Understanding Regenerative Braking on a CR-V Hybrid 

Glad I could help! I plan to make content with the hybrid Civic when they drop soon!

I bought a Civic two weeks ago. You will quickly adapt to the paddles, they are very intuitive to use.

I have this model ( only 2 weeks so far) but can answer question 1. It will still remain in gas mode until the battery reaches optimum output level. That being said, In regen mode expect that to be a quick gas to ev transition.

They do not.

Brakes lights do not activate, the brake lights are wired to activate when the brake pedal is depressed, is there’s a switch behind the pedal. while the car is slowing down, you could think of it kind of like shifting down gears in a manual car, the car is still slowing, but it’s at a constant rate. When you press the brakes, the rate is not constant, I could really lightly brake, and all of the sudden slam on them, so the lights are for the brakes as the rate is not constant, thus unpredictable. This as apposed to the constant, more predictable deceleration found in regen braking, however I do see where you are coming from.

No, just like in down-shifting a manual car, the brakes do not light.

My understanding, from the Accord side, was that (A) "B" mode adds two levels to the paddle selection; so two arrows in "B" is the same as four in "D". And that the equivalent of fice or six arrows (so only in "B") lights the lights. But I don't drive the CR-V. Can you test it by seeing a reflection of the center light in the back window at night?

SOME do though

So is there a benefit to using the regenerative braking?

Absolutely! It will make your brake pads and rotors last much longer and it recharges the drive battery. Under normal driving conditions, regen braking is the primary means of stopping the vehicle. Only when the vehicle is traveling too slow (around 5mph and below) or in a panic stop when you mash the brake pedal hard and fast does the hydraulic brake system take over. Using the levers on the steering wheel applies regen braking but does not turn on the brake lights on the rear of the vehicle.

@@mikebieberle5262 That is so interesting. Great response, thank-you! I wonder if it's somehow degrading the life expectancy of the battery though, saving the brakes to make the battery work harder would probably be a trade off I'd want to avoid. What do you think? Also the video states you need to be in B to take advantage of the regen, I found this is not true and it works in normal drive mode as well.

The motor and battery work together to regulate the power absolutely! for the sake of this explanation of regenerative braking, I decided to mostly focus on that feature and its relationship with powering the battery. There is much more to hybrids than just regenerative braking, and every hybrid vehicle has a different way of supplying power. We may decide to do a more in depth video analysis of exactly how the CRV Hybrids work.

To understand this, it helps to know that the engine is most efficient between about 28 and 50 HP. If the car needs less than 28 HP in Hybrid Drive, the engine runs in that range and charges the battery with the excess. If it needs more than 50 HP, it adds what power it can from the battery. Watch the power flow monitor (carefully!) while you drive, and you will see this happening.

Both used regen. "B" mode just uses more, and won't reset the level you select when you start up again. It essentially mimics a low level of one-pedal driving.

I had the exact same question

@@jeffjo8732 Thank you

estoy a su orden:)

Leave it D, it works very well.

Do not tailgate. Problem solved.

That’s true.

It does in most models.

I've driven one for 6 years now. I use the paddles extensively, and they don't turn the brake lights on. Nobody's crashed into me yet. Or come close, except when I do use the brake pedal and the lights do come on.

In all normal non-hybrid, non-ev cars for the past 100+ years if you take your foot off the gas the car decelerates and the brake lights do not illuminate. This is no different.

Don’t blame Honda, blame the dealership. Also you should ask more about your purchase before putting it on them. It’s a 40 grand car, why didn’t you research?

Sales people are just order takers. Thats it. They generally dont know shit about the cars.

@@Mrtellitlikeitis considering we spend hours learning about them before hitting the floor imma have to disagree with ya there

Great question! a large majority of regenerative braking is done with the electric motor, the brakes are used more to refine the regenerative process!

@@CCHJacob so the process utilises both the motor itself and the brakes?

@@gavinmatten4524 the brakes are used along with the electric motor to optimize regeneration, correct!

No, the brakes are not used unless you step on the pedal and even then they contribute nothing towards regen. The drive motor converts to a generator and the force required to generate the power for the battery slows the vehicle. It is trading the kinetic energy (speed) for electricity. Also you do not get 100% back there is still heat created which is lost energy. Stepping on the brake pedal however is 100% loss of energy.

Well, on a Toyota, "B" mode is for long slopes. A Honda does that automatically. It's called "Hill Descent Control System" in your owner's manual. For regen to work, electricity has to be sent somewhere. If the battery becomes full, it can't be sent to the battery. Much like (in Thermodynamics, it is "just like") when the chain on a bike brakes, the regen brakes can no longer "push pack" at gravity. So the system will use the electricity to make the generator spin the engine, just like engine braking, and your braking is unaffected. But is is surprising when the engine suddenly seems to come on while coasting downhill. Your "B" mode does two things. The rate of deceleration when you lift your foot off of the accelerator increases; I think the equivalent of two paddle clicks, but I'm not sure. So two "v" symbols become the equivalent of four. Then, the "M" will appear, meaning that the "v" level won't reset when you start moving again. The net result is that you get more realistic "one pedal driving."

whoa sleepy kitty!

Yes please explain how to use this. Same car here and not sure how that works

I suggest going to the users manual book for more clarification but in the hybrid model not sure about others you can switch from D -> B mode with out pressing the button on the gear shifter but have to press the button to go back From B -> D same for R->N->D no button is need to be pressed but back up in reverse D->N->R->P not sure which page it was on the manual but the diagram perfectly showcases which gears you can transition into without pressing your shifter button hope this helps!!