engaging & enjoyable using the paddles at various settings on the fast sweeping bends to slow down for the corners and junctions.
I didn't this time but have in the past used the ACC to accelerate back up to speed and used just this and the paddles rather than the accelerator, with my right foot ready to brake if required.

[Reuben80]

I am aware that driving in N might be dangerous but I use it only for short period of time and I will be extra cautious when using it. I find it useful in different scenarios.
1. When going uphill and start approaching the top of the hill I challenge myself to cut it to N midway on the uphill and time it that on top of the hill I am at the desired speed (usually a route that I know very well). This way I used just enough energy to get me to the top of the hill without waste.
2. I use it when going slightly downhill to let the car accelerate without wasting energy.
3. I use it when in traffic on a downhill. No need to use energy to go forward and stop again. Regen won't be used at very slow speeds anyway.

As londiniumperson said you can push the gas pedal just enough that you are not using regen or energy at all but that point is always changing according to the speed and slope so it is impossible to be as accurate as you do when you put it in N.

Also, people tend to think that when they use the 1 pedal the car is not using the brake pads at all. At slow speeds when the regen cannot be enough to stop the car, the car is using automatically the pads to stop. So if the car is capable of applying automatically the pads what guarantee is Honda giving me that with the strongest regen level the car is not using a little bit of pads to stop? Until we have a proper OBD data of the brake pads compression we cannot know. When I drove the Toyota I had this and I knew exactly when the pads were being applied. Even in the Toyota you could feel it when the pads take over from the regen but in the Honda I still struggle to feel it. Either Honda made a really good job or else there is something fishy. I am still trying my best to get that feel without OBD data.

[londiniumperson]

Also, people tend to think that when they use the 1 pedal the car is not using the brake pads at all. At slow speeds when the regen cannot be enough to stop the car, the car is using automatically the pads to stop. So if the car is capable of applying automatically the pads what guarantee is Honda giving me that with the strongest regen level the car is not using a little bit of pads to stop? Until we have a proper OBD data of the brake pads compression we cannot know. When I drove the Toyota I had this and I knew exactly when the pads were being applied. Even in the Toyota you could feel it when the pads take over from the regen but in the Honda I still struggle to feel it. Either Honda made a really good job or else there is something fishy. I am still trying my best to get that feel without OBD data.

The brakes are definitely automatically used more than is strictly necessary, a while ago I spent many hours cleaning every inch of the car and after a 1/4 mile drive at no more than 20mph and very gentle deceleration there was a significant build up of brake dust on all four wheels.
Also quite often I notice the noise of the brake pads slightly scraping the discs as I'm driving off after being parked up, it seems as though either they don't fully pull back from the discs or are kept near the discs on purpose due to the safety features (i.e. low speed collision).

[scotty c]

i drive most of the time with regen on 3 bars mainly in town and on my commute and 2 bars on a b road. Like most that use one pedal, i enjoy the challenge of judging the braking point.