downhill without downshifting?

[mark R]

My cars/trucks since 1998 have all had something like tiptronic, where I could downshift even though I had an automatic transmission. I used it very frequently going over passes (I live in Oregon) to maintain the right speed. Now I have a Lightning with a continuous transmission and Ford does not seem to have provided any options. I am told that Tesla and Toyota e-vehicles allow the driver to turn on the regenerating component of the brakes so there is drag, like a downshift, even without applying the brakes. Why didn't Ford do this? Cruise control does not do the trick and when I use the one-pedal mode, I am either braking (too much for a long grade) or using power (when I apply the gas). This may be my biggest disappointment so far with my Lightning.

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[Silenze]

It is a 1 speed transmission. Not variable. Turn on 1 pedal drive or sport mode if you want more aggressive regen

 

[Lytning]

My cars/trucks since 1998 have all had something like tiptronic, where I could downshift even though I had an automatic transmission. I used it very frequently going over passes (I live in Oregon) to maintain the right speed. Now I have a Lightning with a continuous transmission and Ford does not seem to have provided any options. I am told that Tesla and Toyota e-vehicles allow the driver to turn on the regenerating component of the brakes so there is drag, like a downshift, even without applying the brakes. Why didn't Ford do this? Cruise control does not do the trick and when I use the one-pedal mode, I am either braking (too much for a long grade) or using power (when I apply the gas). This may be my biggest disappointment so far with my Lightning.

I get the desired effect by "feathering" the accelerator pedal in one-pedal mode. It is, in effect, an accelerator / decelerator control pedal. As you know, if you take your foot completely off the accelerator, you may hit your head on the windshield ... and/or get rear-ended by the vehicle behind you. I have been driving my Lightning for a little over 2 years, and control of braking in one-pedal mode has become second nature. Also, when using the brake pedal to disengage the cruise control, you have to quickly depress the accelerator a bit to prevent head-bumping and rear-ending.

 

[potato]

Cruise control does not do the trick and when I use the one-pedal mode, I am either braking (too much for a long grade) or using power (when I apply the gas). This may be my biggest disappointment so far with my Lightning.

I believe when you are "braking" with either one pedal or regular, you're still using regen as much as possible. If the hill is too steep then it will start to use the friction brakes but it does already use regen as much as possible in all situations.

Why doesn't cruise control work for you? What does it do?

 

[mark R]

1. Cruise control does not keep me from speeding up. I set it to 60, and downhill it creeps up well above 60.

2. If I have my foot on the accelerator, I am using juice--right? So with one-pedal model, I can slow down or use juice by keeping my foot on the accelerator. I would prefer having the truck regenerate and take advantage of the long grade. My hybrid does that: by time I get to the bottom of the grade, it has put 4-5 miles back on the battery. I see a suggestion about feathering, which I suppose is a light touch.

 

[potato]

I wonder if there's something wrong with your truck. Are you towing a heavy trailer going down a steep hill? It should be able to hold the set speed using regen, which is the only equivalent of "engine braking" that is available.

Anyway if you step on the brake pedal (or lift the accelerator in 1PD), it will use the "engine braking" as much as possible before engaging the friction brakes. Regardless of whatever transmission they put in, that's the only way to dissipate/absorb the extra energy.

 

[Maquis]

.

2. If I have my foot on the accelerator, I am using juice--right?

Not in 1PD. If you feel braking, it is regen. The power gauge shows power in or out.

 

[RickLightning]

1. Cruise control does not keep me from speeding up. I set it to 60, and downhill it creeps up well above 60.

2. If I have my foot on the accelerator, I am using juice--right? So with one-pedal model, I can slow down or use juice by keeping my foot on the accelerator. I would prefer having the truck regenerate and take advantage of the long grade. My hybrid does that: by time I get to the bottom of the grade, it has put 4-5 miles back on the battery. I see a suggestion about feathering, which I suppose is a light touch.

1) That's funny - it does for me.

2) The truck regenerates, IN ALL MODES, when you let up on the accelerator, and when you press on the brake pedal. On a hill, use Sport Mode, and it will brake pretty aggressively with regen.

 

[Runaway Tractor]

I think you're very confused about how your truck works and have created a non existent problem in your head. 1 pedal drive does what you're wanting it to do. Just because your foot is on the pedal doesn't mean it's applying power. This is very obvious in the seat of your pants, and is illustrated on the instrument cluster. It operates no different than Tesla.

