Model Y review from an mechanical and software engineer's standpoint.

[Quickst]

the placement of the stalks on what I consider is the wrong side for our market

All the Euro brand vehicles have indicators on the left. All our ICE vehicles have indicators on left. So it is easy for us

ports steering

Elon should send a software update to include progressive steering

Accidently tried it.

I have also tried to put the vehicle into reverse while driving. Does not work.

 

[Quickst]

I've never understood the fascination with "coasting" when you lift off the accelerator

Thats a Euro thing
I have coasting function on my VW ICE. It is great to coast to a stop especially when it is coasting UP an incline.

It also makes sense from a physics point of view. No point turning kinetic energy into potential energy (battery regen) then back into kinetic energy because there are always losses changing energy from one form to another. Technically coasting is more energy efficient because of this but only in an ICE because the transmission can be disconnected. In an EV its more difficult

 

[[Zombie]]

It is great to coast to a stop especially

I'm not talking about coasting to a stop. I'm talking about the fascination people seem to have to accelerate to a speed and then let go of the accelerator, thinking they are going to "coast" at the same speed for a while.

But the end result is that they'll get to eg 100, then gradually slow down to 90 or 80, then accelerate back to 100 over and over.

And then they complain they can't do that in a Tesla.

I always seem to get stuck behind these idiots, wondering why people can't just pick a speed and stick to it.

 

[Quickst]

accelerate to a speed and then let go of the accelerator, thinking they are going to "coast" at the same speed for a while.

I've never noticed that. Is that a highway thing?.

 

[Vostok]

You can coast in a Tesla - just need to keep the energy meter at zero.

 

[Quickst]

regen pretty quickly

Yes within a few minutes
And we can also swop between the ICE and Tesla without any issues

For regen, the harder the better in my book.

Correct and use the pedal to vary the Regen. I was skeptical prior to getting the MY but it's been easy any very intuitive

I'm not talking about coasting to a stop

Understand, but in vehicles with coasting function, that what it's mainly used for. Sometimes when there is an over speed condition, coasting can bring the vehicle back to a normal speed. Maybe this is what you were referring to earlier.

 

[bcarp]

I'm talking about the fascination people seem to have to accelerate to a speed and then let go of the accelerator, thinking they are going to "coast" at the same speed for a while

Pulse-glide hypermiling It works great! I can testify.

 

[RichardV]

I'm not talking about coasting to a stop. I'm talking about the fascination people seem to have to accelerate to a speed and then let go of the accelerator, thinking they are going to "coast" at the same speed for a while.

But the end result is that they'll get to eg 100, then gradually slow down to 90 or 80, then accelerate back to 100 over and over.

And then they complain they can't do that in a Tesla.

I always seem to get stuck behind these idiots, wondering why people can't just pick a speed and stick to it.

I think you are referring to what is called pulse and glide. It is used in ICE vehicles when hypermilling. It is also the most efficient way in an EV when applied with the right technique and can even be achieved with a Tesla by dropping into neutral. It is just not very convenient and unless you are trying to achieve some form of record low consumption the standard one pedal driving will give a more convenient and somewhat efficient result, though maybe not the absolute most efficient result.

 

[Quickst]

I think you are referring to what is called pulse and glide

Cars with coasting function - coasting while in gear are great for this. When accelerator is not depressed, the transmission disengages and when the accelerator is pressed the transmission engages. No need to put the transmission stalk into N.

If road ahead is downhill, start at the top at slow speed and allow car to coast and build up speed due to gravity. Slowing down to a stop or a turn ahead can be achieved using very little brake and coasting especially if road ahead is uphill. Pressing on the brake re-engages the transmission

 

[RichardV]

Cars with coasting function - coasting while in gear are great for this. When accelerator is not depressed, the transmission disengages and when the accelerator is pressed the transmission engages. No need to put the transmission stalk into N.

If road ahead is downhill, start at the top at slow speed and allow car to coast and build up speed due to gravity. Slowing down to a stop or a turn ahead can be achieved using very little brake and coasting especially if road ahead is uphill. Pressing on the brake re-engages the transmission

That is not how my ICE car used to work and continues to work for the new owner(*). To glide you would depress the clutch and keep it depressed or drop into neutral with the stick and then release the clutch.

I have only ever driven an automatic a handful of times but I was under the understanding that even there if you lift off the accelerator you are still in gear and engine braking would occur it is just less than a manual as it keeps it in a higher gear longer whereas a manual allows you the cycle down the gears to achieve a higher level of engine braking. And to get a true glide even in an automatic you also need to put it into neutral.

(*) Technically I have only ever owned an electric car. All the ICE cars I have driven regularly were my wifes cars.

 

[Quickst]

I have only ever driven an automatic a handful of times but I was under the understanding that even there if you lift off the accelerator you are still in gear and engine braking would occur it is just less than a manual as it keeps it in a higher gear longer

No.
this is what happens in the VW dual clutch automatic:
(assume the transmission lever/stick is in D and never changes)

The coasting function (when selected) involved taking foot off accelerator and not applying the brake. When that happens the transmission goes into N without ever shifting the transmission stick to N.
When the brake is applied, the transmission reengages D - again without ever shifting the transmission stick into D.

when coasting function is disabled taking foot off accelerator will have a little bit of engine braking because the transmission actually remains in D. The difference between this and actual coasting as described above is very noticeable. The former is able to roll much further..

