Regenerative paddles

I use them as if downshifting on a manual transmission, only the result is a much smoother slowing of the car. The paddles provide regeneration of the battery and when used as a ‘braking’ feature can restore a meaningful charge to the EV batteries. I use them routinely, enjoying the curiosity of picking ‘just the right time’ to maximize their effectiveness in slowing coming to an off ramp or a stoplight. It’s so effective I sometimes wonder if the car behind me understands that my brake lights DO work!
 
Totally anecdotal, but for the last week while driving in town I've alternated using the paddles to assist with slowdown at lights compared to plain old breaking - at best, I regen approximately 0.3 miles EV range with paddles and 0.2 with brakes. Not worth the effort to me unless I'm headed for a long downhill slide.
 
ClarityDoc said:
Braking (without the paddles) also generates electricity, and I don't need the distraction, so I largely ignore the paddles (and routinely get EV range around 60 miles per charge during Urban commuting). Sometimes, on the highway, I'll play with the paddles - and I believe that the brake lights illuminate once you get to level 4 (4 chevrons).

Here's one thread about this: https://www.insideevsforum.com/community/index.php?threads/clarity-regen-paddles-vs-braking.961/
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Thanks very much!
 
I am with Kailani. I like to time out how slow I approach a turn or a light and see if I can regen enough to get me there but not have to brake. Only when there are not other cars around because I have driven up to a red light going 10mph and it looks like I am crawling. If I can get down to approx 20 mph before a right or left turn, I don't need to brake at all. If someone is turning ahead of me, I will automatically hit the regen once to slow up and hopefully not hit the brakes by the time they turn and then just put on the gas. I don't test in full traffic because other drivers are not very patient nor should they be.
 
I love using the regen paddles. I totally get what Honda was aiming for with them and use it all the time to time my lights. Now when i drive other cars i find myself trying to tap the paddles. I drive my car pedal almost to max in the city booting it from light to light and I still get 85 -90km of range (rated 76). What this means is while other v8's try to save their gas I'm blowing them away :)
 
They are useful for long mountain downhills to relieve fatigue on your leg and that makes the Clarity safer than non hybrid cars for that situation (no overheating of friction brakes and recharge the battery to boot!). I have noticed that the brake pedal can elicit a far stronger level of regen braking than the 4 chevrons with the paddles. If you're coasting down a hill or a freeway offramp on 4 chevrons, hit the brakes and you'll see a significant increase on the power meter. The regen system can provide an impressive amount of braking on its own.
 
I agree that they don't make that much of a difference in generated EV compared to the breaks but they are very handy for slowing around curves, or going too fast down hills because you don't have to move you foot away from the gas. It also insures you are not wearing out the disc breaks- should get 70-80 K before break repair. I always drive locally in Sport mode with max region- which is maintained- I still get 55-65 EV miles spring thru fall.
 
You want to get used to using the paddles. This will save an extreme amount of wear and tear on your brakes. If you exit freeway and hit normal brakes, that’s money flowing out of your pocket. The regenerative braking is money going into your pocket. Easy pick
 
As far as I know the regen paddles do exactly the same thing as gentle braking with the brake pedal. The thing they do change is the behavior of the accelerator pedal - taking your foot off the accelerator slows you down more with regen active. Like some others, I prefer sport mode with maximum regen always on. For routine slowing I just lift my foot off the accelerator to slow down, and only need the brake pedal for a quick or complete stop.
 
rodeknyt said:
No, having four chevrons showing does not light up the brake lights...at least on my Clarity. It's no different that downshifting a car with a manual transmission—brake lights don't come on then either.
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Volt gen 2 and BMW (much higher levels of regen) do light the brakes on regen. Of course Clarity regen is still relatively light, so it's less of an issue.
 
Last night on a country road I activated full regen with the paddles while going 85 km/h and I could see the reflected brake lights on the road signs behind me. I then tried again while approaching a stop sign at a much slower speed and the brake lights did not come on until I touched the brake pedal. I haven't tested this with someone following me yet but it looks like the brake lights (while not touching the brake pedal) are dependent on the deceleration rate of the vehicle. Many EV's, like Tesla for example, use the same method to activate the lights.
 
At first I suffered from pedalpaddlephobia (the unreasonable fear that using the brake pedal would reduce regen and increase brake wear).
Thanks to group therapy on this forum, I have recovered and realized that if you brake moderately and don’t let the power meter bottom out in the green, it’s just like all regen with the paddles and can even add more regen.

Instead of fearing the pedal, I now now see it for what it truly is; a foot paddle for the 5th and 6th chevron. (But only if you use it wisely.)

However, in those early fearful days, I got used to braking with a finger (until the last 5 mph) and, being the lazy guy I am, I find it easier to brake with one finger than lift my foot and leg. (Yeah, my Stirling Moss heel and toe braking, racing up to the next light days are long past).
So now I’m a paddle fan boy, not for any added benefit over pedal braking, but because I’m lazy. Except in heavy stop and go traffic or closely spaced lights, I can slow enough not to have to take my foot away from the accelerator. Then if I have to come to a complete stop for the last few mph, I pedal brake and move back to accel pedal while Brake Hold keeps me stopped.
I’m also Honda’s beta tester to see if you can wear out the paddle switch.

PS: I think it doesn’t matter how you slow down, pedal or paddle; as long as you don’t bottom out the power meter you get the same amount of regen.

Here’s a good diagram of how regen blends with friction brakes.

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I thought I saw information that the friction brakes only engage at slow speeds ( like under 15 mph). Anyone know if that is correct. To make that work the regen would have to be strong enough to quickly slow the vehicle to a slow speed where the friction brake can assist. Essentially, the regen would have to provide enough braking just shy of locking up the wheels, I am not sure that would be the case.
 
Chuck posted this in another thread.

Putting on the brakes in the Clarity will not use the friction brakes unless you 'max out' the regen as shown on the lower left on the 'power' display
 
PHEV Newbie said:
They are useful for long mountain downhills to relieve fatigue on your leg and that makes the Clarity safer than non hybrid cars for that situation (no overheating of friction brakes and recharge the battery to boot!). I have noticed that the brake pedal can elicit a far stronger level of regen braking than the 4 chevrons with the paddles. If you're coasting down a hill or a freeway offramp on 4 chevrons, hit the brakes and you'll see a significant increase on the power meter. The regen system can provide an impressive amount of braking on its own.
Click to expand...

Using the higher regeneration on a long downhill is similar to a train locomotive "braking" downhill, except that instead of dumping the energy into resistors, it goes into the Clarity's battery. Too bad a locomotive can't store that energy!
 
I had about 300,000 miles on two different Honda Civic Hybrids and never needed brake work which I attributed to the regen. On the Civic it was 'builti-in', no paddles; you just coasted and the regen kicked in.

On the Clarity, I'm paddle happy and am concerned about how annoying that is to my passengers. sort of. :-)

The idea that using the brake pedal doesn't actually engage the brakes until x amount of pressure is applied is too much to think about.
 
I came to the Clarity from a stickshift so I like the car to slow down noticeably when I take my foot off the accelerator. Hence I drive in Sport mode with max regen enabled all the time. But I’d say much depends on your terrain. I live in hilly area with curvy ups and downs. I like one pedal driving it all. But if I lived back in Florida with endless straight flat roads, I might prefer regen off and drive in Eco.
 
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