How to use one-pedal driving on electric Audis
One-pedal driving allows a driver to bring a vehicle to a complete stop without using the brake pedal. One-pedal-driving is possible on all-electric Audis.
One-pedal driving is implemented on EVs so that when the driver lifts the foot from the throttle pedal, the electric motors will start regenerating to reduce the speed of the car by up to 0.3G. You never need to use the brake pedal (you can if it is an emergency). That is the reason they call it “one-pedal” driving.
Using regeneration instead of physical brakes can significantly reduce consumption since regeneration puts energy back into the battery instead of creating heat in the physical brakes.
For some EVs, one-pedal driving is the only way to regenerate energy and, thereby, the recommended way to drive that specific EV. But for all-electric Audis, there are more efficient ways to do it.
All-electric Audis have advanced blended brakes that mix regeneration and physical brakes using the brake pedal. Utilizing the brake pedal, you will regenerate and put energy back into the battery as long as you reduce speed by less than 0.3G. Above that, the system will also use physical brakes. This blending is possible with brake-by-wire technology developed by Audi that controls the use of brakes and regeneration in motors.
Kinetic energy is converted to electric energy in the battery with regeneration.
From an efficiency perspective, you should not use one-pedal driving. You only get approximately 80% of the kinetic energy the moving car has back to the battery when doing recuperation. Using one-pedal driving will, for most drivers, mean you will end up doing more recuperation compared to using the brake pedal or letting the car automatically regenerate only when needed.
That’s why Audi wants their drivers to maximize the efficiency with coasting instead of automatic, reducing speed when you lift the foot of the throttle pedal.
Using one-pedal driving is also less comfortable since you need to have the foot on the pedal at a specific position to freeroll/coast to find the perfect position when no energy is going out of the battery and nothing is going in.
Audi has made it possible to enable one pedal driving on their all-electric models. It is slightly different on the different models, but the principle Audi follows is the same.
Audi e-tron
On the Audi e-tron you can set recuperation to manual (MMI -> Vehicle -> Efficiency Assistant -> Recuperation). Then every time you start a drive, set recuperation to the max with the steering wheel recuperation paddles, and then it will regenerate every time you lift your foot off the “throttle pedal” and works as “one-pedal-driving.”
Recuperation mode
You can set the recuperation to 3 different levels with the wheel paddles. (for more or less braking). High, medium, and off.
Left paddle to reduce regen.
Right paddle to increase regen.
This shows how the regen is on 50% on max.
Recommended settings for best efficiency on Audi e-tron
If you set its recuperation to automatic, it will only recuperate when you are getting close to other cars or an intersection or need to slow down for different reasons. Otherwise, it will coast and save the maximum amount of energy as long you don’t press the accelerator.
Audi Q4 e-tron
On the Audi Q4 e-tron, there are two methods to enable one-pedal-driving
Brake mode
On the Audi Q4 e-tron, you can set the car in B-mode (brake) with the help of the shifter.
Gear shifter Audi Q4 with D/B mode
In B-mode, the car will regenerate at almost the maximum level available. (depends on charge level and temperature)
B-mode - when you remove the foot from the throttle pedal, the car regenerates
Dynamic in D mode with regen level set with paddles
The second way to enable one-pedal-driving is by setting the car in D-mode with the shifter and using the Dynamic mode in Drive Select.
Regen paddle on steering wheel
It is possible to set regen to 0,1,2,3 with paddles, and the car will remember it. Opposite to other drive select modes where the regen level is reset to 0 when using the throttle.
The green bars to the right of the D show the regen level set in dynamic mode in drive select.
Recommended settings for best efficiency on Audi Q4 e-tron
Driving in D-mode and using the brake pedals that automatically give regen gives the best efficiency. Coast whenever you can.
Audi e-tron GT
On the Audi e-tron GT you can set recuperation to manual (MMI -> Vehicle -> Efficiency Assistant -> Recuperation). Then every time you start a drive, set recuperation to the max with the steering wheel recuperation paddles, and then it will regenerate every time you lift your foot off the “throttle pedal” and works as “one-pedal-driving.”
Recuperation mode
You can set the recuperation to 3 different levels with the wheel paddles. (for more or less braking). High, medium, and off.
Right paddle to increase regen.
This shows how the regen is on 50% on max.
Recommended settings for best efficiency on Audi e-tron GT
If you set its recuperation to automatic, it will only recuperate when you are getting close to other cars or an intersection or need to slow down for different reasons. Otherwise, it will coast and save the maximum amount of energy as long you don’t press the accelerator.
Audi all-electric models
Click on link for direct access to the different model info for Audi all-electric models