I have never seen the cruise control exceed the set speed going down hill. Are you hauling a heavy trailer?

 

[Tony Burgh]

Cruise will slow you. Ask all the people who didn’t anticipate the 55mph work zone with BC set at 75mph. Severe braking.

 

[Mach Turtle]

I wonder how much the truck is creeping above the desired speed when going downhill? If I set a cruise to 60, I expect it may sometimes allow the truck to go 62 or 63 on a fairly steep hill. If you're asking for 60 and getting a sustained 65-70 (and not on a ski slope), maybe something needs to be checked.

In any case, as you're charging down that hill, you're charging down that hill; if it's a long and moderately steep hill, you can watch your battery state of charge and Guess-o-Meter mileage increasing, which is pretty cool.

 

[Maquis]

When I crest a hill that has a fairly steep downhill on the other side, I’ll see 2-3 MPH overshoot, but it pulls back very quickly.

 

[hturnerfamily]

info...

: even when in CRUISE Control, it CAN'T defeat gravity.
REGEN is all that it is using, in all underlying modes, when cruise control is active.
It is NOT using the friction/physical brakes, even if you have 1pd active. 1pd is only active when NOT in cruise control, and you let off the GO pedal.

: SPORT or TOW mode probably offers the best REGEN for downhill grades, but neither will absolutely keep you at any specific speed, even without Cruise Control active. 1pd mode added to either of these will give you probably MORE Regen and Physical Brakes than you wish, as it is DESIGNED to start applying the brakes to BRING YOU TO A COMPLETE STOP.

My wife's new Kia EV9, AND my two youngest son's Chevy BOLTS, all have steering wheel REGEN Paddles, and they are terrific, and for just this scenario you are concerned about. I love them, and would have liked to see Ford deploy something similar on our trucks.

there is also no 'transmission'... it is only two motors.
there is no shifting. that is a term used with transmissions, whether manual, automatic, or continually variable type.

depending on the weight of the vehicle, traveling down steep long grades, REGEN may or may not keep the vehicle at a set desired speed. with most all other EVs, REGEN may well be enough, but they are so much lighter than this truck. Gravity is your friend. Sometimes it may seem like your enemy.

 

[Firn]

info...

: even when in CRUISE Control, it CAN'T defeat gravity.
REGEN is all that it is using, in all underlying modes, when cruise control is active.
It is NOT using the friction/physical brakes, even if you have 1pd active. 1pd is only active when NOT in cruise control, and you let off the GO pedal.

: SPORT or TOW mode probably offers the best REGEN for downhill grades, but neither will absolutely keep you at any specific speed, even without Cruise Control active. 1pd mode added to either of these will give you probably MORE Regen and Physical Brakes than you wish, as it is DESIGNED to start applying the brakes to BRING YOU TO A COMPLETE STOP.

My wife's new Kia EV9, AND my two youngest son's Chevy BOLTS, all have steering wheel REGEN Paddles, and they are terrific, and for just this scenario you are concerned about. I love them, and would have liked to see Ford deploy something similar on our trucks.

If you use 1 pedal or the brake pedal it is using regen. It is only if you VERY firmly apply the brake pedal will the friction brakes come into play.

Regen on my truck is quite powerful. I can slow the truck very aggressively and still not engage the friction brakes.

The Kia regen is literally the same as our brake pedal, just in set amounts.

 

[Firn]

My cars/trucks since 1998 have all had something like tiptronic, where I could downshift even though I had an automatic transmission. I used it very frequently going over passes (I live in Oregon) to maintain the right speed. Now I have a Lightning with a continuous transmission and Ford does not seem to have provided any options. I am told that Tesla and Toyota e-vehicles allow the driver to turn on the regenerating component of the brakes so there is drag, like a downshift, even without applying the brakes. Why didn't Ford do this? Cruise control does not do the trick and when I use the one-pedal mode, I am either braking (too much for a long grade) or using power (when I apply the gas). This may be my biggest disappointment so far with my Lightning.

Just to be clear, using the brake pedal IS using regen. It is not using the mechanical brakes, not until you apply them firmly.

The lightning sucks as much power out as it can before switching to mechanical brakes.

Watch your gauge cluster, bottom left Cresent of the left most display. This is power being delivered to the motors, or when slowing, power going back into the battery. If this is maxed on regen it is physically impossible to use the motors to slow down any more.

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