So, the other day I was driving down Porlock Hill in Somerset which is rather steep (20%). As you approach the hill there are some warning signs, one said Try your brakes, fine I can do that. The other said Keep in low gear. However, I was driving down in my EV and realised I really didn’t know what this means when driving an EV.
The Highway Code isn’t much help, rule 160 says:
select a lower gear before you reach a long downhill slope. This will help to control your speed
The key with travelling in a lower gear, is that engine braking will help slow the car and control the speed.
I know that, but an EV doesn’t have a clutch or a gearbox as a petrol engine car has. I guessed that the regenerative braking (which I have always in strong mode) would do what engine braking did. I do wonder though what would happen if you were at 100% or close to it without regenerative braking, I am guessing then the brakes would have to do all the work, more than they would usually do.
In the end the regenerative braking worked wonders, but even so….