Charge Strategy for Max Battery Life

I am convinced there is 'magic in the paddles', or maybe less magic in the pedal.

Ken's description / advice on downhill braking seems to confirm my suspicion that even light pedal will start to engage the friction brakes... He is able to avoid ICE start by using a little bit of friction braking.

Seems to me that paddles will have no friction braking, but pedal movement is hydraulically tied to the friction brakes.

 

While I agree with both halves of your last sentence, I don't think that it dips into the friction brakes until it "has to". In other words, my theory is that if you use the paddles to get, say, three chevrons of regen ... and use the brake pedal to get the same amount of braking action, that the amount of regen pumped into the battery would be identical. Problem is, we cannot measure the amount of pedal pressure needed to achieve the same braking as the displayed three chevrons, and we don't know for sure that at this point the pedal scenario isn't applying the friction brakes. So, like so many aspects of the car, we just cannot know for sure.

 

I tried driving for the last week using either all pedal and no paddle, or as much paddle as possible with pedal only at last 5 mph and sometimes a little for slowing like on off ramps.
I did it each way for the whole day (had to put up a post it note to remember and had several false starts so it really took 2 weeks).

I always track kWh and estimated EV range and miles and could not tell a meaningful difference (even trying to take into account variables).
So I believe that although we can’t prove it, there is either no or no meaningful difference in the amount of regen a achievable between pedal and paddle braking.
I am open to there perhaps being a small difference that a longer test with larger sample size might reveal. But for me it’s most likely not enough to really matter. So I say pedal or paddle to your heart’s content with a clean conscious since you don’t have to worry about it under normal braking.

The biggest improvement in regen and range will be made by steady driving and anticipating the upcoming stops so you aren’t having to do hard braking. The old saying about driving like there is an egg between your foot and the accelerator and brake is much more important than paddle vs pedal.

Bottom line, just drive it however you like and it will beat any gasmobile out there. It will however reward the less aggressive driver with extra range and economy without having to hyper mile.

 

@JJim helped me out by tweaking Honda's update to work on my old Android phone. It works great now.
https://insideevsforum.com/community/index.php?threads/hondalink-app-update.5144/page-6#post-56861

 

This thread is interesting and there are many excellent posts. However, in many cases assumptions are made, that in lieu of facts, make drawing reliable conclusions difficult.

This is what I have concluded: Parasitic battery reactions resulting from hight heat and faulty cooling can reduce battery life. However, the driving conditions under which these reactions are induced are unclear. Perhaps reducing or eliminating full or partial charging under very high temps, more restrained driving and/or using trickle charging under these circumstances would help. Or perhaps the car already has sufficient cooling and upper reserve to make this unnecessary- unless the temps reach very high extremes. Of course, a faulty cooling system is a sure bet for premature failure.

Full daily complete discharge cycles will probably shorten battery life over the car's lifetime- assuming the car would even allow 100% discharge. Perhaps 100% charging would also have a negative long term effect-again assuming the car even allows this.

I think reducing observed upper charge levels to no more than 80 or even 90 percent (given we don't know if the car prevents 100% charge anyway) is not optimal for maximizing fuel economy and reducing CO2 emissions. Being cognizant of the potential for adverse heat related issues may be helpful. Avoiding full (or almost full) discharge should be beneficial for longer battery life. And above all insuring the cooling system is working as intended- are all helpful.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

Isn't this thread in the wrong direction?
Don't we want to abuse our batteries so they become eligible for replacement before the warranty is up, then the SECOND battery we treat with kid gloves?
What do our learned experts think is the best strategy to do this?
(This is about half in jest, maybe it is the best thing to do maybe not.)

 

More like after 10 years, extra warranty for CA, Zev states, WA, etc!


Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Inside EVs mobile app

 

This is the worst part about the car aside from the infotainment system. It wouldn’t be so bad if you could customize the max charge level easily but for now we’re stuck with guessing the time it takes to get to the charge you want.

 

Agreed. Even with determination, it would be hard to wear out the battery that fast. If you lived in AZ or AK it might work otherwise just enjoy the car.

 

Thanks for the info on balancing! Now if they would only let us pick a percentage instead of the whole math, timer, app process.

 

I've said the same thing on other forums. One big promoter of not using the battery as much as possible lost his car due to a wreck (he was OK). Oh the irony.

Or look at it this way: not using the battery now vs. losing range/capacity early is the same thing: more gas consumption. I'd rather use as much battery while under warranty as possible. Why risk pampering/not using it under warranty yet still have the possibility of it crapping out or major loss of capacity afterwards? It WILL happen; chemistry/physics and all that.

Finally, back in the old days..... I would keep cars for 10 years minimum but back then advancements were slow and tech didn't change much. I don't recall anyone saying they were trading in early because fuel injection was introduced. LOL In fact, most folks were afraid of that new tech. Anyway, my point is I can't wait to see what it around the next bend or two with future tech in BEV's so I know I won't be keeping the Clarity for 10-15-20 years. My next car or the one after that which will probably be my last will be full self-driving or as close to Level 5 as I can comfortable afford or we won't own cars by then. FWIW & YMMV

 

I guess it’s just a personal belief that the best way to conserve is to make things last. The whole cash for clunkers thing a few years ago made me nauseous. It’s hard to argue with the fact that newer better things will be around in 5-10 years.

 

Recycle. Most of the "bad" Prius batteries are dismantled and the good modules go into refurb batteries or to individuals who do the own repairs like I did.

Nissan is using old LEAF batteries for power supply packs hooked to the grid as buffers or for off-grid uses, solar, etc.

 

IMO Recycling still isn’t a s efficient as getting the most out of the first use of a product. Either way I’m probably over thinking it and I should just drive the thing like a rental car. That’s how I’ve treated my Prius and it’s been good to me for the last 6 years.

 

Thanks for the tip about neutral. My ice turns on within the first 5 miles about half the time unless I’m in max “driving miss daisy” mode. Even on relatively flat ground.
I’ve tried avoiding paddles, which helps a little but not much.

 

Is the battery cooling system really tied into the ice heater core? I thought only the Canadian clarity had a batt heater. If this is true I would use hv mode much sooner in winter conditions as most days I’m driving 80 or more miles