Hello all, I am quite good now at driving on the paddles, main use is town driving. I have used my car on a few motorway drives, so my question is “ is there a specific way of driving on motorways”. I am talking about paddle use. Ok some of you might be thinking ” is this guy for real “ haha. I think it’s a valid question, or is it better to use cruise.. I’m sure & hope that I get a lot of replies to this. I think the answers will be varied so sock it to me!
Motorway Driving
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Hello Paul. I haven't done much motorway driving but my technique is to use minimum regen unless the road is descending, in which case I use D or regen1. I could be deluded but my feeling is that 'freewheeling' is the most efficient way of travelling at speed. (And I'm impressed by how comfortable and quiet the car is at 70 ish 
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Paul, use it as you want to. If you want to whip along at speed feel free but watch you range drop. Good for the occasional short motorway hop if you don't mind paying the price. To extend range I am now a slow Joe. Two arrows up on paddle, trying not to go above 2 bars energy use, freewheel wherever possible but especially on slight declines a bit more regen on bigger declines but not enough to slow the car. To me momentum is key, others may disagree. I sit in the inside lane doddling along at 50ish to 60 max only popping out to overtake the occasional hgv or caravan etc. As Parker77 states a bit of D or regen 1 doesn't hurt as long as it does not drag your speed down. The biggest thing to do is change your mindset....this car makes you think more about energy conservation and your driving habits and a lots less about zooming along...chill pill comes to mind. The occasional friendly 2 finger wave from the vehicle that was behind as it overtakes shows just how much other drivers appreciate your green credentials never mind your driving style. Cheers me up no end
Alan
Alan
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If driving on motorway or dual carriage way type road I would always use cruise control as it is the most efficient way to drive on those roads. I have seen a video on efficient driving in an EV and the use of cruise control where possible was advocated as it can most efficiently control the car compared to your right foot.
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Agree re cruise control with one caveat. It is more efficient on flat roads but not so on hilly roads according to research. The reason being, according to research, is that it holds acceleration longer over crests. Probably more efficient overall so agree.
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Alan
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Alan
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I hardly ever use motorways - mostly in-town or quiet A-roads. I usually have full regen mode applied always (I wish it was possible to startup in full regen) and try to avoid the conventional brakes. This requires a sensible distance to the vehicle in-front but I generally did that anyway in the old Mazda 3. The gentle whirr, as the regen kicks in, is very satisfying.
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Alan,Paul, use it as you want to. If you want to whip along at speed feel free but watch you range drop. Good for the occasional short motorway hop if you don't mind paying the price. To extend range I am now a slow Joe. Two arrows up on paddle, trying not to go above 2 bars energy use, freewheel wherever possible but especially on slight declines a bit more regen on bigger declines but not enough to slow the car. To me momentum is key, others may disagree. I sit in the inside lane doddling along at 50ish to 60 max only popping out to overtake the occasional hgv or caravan etc. As Parker77 states a bit of D or regen 1 doesn't hurt as long as it does not drag your speed down. The biggest thing to do is change your mindset....this car makes you think more about energy conservation and your driving habits and a lots less about zooming along...chill pill comes to mind. The occasional friendly 2 finger wave from the vehicle that was behind as it overtakes shows just how much other drivers appreciate your green credentials never mind your driving style. Cheers me up no end
Alan
Nice to hear your style of driving is now slowJoe, taking a leaf out of the old and doddery school of driving I see, 😉.
Mike
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Mkii.px are you saying you have full regen on even when pulling away and cruising on flat roads etc?
Alan
Alan
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Not saying you shouldn't just a different take on all I have read, learned, gleamed etc. This tortoises logic screams min regen to get momentum then regen accordingly depending on terrain etc. to maintain that momentum and get maximum range. Freewheel where possible. Momentum is key according to the so called experts. If it works for you and gets you the range who am I to disagree, as a matter of fact I will try it tomorrow on route to the golf club and back🏌
The Hare🐰
p s why did Mazda give us 5 regen options if only 1 gives max efficiency and range...just saying🤔...food for thought on my drive tomorrow.
PPS...just been told (as I expected) my brake light was on constantly at full regen with my foot off the accelerator whilst driving. Makes sense as you are effectively braking. First thoughts it does stop the initial and subsequent surge of energy going higher but you loose momentum on flat roads so have to compensate with acceleration to maintain speed. Definitely does not help uphill as more acceleration is required. Hence the paddle options to attempt to give us the best of both worlds. Local driving on level roads maybe better on full regen, brake lights apart, but for my up and down journeys paddle usage gives me optimum range..
