Driving in "B"

I just thought I'd mention that if you like higher regeneration when you take your foot off the "gas" pedal, then you might try just leaving the shifter in "B". This is what I've decided I like best. I started out shifting between the positions a lot. Later tried just leaving it in "B" and found this works best for me 95% of the time, and I don't need to shift.

In "D" the car doesn't regen as much as I'd like without depressing the brake pedal. In "Eco", I don't like the feel of the low response to the gas pedal. I can keep myself from pushing the car hard without this "help" from the gas pedal.

In "B" the car seem to respond to the gas pedal input about the same as it does in "D". But when you take your foot off the gas pedal, you get a lot of regen. Note though, that even though in "B" the car will slow as if you were braking lightly in a normal car, the brake lights do NOT come on (I had a friend check this). It might pay to watch out for drivers behind you when using "B".

The ability to progressively increase regeneration by hand (and not trying to modulate the brake pedal) is one of the main reasons that I am purchasing the iMiEV instead of a Leaf. Having "B" was the final deciding factor in choosing the iMiEV over the Leaf.

For those used to hypermiling, the ability to shift from N to D to ECO to B offers a wonderful ability to maximize the range of the vehicle. Don't forget, it's best to let the vehicle coast and conserve momentum in order to maximize range. Regen is only used if one needs to slow down - it's certainly better than using the brakes and does put some energy back into the batteries, but it still is less desirable than simply coasting and drawing/producing zero power.

Regarding brake light actuation, dropping the car down into "B" is no different than downshifting with a stick shift. Any prudent driver keeps an eye out for following traffic - I always have the option of simply gently touching the brake pedal instead of putting it into "B" if there is traffic close behind.

After looking at a number of foreign early iMiEV reviews/videos, it seems to me that Mitsubishi has (sadly) already reduced the amount of regen "B" provides. As I mentioned in another post, I would love to have a steering wheel paddle or a separate joystick to give me full manual control over regeneration. Living in a hilly area means that regeneration has much more significance for me than if I lived on the flats.