WDB
Full Member
Posts: 7,425 
|
Post by WDB on Apr 12, 2024 12:15:24 GMT
I doubt it. If you’re driving the car at all, the brakes will do enough to keep them usable, just not enough to wear them out. I think brake fluid’s life is determined by time (and water absorption) rather than use, isn’t it?
|
|
bpg
Full Member
Posts: 2,809
|
Post by bpg on Apr 12, 2024 12:29:34 GMT
The fluid is hygroscopic, the brake system has joints and rubber plus the air in the reservoir as that is not filled too the brim and it's opened to check at service time over here, they take a sample and check for moisture so moisture does get in even though the system appears sealed.
The recommendation here is every two years for brake fluid.
I very rarely use the brake pedal in my EV, I can stop the car with the flappy paddles and regen from the motor/generator. The brake pedal is for emergency use only for most of my journeys.
|
|
WDB
Full Member
Posts: 7,425
|
Post by WDB on Apr 12, 2024 12:51:57 GMT
Yes, I’m much the same. Except no paddles — and my route away from home typically includes a stop line at the bottom of a steep, straight hill, which tends to require a foot unless I lift off absurdly early. Probably good for the system, even if it costs me a star on the Driving Style Analysis (!) screen.
|
|
|
|
Post by EspadaIII on Apr 12, 2024 12:54:33 GMT
I would hope that they are programmed to be used properly every so often to avoid that....  I also have got used to not using the brake pedal when stopping. It becomes very frustrating when I drive the Clubman. |
|
|
|
Post by Humph on Apr 12, 2024 13:08:32 GMT
Especially for other road users I’d imagine?
😵💫
|
|
WDB
Full Member
Posts: 7,425
|
Post by WDB on Apr 12, 2024 14:18:49 GMT
You can tell when you’re following a novice EV driver (or possibly just a muppet) when the brake lights flash at every slight irregularity in the road. The game when one-pedalling is to lift off just enough to slow down without the red lights coming on.
|
|
|
|
Post by EspadaIII on Apr 12, 2024 15:07:46 GMT
Yes, and for those us with clicky paddles and different regenerative modes it is even more complicated.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2024 15:07:58 GMT
I was just following a Nissan Note doing that, the driver of which has absolutely no excuse.
"One careful elderly lady owner."
|
|
WDB
Full Member
Posts: 7,425
|
Post by WDB on Apr 12, 2024 15:40:12 GMT
Yes, and for those us with clicky paddles and different regenerative modes it is even more complicated. I used to think there was benefit in regen paddles, being analogous to paddling down an automatic gearbox for extra engine braking on a descent, as I happened to do in the CLS at lunchtime. But now I’m much less sure. In the i3, one-pedal mode is pretty much permanent; Comfort and Sport modes dial the regen down a little from my usual Eco Pro but the car will still stop without touching the brake. It would be a more relaxed motorway cruiser if i could just turn off regen altogether — as the iX3 and iX allow, with their D<->B switches. But do I really need paddles for all the settings in between? The Enyaq I tried offered that, and I didn’t find it useful. Similarly, the Korean cars; once you’ve gauged the response to lifting off, it’s easy enough to modulate deceleration with the right foot alone. BMW offers in the menu a ‘Regeneration in D’ setting (which ought to be a piece of music but isn’t.) I think it’s enough to set that once to Low or Off, or to the clever but spooky Adaptive setting, and to switch to B if I encounter a hill or a village, where one-pedal control is more appropriate. But I haven’t bought any of these EVs yet, and I have more test miles in iX3s than in all the others combined. |
|
bpg
Full Member
Posts: 2,809
|
Post by bpg on Apr 12, 2024 17:04:01 GMT
I think Esp's car has six 'levels' of regen my KIA has three plus no regen when the motor sends 2kW back to the battery when freewheeling.
Level 1 - no brake lights, sends something like 13kW back
Level 2 - brake lights on and 20-something kW
Level 3 - brake lights and 40+ kW depending how fast you're going.
2 and 3 will slow the car down to around 5mph, need to pull on the left lever to come to a complete standstill. That works at any level of regen. Not really complicated, move left fingers onto paddle to slow or foot on to brake pedal whichever works for you
Only really need the brakes when someone pulls into a space that isn't really a space, last minute lane changing or if a ball bounces into the road pursued by a small child. Don't brake for cats, they're made from rubber *joke*
I like a paddle setup, really intuitive having an automatic petrol that has paddles too. Gets a bit complicated back in my Volvo with three pedals, and a stick to stir the gears with and no paddles for slowing down or changing gear. I have to watch what other roads users are doing and manually adjust my speed also, it really is 20th century driving.
|
|
|
|
Post by dixinormus on Apr 13, 2024 0:21:26 GMT
Isn’t all that becoming unnecessarily complex for the average user?!
The Subaru has flappy paddles mated to a CVT gearbox. How’s that supposed to work?!
|
|
bpg
Full Member
Posts: 2,809
|
Post by bpg on Apr 13, 2024 6:19:34 GMT
It probably looks more complicated than it really is, it boils down left hand how much brake force you want, right hand undo how much brake force you applied.
Similar to an automatic petrol or diesel, pull once for 1 gear, twice for two gears etc going up and down the box on paddles.
The paddles in a CVT are to simulate gears in a more conventional TC or single/twin clutch automated manual type gearbox. It goes to a preset ratio. Not everyone wants it, surprised it's not on an options list for those who do but hang on, Asian manufacturer model is build two or three trim levels the only options being dealer fit bits 'n bobs. You want a sunroof ? You have to buy the top of the range model not an option on lower spec models kind of idea.
|
|
WDB
Full Member
Posts: 7,425
|
Post by WDB on Apr 13, 2024 6:32:25 GMT
I wonder how many drivers actual bother to use them, or even know what they’re for. The car in front of me yesterday as I trundled down the hill, feet off in third gear, was an E350 coupé: same engine and transmission as mine with less mass to hold back. But the red lights came on as soon as the gentle slope became a steep one, and stayed on till the bottom.
Happens a lot. One of the drivers who’ll never touch them lives in my house. 😒
|
|
|
|
Post by EspadaIII on Apr 14, 2024 9:08:25 GMT
The I5 has Levels 0 - 4 for what I woud call dumb regeneration; i.e. it simply slows the car down at differing levels of regeneration as you lift off the 'gas', three levels of 'auto' which seems to sense what is happening in front of you and brakes accordingly down to 5mph and then iPedal which is single pedal driving.
I tend to use the lower level of 'auto'.
|
|
