Awesome mountain driving until....

[Don]

...... the hybrid battery is full. Then its at 6000 lb brick with a four banger for engine braking.

Using cruise control on downhills the vehicle beautifully manages regen and then gears to keep speeds precise. On uphills it uses the electric motor extensively to "make space" in the hybrid battery. But once the battery is full the cruise control rides the brakes to an extent that makes me uncomfortable. So I switch to manual which allows rpms to about 4000 max.

The battery gauge shows when the downhill vehicle control will degrade.

I wondered why the vehicle shows the brake lights on the dash, but now I know. There's really no way to differentiate the feeling between regen and mechanical brakes without the lights.

 

[LCMud]

...... the hybrid battery is full. Then its at 6000 lb brick with a four banger for engine braking.

Using cruise control on downhills the vehicle beautifully manages regen and then gears to keep speeds precise. On uphills it uses the electric motor extensively to "make space" in the hybrid battery. But once the battery is full the cruise control rides the brakes to an extent that makes me uncomfortable. So I switch to manual which allows rpms to about 4000 max.

The battery gauge shows when the downhill vehicle control will degrade.

I wondered why the vehicle shows the brake lights on the dash, but now I know. There's really no way to differentiate the feeling between regen and mechanical brakes without the lights.

Have you tried tow/haul mode? On steep downhills at highway speeds and light load I’ve used tow/haul and it adapts about as good as my hybrid F150, which will do everything heavily loaded, towing, empty etc. Conversely you can turn off tow/haul mode while towing if conditions allow it and get higher MPG.

 

[Don]

Have you tried tow/haul mode? On steep downhills at highway speeds and light load I’ve used tow/haul and it adapts about as good as my hybrid F150, which will do everything heavily loaded, towing, empty etc. Conversely you can turn off tow/haul mode while towing if conditions allow it and get higher MPG.

I don''t like the continuous braking on long downhills once the hybrid battery is full. I prefer to brake harder before corners, and let it run a bit without brakes on straight sections. But I don't know if that technique is best.

 

[Altitude]

I’ve always been a big fan of the manu-matic gearboxes for mountain driving. I roll downhill in whatever gear wants to keep the vehicle at comfortable speed, maybe 65 MPH between the Eisenhower and Silverthorne Colorado for example.

Don’t have my LC yet so I don’t know how it behaves. My Tahoe’s cruise control is primitive and does not want to downshift to limit speed, so I don’t use it and manually shift instead, and brake as necessary.

OTOH, my 911 will very dutifully maintain whatever speed I dial in to its cruise control will do so with the gearbox primarily. That car will even downshift on its own approaching a stop sign not in cruise control. It just seems to know what I am doing and wants to help.

Interesting point about the added weight from the battery in the LC affecting this. I’m excited to try it out.