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I (unfortunately) have found the solution for the pesky regen problem.... This is the one situation where the regenerative braking gets in the way a little.
Finally, a plausible explanation for why the footwell is so exceptionally narrow in the Tesla Roadster: it makes the brake pedal closer to reach from either foot.I've had only manual cars since the Roadster. Don't know what to do with the spare leg now. :biggrin:
For now the few meters I drove the car I used it to brake. But for doing this all the time the left pedal maybe is too near to the right, it would get uncomfortable I think.
I'm sure it's a legacy Lotus thing - they had to squeeze 3 pedals in there for the Elise and when Tesla deleted one they just left the spacing of the other two to save costs.Finally, a plausible explanation for why the footwell is so exceptionally narrow in the Tesla Roadster: it makes the brake pedal closer to reach from either foot.
I was just joking ... more about how narrow the cockpit is rather than where the pedals are.I'm sure it's a legacy Lotus thing - they had to squeeze 3 pedals in there for the Elise and when Tesla deleted one they just left the spacing of the other two to save costs.
I hope you're joking, here, too. Heel and Toe is only useful for shifting, and the Tesla Roadster has no gearing. There would be no advantage to avoiding regen to favor the heat-exchanger brake except perhaps for the 4-wheel nature of the disc brakes. That said, I still thought that I might catch myself heel-and-toeing out of habit...Perhaps we need to develop "heel-and-toe'ing" for the 21st century? Where you both brake and hold the accelerator at neutral (no regen).
I was half-joking. I know very little about hustling cars around a racetrack but I have done it a fair bit on a motorcycle. I can tell you that too much engine (rear wheel) braking can upset the balance of the bike entering a corner. So perhaps w/ the rear wheels regen'ing it could cause the back end to wag or step out - may be beneficial to be able to hold the accelerator at neutral throttle? I believe you were alluding to this w/ the 4-wheel disk brake comment?I hope you're joking, here, too. Heel and Toe is only useful for shifting, and the Tesla Roadster has no gearing. There would be no advantage to avoiding regen to favor the heat-exchanger brake except perhaps for the 4-wheel nature of the disc brakes. That said, I still thought that I might catch myself heel-and-toeing out of habit...
There is TC which shuts off regen immediately when rear wheels start to loose grip.... perhaps w/ the rear wheels regen'ing it could cause the back end to wag or step out - may be beneficial to be able to hold the accelerator at neutral throttle?
There is TC which shuts off regen immediately when rear wheels start to loose grip.
IIRC regen is disabled every time you brake and turn hard to improve stability.
I have very little experience, so I'll just ask: Would it be possible to use the Tesla regen braking only during the straight-line deceleration, then quickly increase to neutral throttle for the turn?The regen is actually a minor problem on the race track. The brake prior to turning moves the weight onto the front wheels. Then you want to hold the throttle neutral while you turn. You have to move off the brake and onto the throttle very quickly yet very gently. It's okay once you're used to it, but even a very experienced race car driver took a few laps to get the hang of it.
I have very little experience, so I'll just ask: Would it be possible to use the Tesla regen braking only during the straight-line deceleration, then quickly increase to neutral throttle for the turn?
In other words, I guess my question has two parts: 1) Is the regen enough to slow the Roadster sufficiently before a turn, or are the disc brakes absolutely necessary? (I guess the answer depends upon the turn and the amount of speed reduction needed). 2) Which is more difficult: The transition from friction brake pedal to accelerator, or the Tesla-specific regen-to-neutral-acceleration?
I find that I almost have to stare at the Roadster 2.5 kW gauge to see when I'm precisely neutral. I don't know if there is any effective difference, but I often naturally stop with still a slight amount of kW power to the wheels rather than precisely 0. I certainly get the results that I need from the car's movement, but I'm not sure that I'm literally reaching the zero-energy position for the throttle unless I look down and adjust using the visual feedback.
Yes, and I remember the instructions that you're not supposed to stare at an obstacle because that makes you more likely to steer directly into it. Instead, focus on the clear path and you're more likely to make it through. Wouldn't want to be staring at the kW gauge because there's no telling what you'd crash into.Of course if you're on a racetrack you're not looking at the power meter; you're using all of your concentration driving the car. You have to keep your eyes well ahead on the course to plan your optimal path through the curves. You're watching out for traffic (if applicable). You're keeping an eye out for flags from the marshals, road surface conditions, possible hazards, etc., etc.