Basically it's just like pushing fully on a clutch in a manual to disengage engine braking and letting the car roll/coast

 

[paulp]

Cars with coasting function - coasting while in gear are great for this. When accelerator is not depressed, the transmission disengages and when the accelerator is pressed the transmission engages. No need to put the transmission stalk into N.

If road ahead is downhill, start at the top at slow speed and allow car to coast and build up speed due to gravity. Slowing down to a stop or a turn ahead can be achieved using very little brake and coasting especially if road ahead is uphill. Pressing on the brake re-engages the transmission

That is not how any of my previous automatic ice cars worked. When in D (drive) or lower gears the transmission was always connected. In only disconnected if put into N (neutral). As for coasting downhill, if steep I would always pull back a gear for a downhill run rather than burn out my brakes. All quite antiquated though, a modern EV works it all out for you.

 

[TrevRex]

The car will not go into reverse above a certain speed which is quite low. Accidently tried it.

Ok, let's put this statement you made in another way.

"The car WILL go into reverse below a certain speed, which is quite low, while travelling in a forward direction or even stopped. Someone on this forum has courageously (IMO) admitted to accidently hitting the wrong stalk thinking it was the blinker and ended up travelling backwards and luckily had no one travelling close behind them that they backed into."

Doesn't make my original statement of: "when accidently hitting the wrong stalk instead of turning the wipers on like European cars you can engage cruise control or even put the Tesla in reverse." any less relevant IMO. I hope you agree with this.

 

[TrevRex]

All the Euro brand vehicles have indicators on the left.

Actually from memory Mercedes Benz cars used to have their indicators on the right also for our market.

So it is easy for us

Ok that's good for yourselves but speaking for myself only I drive other cars, utes, trucks that are not Euro or even Teslas etc regularly where it is NOT so easy IMO.

I have also tried to put the vehicle into reverse while driving. Does not work.

Please see my above reply to paulp for my take on this statement.

 

[Quickst]

where it is NOT so easy IMO

Exactly we can only offer our own personal opinion and it does not imply any differences are not valid

I also have a Landcruiser 200 with right hand indicators. we have not found it to be an issue.

my take

I wonder if the reverse is just a reverse polarity which causes negative forward motion. As I understand it there are no gears which turn in the opposite direction when R is selected. Negative forward motion is basically like a regen. So even if R is able to be selected all it would do is slow the vehicle down.

 

[Quickst]

That is not how any of my previous automatic ice cars worked. When in D (drive) or lower gears the transmission was always connected. In only disconnected if put into N (neutral). A

Correct, and that how auto transmissions generally work , but that transmission does not have a coasting function - which is an automated way of putting the transmission in neutral (coasting on) and back to drive (coasting off)

 

[paulp]

Correct, and that how auto transmissions generally work , but that transmission does not have a coasting function - which is an automated way of putting the transmission in neutral (coasting on) and back to drive (coasting off)

Interesting. I’ve never seen or used such a function. Only button I’ve ever seen is the overdrive button, but that wasnt neutral.

 

[Quickst]

Interesting. I’ve never seen or used such a function

In my VW its part of the Eco selection. Its quite amazing how far a car can coast with coasting mode - accelerator off, engine in idle.
When coasting downhill, i sometimes start from the top of the hill in a slower speed so that I don't have to brake too early to prevent overspeeding.

In the Benz its sometimes called EcoAsist or "Sailing" function..

Its basically a Euro fetish and they complain that EVs don't have that function.

 

[meloccom]

Exactly we can only offer our own personal opinion and it does not imply any differences are not valid

I also have a Landcruiser 200 with right hand indicators. we have not found it to be an issue.


I wonder if the reverse is just a reverse polarity which causes negative forward motion. As I understand it there are no gears which turn in the opposite direction when R is selected. Negative forward motion is basically like a regen. So even if R is able to be selected all it would do is slow the vehicle down.

That’s exactly how it works. I have to pull to one side on my driveway then shift into reverse to park my car in the garage, I have occasionally selected reverse before coming to a complete stop and the car has no problem with that at low speeds.

 

[TrevRex]

Exactly we can only offer our own personal opinion and it does not imply any differences are not valid

Of course.

I also have a Landcruiser 200 with right hand indicators.

Ok, but you stated previously:

All our ICE vehicles have indicators on left.

I guess you must have forgotten this Landcruiser 200 ICE vehicle or has it been modified to be powered by something other than a ICE when you stated this previously?

we have not found it to be an issue.

"Muscle memory" I have found plays a big part in this behaviour I think. Or IMO to overcome this "muscle memory" you have to regularly think to yourself as I try to do, something along the lines of "Remember it's on the other side."

I wonder if the reverse is just a reverse polarity which causes negative forward motion.

Geez, I have to admit I have never heard the term "negative forward motion" before. Did you make this term "negative forward motion" up?

Actually I won't finish the reply to your statement above and the rest of your full statement to me until I know the answer to this.