The Hare🐰
p s why did Mazda give us 5 regen options if only 1 gives max efficiency and range...just saying🤔...food for thought on my drive tomorrow.
PPS...just been told (as I expected) my brake light was on constantly at full regen with my foot off the accelerator whilst driving. Makes sense as you are effectively braking. First thoughts it does stop the initial and subsequent surge of energy going higher but you loose momentum on flat roads so have to compensate with acceleration to maintain speed. Definitely does not help uphill as more acceleration is required. Hence the paddle options to attempt to give us the best of both worlds. Local driving on level roads maybe better on full regen, brake lights apart, but for my up and down journeys paddle usage gives me optimum range..
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because they could? who knows the logic of the Mazda engineer? (why not two or three levels?).
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I'm all for The Briggie Driving Method re the regen paddles. I wouldn't impede efficiency by applying the brakes when travelling on the flat or uphill, and regen is effectively a form of 'engine braking', so you are using more throttle to overcome it when on the flat or going uphill. Seems logical to me, but perhaps the figures will prove us wrong 🤷♂️ .
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How do you have regen mode on ? Sorry I'm new to this whole EV thing. Just picked up an MX30 last week
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Paddles left and right just behind steering wheel. Car starts with d indicated in centre of dash. Left to make the arrows go down to increase regen. Right to make arrows go up to minimise regen.
Use regen to stop car, slow down, downhill etc. to put charge back in the batteries. Min regen uphill etc. Watch the energy dial on left of dash. Minimum bars energy being used is good, going into the blue is recharge, also good.
The debate is about what regen setting to use to maximise range, minimise energy use.
Alan
Use regen to stop car, slow down, downhill etc. to put charge back in the batteries. Min regen uphill etc. Watch the energy dial on left of dash. Minimum bars energy being used is good, going into the blue is recharge, also good.
The debate is about what regen setting to use to maximise range, minimise energy use.
Alan
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Thanks I'll check it out first thing in the morning
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Any luck getting used to the regen system @demick514?
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Actually yeah . I'm not a fan having it ingaged when driving on the highway . I'm assuming most people don't use it on the highway . But getting off at exits and just driving on streets I already got used to using the left paddle to slow down. Then going back to normal drive 👌🤙
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Mkii.px, voyage of discovery with regen settings. I drove the same route I normally do yesterday with full regen on. Conclusions..yes it help keep the power surge down at initial launch and subsequent launches at lights, junctions etc.Helpful in a more stop start scenarion but I still feel minimum to get going then full regen would suit me better. For city driving it was OK but I missed the freewheeling regen and lost momentum at times. Overall city driving gave me a slight increase in the regen dial being in the blue but not much more additional range, but it was an increase, so tick in that box
Today I did a mixed route, City, City bypass, A1, village. Again mixed bag but I did feel that the mixed use of the paddle was more effective on this type of drive. Minimum gave more initial momentum to get up to reasonable speed. Sitting at D or one arrow regen on certain parts gave a mix of enough momentum and recharge. A touch of arrow up gave a boost on inclines. Once momentum was steady on flat sections a small light touch of power with full regen kept the dial at zero or slightly into blue with, at times, a slight creep into the power band. Freewheeling occasionally did generate as much as arrow down achieved at times. So for this type of journey again a mixed bag but a tick in the box for mixed use, but again not that much in it.
So it's horses for courses as they say. Drive using whatever setting works for you with no right or wrong just a case of what you feel comfortable with and enjoy🙂🚗
So the question now rattling about the empty space within my cranium is, will more use of full regen have a long term effect on the drive system or not🤔
Alan
Today I did a mixed route, City, City bypass, A1, village. Again mixed bag but I did feel that the mixed use of the paddle was more effective on this type of drive. Minimum gave more initial momentum to get up to reasonable speed. Sitting at D or one arrow regen on certain parts gave a mix of enough momentum and recharge. A touch of arrow up gave a boost on inclines. Once momentum was steady on flat sections a small light touch of power with full regen kept the dial at zero or slightly into blue with, at times, a slight creep into the power band. Freewheeling occasionally did generate as much as arrow down achieved at times. So for this type of journey again a mixed bag but a tick in the box for mixed use, but again not that much in it.
So it's horses for courses as they say. Drive using whatever setting works for you with no right or wrong just a case of what you feel comfortable with and enjoy🙂🚗
So the question now rattling about the empty space within my cranium is, will more use of full regen have a long term effect on the drive system or not🤔
Alan
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