3 Reasons Why You Need to Control Your Regenerative Braking

In earlier Tesla models, drivers could adjust regenerative braking (regen) levels to suit their needs. Today, this option is restricted to the Performance models, but it’s still a feature many drivers can benefit from. 

But first, what even is regenerative braking? Whenever your car is in motion, as you lift your foot off of the accelerator, the motor provides resistance to slow the car down, and all the extra power built from the kinetic energy is transported back to the battery. This gives your Tesla extra range. 

Here’s why tweaking regen can make a big difference in three key scenarios:

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**Passenger Comfort**

Standard regen is set to 100% and is very powerful. It often causes sudden braking that can make passengers uncomfortable or even nauseous. Dialling down the levels of the regen will allow for gradual and smoother deceleration.

**Safer Winter Driving**

High regen levels allow the motors to provide greater resistance, forcing the car to slow down rapidly when you lift your foot off the accelerator. If you are on a slippery road in winter conditions, this can lead to loss of traction and sliding. Reducing or even turning off regen in these situations can significantly reduce skidding, ensuring better control and safer winter driving.

**Brake Caliper Maintenance**

When regen is active, the motors handle most of the braking, leaving the brake calipers underused. Over time, this can lead to rust buildup, especially in humid or rainy environments. Turning off regen and using the mechanical brakes instead will keep the calipers engaged, helping to prevent rust and promoting better maintenance.
And if you don’t own a Performance model, you can still tweak your regen controls with all of our products under the Regen section inside our app.

Conclusion:

Regen control is beneficial because it gives you more control over the brakes, depending on the conditions. This is not only safer, but it also allows for a more customizable driving experience, especially in colder regions.

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Created by:

Anton Stoichkov

Published:

01/13/2025