Quote:
Originally Posted by Martinjlm
You’ve just described regenerative braking.
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The fun/performance implications of this are also huge. I'm sure you understand this, but I'll describe it for others.
It's like having an ICE revved to the perfect point to produce maximum braking horsepower from 0% to 100% whenever you need it; all you have to do is lift your foot off the throttle. The higher you lift, the more braking effect, except it isn't using the service brakes at all. In regenerative braking, the EV motors into generators and the resistance is variable with how much energy you allow to be recovered.
Coming down a mountain pass you can recover several percent of your SOC in a large EV battery. Can't do that with ICE...at the very most you can cut fuel to the engine, but you can't recover any meaningful energy.
But nobody cares about eco stuff. Regen braking for performance is stupid grin-inducing fun. You can come into curves faster and "brake" later (using only regen) and lose no time getting back on the throttle. And when you do, it's with maximum torque depending on your foot position. Until you really push an EV hard you don't realize how much time and effort goes into making an ICE produce power in the range you really want it. There is skill and art in that, sure, but when that piece is eliminated, I think EV actually becomes a more connected driving experience. All your power and braking is at the wheels. The bulk of the car's weight is under you, very low, and evenly distributed. Guys...this is serious fun, and as an automotive enthusiast, I can say you're missing out if you're not giving EV's a fair shake.
The engine sound is absent, ok, but the car is still making plenty of noise. You start to tune into the sounds your tires make under different acceleration and braking conditions - they're giving you so much information that you don't hear when an ICE is running. And to hear the suspension, and what's going on outside around you is actually pretty cool in its own way.