If I want to get the most out of regenerative braking and use my conventional brakes the least, how hard should I brake? On the ECO Score screen it lets you know roughly how hard you're braking (Yes, I know: keep your eyes on the road). Should one ideally not touch the brakes, or fill up the re-gen to the middle? Just curious if anyone actually knows.
coasting is the most efficient. any application of the brake pedal is less than advantageous, but required in certain circumstances.
The manual does cover all this. If you push the brake harder than what's needed to light up all 3 bars on the meter, its using the hydraulic brakes. 2 bars on the meter is not using the hydraulic brakes at all. You need to anticipate and time your deceleration so that you can some to a full stop using only regeneration. (under 9mph its all hydraulic) The faster you're going, the more charge you get from each bar on the meter. But as previously posted, its always better to avoid touching the brake pedal at all.
What bars are you talking about? Your picture shows a Prius V, so I have to ask, in case you dont realize this is a Prius C forum.
Actually I don't think coasting is more efficient than braking in recovering energy. Read this test: Torque Log Analyzer: Energy recovered while coasting vs braking
I think the efficiency that is being referred in the previous post(s) is to MPG efficiency. Not for charging efficiency. If you never come to a complete stop, you never use excess power (gasoline or electric) to accelerate back up to speed while driving. Maintaining speed is the most fuel efficient, and let the car charge the battery on its own. When you have to stop, you have to stop. Can't help that.
The most efficient way to charge the battery is using the regeneration systems. The least efficient is to use the engine. There is an optimum recharge rate for the battery....around 50-60 amps seems to be optimum. With friction brakes, you start hard and ease off as your speed drops. With regen braking, you start easy (to keep the charging current optimum) and press harder as you slow down (to maintain the charge current as the available kinetic energy falls off).
I use the Ultragauge too for many readings, to many to mention here. But, to my knowledge you can only track the 12v battery output.
I'd brake when and how you need....to stop. I'd coast when you can. I think if you are looking for a "Sweet Spot" in braking you are thinking about it too much. It might be hypermiling blasphemy but I believe there is a point where applied technique over rides, comfort, safety, enjoyment and common sense. Despite the wonderful benefit of regenerative brakes, I brake to stop. Common sense, whether I'm driving a Prius or a Ford F150, says to try to avoid hard stops and brake as smoothly as possible. But my sweet spot. is simply stopping safely when I need to be stopped.
If you want to get the most charge out of regen braking, take as long as possible to stop with minimal push on the pedal. The longer you can charge while braking, the more charge you will receive. Hard stops put an amp spike into the batteries but it is not as well received as a long slow charge.
Concur. Braking is a wasteful act. Regenerative braking simply captures some of that energy and tanks it in the battery, rather like recycling plastic water bottles. It's always much better not to use them in the first place. If you concentrate on not needing your brakes as often then you will also be maximizing your regenerative efficiency as well. Good Luck!
