Did you know you can use cruise control to maximize battery changing when coasting to a red light or slowing down for a speed zone? Just keep in mind your vehicle will slow down fairly rapidly with no brake lights- so I tend to to do this during those glorious moments when there are no cars behind mine. When you see an approaching red light (with cruise control on) just hold the cruise control switch down and the vehicle will automatically power the generators to max. In this way you will not lose any potential battery charge to the actual brake pads. Be advised also the generators will stop and the cruise will cancel automatically at 22mph which is usually slow enough to avoid engaging the brake pads until you are pretty much stopped. Just thought I would share a neat trick with fellow hypermillers. **Also note this may be a less effective charging method than long drawn out braking but is most effective for rapid slowdown situations like unanticipated red lights, speed zones or expressway off ramps ect. and requires some skill to do safely.
Are you getting any more total regeneration than simple judicious use of the brake pedal in regeneration mode? For rapid braking at unanticipated red lights, safety and response time and regeneration power limits pretty much demand use of the brake pedal. For speed zones, just let off the gas early enough to glide in. I do use cruise control to manage speed and regenerate on moderate downhills at steady speeds or slowly declining speeds (e.g. a speed zone at the bottom of a long hill). But otherwise the brake pedal seems safer and more controllable, and can still get all the regeneration when used carefully.
