Rivian PLEASE give us a VERY LOW REGEN for Conserve Mode and Snow.

[RivianRocks25]

One of the best things about quad 2023 R1S is the disconnecting of rear motors in Conserve Mode. Makes a real range difference while cruising. Almost 10% increase. The problem is slippery snowy roads. In conserve, the car is really front wheel drive. Even Low Regen is too much as the front wheels lock on snow and lose steering. Rivian Quad ABS does a very good job trying to mitigate this, but still happens and when wheels lock, loose steering so it's dangerous.

The car sense this happening and pops a warning saying Use Snow Mode In slippery Conditions. OK, solves the front only locking up as all 4 wheels can now regen brake but take that 10% range hit.

Here is an idea, make a "real low regen mode" where it is more like a tratitional automatic gas car for throttle off slow down. Then driver would use brakes and brakes are 4 wheel stoppers. Plus low regen is so high, I never use the brakes in the winter so I'm afraid of surface rust builting in rotors as never gets wiped off by the brake pads.

Seems like current setup defeats it own purpose. Regen is so high, never use brakes, but having to use all 4 motors in snow adds a 10% range hit. Plus even low regen is aggressively high even for summer. (option stated there)

New mode is the best of all worlds. Front motors only powered up so get added range, safely can do braking with all 4 wheels, and brakes get some use in the winter to clean rotors.

Sponsored

 

[Dark-Fx]

Rivian doesn't blend Regen on the brake pedal, so you're going to give up range from using mechanical brakes instead of from having all four wheels active.

 

[Carscott]

I’m a Canadian winter driver. I agree. I’d like additional regen options or the ability to turn it off for winter. I have solved my risks by running very expensive snow tires from Nokian and operating in snow mode. And just deal with the range hit from snow mode plus the 20” wheels with the snows. I do think being able to turn regen off would be a good idea for future software updates. Those can choose to use it or not.

 

[Nixapatfan]

Agreed the logic of not being able to turn off regen in winter is just stupid, one they can easily implement but refuse to do.

 

[RivianRocks25]

Rivian doesn't blend Regen on the brake pedal, so you're going to give up range from using mechanical brakes instead of from having all four wheels active.

Yup, but only loose range when brake in my mode. On long straights that might be every every 10-20 minutes. As it is now, I loose 10% constantly. Think current mode actually hurts range in the winter as pretty much forced to use Snow Mode.

Feel current Low Reg is way too aggressive.

 

[RivianRocks25]

I’m a Canadian winter driver. I agree. I’d like additional regen options or the ability to turn it off for winter. I have solved my risks by running very expensive snow tires from Nokian and operating in snow mode. And just deal with the range hit from snow mode plus the 20” wheels with the snows. I do think being able to turn regen off would be a good idea for future software updates. Those can choose to use it or not.

Same. Big fan of dedicated winters. Ran stock 21s 1 year and almost dangerous. Switched to Dodge 20" wheels and winter rubber and the D'Rivian is now awesome in snow (using snow mode).

 

[SadHill]

It is strange we can’t turn off regen all together. My wife’s Mach-e can turn it off. We do it at least once a month for work the brakes so it doesn’t ruin them. Had that happen on an old bolt. If you don’t use the pads and rotors they will just get ruined.

 

[SwampNut]

Are you saying that you are purposely reducing the car's ability and safety by going into 2wd on purpose in snow? And then noting that it's less stable so you want Rivian to change the software to counter that? Instead of just being in 4wd when it's slippery? I have a theory that living in snowy cold places causes brain damage.

 

[Nixapatfan]

Are you saying that you are purposely reducing the car's ability and safety by going into 2wd on purpose in snow? And then noting that it's less stable so you want Rivian to change the software to counter that? Instead of just being in 4wd when it's slippery? I have a theory that living in snowy cold places causes brain damage.

Regen still sucks with all-purpose or snow mode it makes the wheels lockup on slippery surfaces whereas if regen was off you'd be able to slowdown without having the wheels lock. Regen in snow is actually making it less safe be it in fwd mode or awd mode.

Sounds like you've never driven in deep snow to actually understand what the OP is describing so not sure why you'd comment on this topic.

 

[MountainBikeDude]

This has been touched on before, all you have to do to enable ultra low, non existent regen is fully charge and cold soak your battery.

 

[Nixapatfan]

This has been touched on before, all you have to do to enable ultra low, non existent regen is fully charge and cold soak your battery.

So true I was going to mention that, the only positive is when the battery is below 15F there is no regen at all.

 

[SwampNut]

Sounds like you've never driven in deep snow

False. Also ice. Reminded me never to live in that crap.

 

[ElGuano]

I would assume a true conserve mode would include a "zero regen" mode, or regen-blending only on brake pedal press. But that's not what EV drivers have been trained on.

 

[Captain JB]

When you use conserve mode, isn’t that wearing out the tires much sooner? The mode comes in handy sometimes but full time is bad for the front tires I believe. I use snow mode full time to have a smoother braking ride and I live in LA. It works great.

 

[COMtnEV]

Actually, many EVs have blended regen and the ability to turn regen completely off. In my experience, Rivian's decision to not integrate regen with the brake pedal and to not provide the ability to very quickly turn regen off is one of the biggest design flaws in their vehicles, and is a significant safety issue. My R1T is equipped with Nokian studded tires for winter use - it's about the best setup one could have. Unfortunately, even in snow mode, the truck frequently starts to slide when it hits packed snow/ice and your foot is off the accelerator. Our Hyundai Ioniq 5s and GMC Sierra EVs both have a steering column mounted paddle that you can use to very quickly turn regen off (the Ioniq 5 has a two paddle system that allows you to quickly change regen level - it's the closest thing to a manual transmission there is for an EV, and makes one pedal driving on mountain roads a blast). But the real use is that in adverse conditions, you can turn off the regen before hitting that patch of ice, or virtually instantly if you feel any tire slip. As a result, both are far superior vehicles in the winter compared to Rivian. Which is a really bad look for a company billing their products as an "adventure vehicle". Our Rivian mostly sits during the winter.

Sponsored