In a advertising campaign on TV Nissan launches its new Leaf. One of the novelties is that you can drive with one pedal. As the commercial voice says: "- One pedal ... for gas ... and braking.» At the same time, a small logo pops up at the bottom of the screen. "e-Pedal". As a kind of trademark. "e-Pedal by Nissan", - sort of? But this is not news. BMW introduced this in 2009 – first for the Mini E, later on its own BMW i3.
Works better than you'd think
I only know driving with one pedal from the BMW i3. All rechargeable cars have some form of artificial engine braking that returns more or less energy to the batteries, but it is not the same as driving with one pedal. The special thing about the BMW i3 is that you don't need to move your foot onto the brake during normal driving. If you lift your foot slowly, the car brakes slowly. If you let off the gas suddenly, the car slows down just as you would with the brake pedal. During heavy braking, you may hear a faint screeching sound. It's like music to my ears. That means I get extra kilometers - completely free.
Optimal energy absorption
The biggest advantage of driving electric cars with one pedal is that the car is able to capture deceleration energy perfectly optimally. Of course, you get recovered power by using the ordinary brakes as well. But I imagine they steal more energy. The BMW i3 has also been named the most energy-efficient electric car in several forums. The reason for that is the efficient one-pedal solution.
It bodes well that Nissan has also jumped on the one-pedal solution. I predict that in time we will see further improvements. Today, there is a lot of research into creating intelligent gearboxes that continuously monitor driving patterns and surroundings. The same intelligence can also be used in wood braking – by reading the movements of the same gas pedal. The more intelligent, the more kilometers we get.
How the brake lights come on
I have previously expressed skepticism about how the brake lights are affected when you brake with the gas. The BMW i3 is a popular car. Many of them are driven by drivers who dictate how the brake lights come on. After studying i3s on the road for several years, my conclusion is that the BMW i3 turns on the brake lights automatically when the car is actually decelerating – apparently via some kind of deceleration meter.
Use the brake pedal occasionally!
Another skepticism is that, as is well known, the brakes must be used regularly. This applies to all cars, but it can be easy to forget when the brake pedal is only used for sudden braking. And should an emergency braking occur, it is reassuring to know that the braking will start even before you have lifted your foot from the accelerator.
Gives extra km - not driving pleasure
I like the BMW i3. It's fun to drive without being able to put my finger on exactly what it is that I like. In terms of driving pleasure, I am indifferent to driving with one pedal. Behind the wheel, I think a normal, artificial engine brake works perfectly alright. I still give one-pedal a thumbs up because it gives me extra mileage. The BMW i3 has proven that.
Hope the new Nissan Leaf is just as fun to drive.
See
Without having any experience with one-pedal driving it sounds to me to be risky on slippery roads? Read that if you let off the gas quickly, the car brakes sharply. What if an unexpected obstacle comes up and it's stuck? Then the car brakes strongly and you practically depend on the abs to sort things out. If not, we spin. It will be a conditioned reflex to let off the gas immediately if an obstacle appears in front of the car. Some people manage to brake sensibly, but no one manages to let off the gas momentarily. Am I wrong?
Regarding rusty brake discs which was what the article was really talking about. Isn't this a cost that can be taken on, because by electrical recycling you have filled so much "diesel/petrol" back into the tank that this is saved? To the extent that the electric braking is the cause of rusty discs. Not that I doubt it could be bad steel etc., but has this been calculated?
The recommendation to find a "braking place" and make it a routine to brake hard should probably also have recommended that the electric brake be disengaged in this case. I guess this is possible? Otherwise, it is undoubtedly a good idea to brake the discs dry immediately before parking, regardless of what we feed the engine(s) in our car with. Not least for those of us who have a garage.