Brake lamps when slowing in L mode?

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boltage

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 11, 2017
Messages
451
When taking your foot off the accelerator in L mode, the regeneration is rather aggressive, slowing the car down fairly quickly. Do the brake lamps light when doing this? The owner's manual mentions that the brake lamps may light when using the aggressive regeneration button behind the steering wheel.
 
Yes, they do. I read somewhere (can't remember where) that the brake lights come on when deceleration exceeds 0.1g. I have no feel for how much a slowing motion that is.

That said, I followed my wife in her Bolt yesterday and she was in Low the whole drive. Her brake lights came on at about the appropriate time before stop signs and lights. Later she stated she never used the brakes.
 
I have seen the red glow in my back window slowing in "L". I have also noticed they turn off below ~5 mph so you still need to brake at then end and while stopped.
 
Yes, they come on whenever you take your foot off the accelerator or use the regeneration paddle. I documented this in one of my videos.
 
roundpeg said:
Yes, they come on whenever you take your foot off the accelerator or use the regeneration paddle. I documented this in one of my videos.

What if you take your foot off the accelerator in D mode without using the paddle? There is still regeneration and slowing, though less than in L mode or with the paddle. Brake light, or no brake light? :?:
 
I believe there is no brake light in D mode. D mode is the equivalent of coasting in a gas car which also does not activate the brake light.
 
The brake lights are triggered by either a set amount of deceleration or the brake pedal, so generally the brake lights won't come on in D but they can come on in if the car slows down enough, like when you're climbing a hill and let off the accelerator. Conversely, if you're going downhill in L you can let up and regenerate a fair bit without triggering the brake lights if you're just controlling the speed and not really slowing down much.
 
SpaceMan said:
I have seen the red glow in my back window slowing in "L". I have also noticed they turn off below ~5 mph so you still need to brake at then end and while stopped.

Ohh my, I did not know this and would be concerned about getting rear ended at a stop light. I thought the brake light would have stayed on all the way to 0-mph and until the next acceleration.
 
I'm glad to hear the brake lights come on with regen. That was always one of my concerns with strong regen modes.

flamaest said:
SpaceMan said:
I have seen the red glow in my back window slowing in "L". I have also noticed they turn off below ~5 mph so you still need to brake at then end and while stopped.

Ohh my, I did not know this and would be concerned about getting rear ended at a stop light. I thought the brake light would have stayed on all the way to 0-mph and until the next acceleration.

It sounds like they only turn off when you're already barely moving and aren't really decelerating anymore. It would be the same as coasting the last few feet to a stop after slowing most of the way down.
 
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