Driving has come a long way in the past decade, and one of the most intriguing innovations is ‘one pedal driving’.
At first, it might sound a little bewildering - how can you drive a car with just one pedal? But this feature is quickly becoming a game-changer for electric and hybrid vehicles.
Whether you’re actively exploring your next car or just curious about car technology, understanding one pedal driving is pretty important.
In this blog, we’ll explore one pedal driving in detail, how it works, and why it might make your driving experience smoother, more efficient, and enjoyable. We discuss:
One pedal driving is a feature that’s found in a lot of electric and hybrid vehicles. It allows you to control the car’s acceleration and deceleration using just the accelerator pedal. Yes, you read that right. You don’t have to touch the brake at all (in some cases).
Like usual, when you press down on the accelerator, the car increases speed. However, when you lift your foot off, the car will slow down automatically, and sometimes to a complete stop, thanks to regenerative braking.
Regenerative braking is a system that captures energy from deceleration, which is used to recharge the battery.
In cars with regenerative braking, the gear selector has a ‘B-mode’ setting, which allows you to control the strength of the braking. One pedal driving is the strongest setting, bringing the car to a stop as if you were braking yourself.
It not only improves energy efficiency but also reduces wear and tear on traditional brakes.
Benefits of one pedal driving:
- Convenience - It makes driving a lot easier, particularly in stop-and-start traffic.
- Efficiency - Thanks to regenerative braking, it enhances energy recovery and extends battery range, perfect if you’re on a long journey.
- Reduced wear - As one pedal driving brings the car to a gradual halt, it reduces reliance on traditional brake pads. This helps keep car maintenance costs down.
Once you’ve understood what one pedal driving is, it’s natural that your next query will be about how useful it actually is.
You’ll be happy to know that one pedal driving's main aim is to significantly improve efficiency. Here’s how:
- Regenerative braking - By converting kinetic energy into electricity, regenerative braking feeds energy back into the battery, potentially increasing the range and making the car somewhat self-sufficient. In stop-start traffic, such as in a city, this can lead to a noticeable increase in range.
- Reduced brake wear and tear - Normal brakes rely on friction to stop the car, which can be wasteful. With one pedal driving, you’ll use mechanical brakes much less and thus boost the efficiency of the engine.
If you live in an urban area, you’ll get the most out of one pedal driving as you’ll simply be stopping more. For those who live in an urban area or travel long distances, its benefits will be less noticeable as you’ll be maintaining a steady speed.
While the basics of one pedal driving remain consistent across vehicles, the experience and intricacies can vary depending on the car manufacturer and model. Here are a few things to consider:
- Level of regenerative braking - Regenerative braking isn’t a universal system from car to car. Some manufacturers allow you to adjust the intensity, giving you more control over how aggressively the car slows down when you lift off the pedal. Others have a fixed setting.
- Stopping power - In some cars, lifting off the accelerator brings the car to a complete stop, while others might slow down gradually but still require you to use the brake pedal to stop.
- Pedal feel - The responsiveness of the accelerator can differ, with some cars feeling smoother than others.
- Customisation options - More advanced systems, such as the one found in Teslas, include advanced customisation settings enabling you to fine-tune the regenerative braking to your liking.
In short, no. One pedal driving isn’t exclusive to electric cars. It’s also available in some plug-in hybrid vehicles. This is because plug-in hybrids share key technologies with electric vehicles, such as regenerative braking and the ability to drive in pure-electric mode.
That said, one pedal driving is less common in plug-in hybrids than in fully electric cars. When available, it’s usually limited to the car's pure-electric driving mode, meaning it won’t be active when the combustion engine is running.
For regular hybrid cars, one pedal driving isn’t an option (yet). This is because the combustion engine is the car’s primary source of power, and electric-only mode is limited to short distances and very low speeds.
Looking for more information on electric and hybrid leasing? Check out our video below:
Although one pedal driving and regenerative braking sounds pretty complicated, it’s a relatively simple system that’s been used in the automotive sector since before the millennium.
This means it's pretty reliable, and you can rest assured that it will contribute to your driving experience throughout your lease deal.
It also relieves a lot of pressure on your brake discs and pads, saving you money on car maintenance in the long run.
Yes, one pedal driving is very good for the environment. The most obvious benefit is that it’s available in electric and hybrid cars, both of which are better than petrol and diesel cars.
They also contribute to environmental sustainability in numerous ways:
- Regenerative braking - By capturing the energy and reusing it through braking, this boosts the range of our cars and means we charge less, decreasing demand on the national grid.
- Reduced wear and tear - Traditional brakes wear down brake ads and discs. One pedal driving decreases this, increasing the lifespan of brake components and reducing waste.
One pedal driving is more than a novelty, it’s a practical and efficient way to enhance your driving experience. Whether you’re intrigued by its convenience or the energy savings, it’s a feature worth exploring.
If you’re interested, check out our electric and hybrid lease deals to find the perfect vehicle for your needs. For more information or to speak to one of our experts, drop us a call on 0345 811 9595.
