General Lift off throttle, abrupt slow down and stop

[fiat500fiat500]

I've owned my MY2021 500e for about a year and am used to how the car regenerates eneregy when you lift off the throttle (in Range or Sherpa mode) but recently I'm sure it's got much more aggressive and the deceleration and stop is quite abrupt. It's even a bit squeaky and makes driving smoothly much more difficult. I used to enjoy never have to break and a gentle stop at the lights but it just seems to slow down more harshly and the last bit feels like a stamp on the breaks. The car has done 12,000 miles.

Any ideas what it could be?

 

[The Panda Nut]

Not totally logical. Im sure you know there are settings to vary this. Maybe its a normal change and you just need to tone it back a little.
Are the road brakes in good order? Could they be impacting by virtue of needing a clean up.
Surely you are under warranty?? If so give Fiat a call.

 

[Maybemaybenot]

Not totally logical. Im sure you know there are settings to vary this. Maybe its a normal change and you just need to tone it back a little.
Are the road brakes in good order? Could they be impacting by virtue of needing a clean up.
Surely you are under warranty?? If so give Fiat a call.

What settings? Don’t think there are. The drive modes vary but in range only control is ankle motor control.

 

[IanML]

It could be the device which digitises accelerator pedal movement - probably part of the pedal.

Strangely, my recent experience is the opposite. When I first got the car I found lifting my foot generated very abrupt and noisy behaviour (as you described), but it has recently not been the case. I put it down to becoming more accustomed to the requirement for fine control, but now I wonder?

 

[The Panda Nut]

I think I have read a post on here referring to this. It will be within the last few months. I dont know how you access the settings menu. May be worth searching. If I can find it I will post a link.

 

[Maybemaybenot]

I think I have read a post on here referring to this. It will be within the last few months. I dont know how you access the settings menu. May be worth searching. If I can find it I will post a link.

There aren’t any.

 

[gazz_bee]

It could be the device which digitises accelerator pedal movement - probably part of the pedal.

Strangely, my recent experience is the opposite. When I first got the car I found lifting my foot generated very abrupt and noisy behaviour (as you described), but it has recently not been the case. I put it down to becoming more accustomed to the requirement for fine control, but now I wonder?

Mine is definitely less aggressive on regen braking than it was from new.

 

[IanML]

Mine is definitely less aggressive on regen braking than it was from new.

Perhaps it has an adaptive function, though I can't think how it would work.

 

[Maybemaybenot]

Perhaps it has an adaptive function, though I can't think how it would work.

It doesn’t your muscle memory has just developed. Reversing is hardest and took a long time but now I can reverse park in Range smoothly.

 

[IanML]

It doesn’t your muscle memory has just developed. Reversing is hardest and took a long time but now I can reverse park in Range smoothly.

Good theory, except it does not seem to explain the reduction in regenerative braking experienced when the foot is off the pedal.

 

[gazz_bee]

It doesn’t your muscle memory has just developed. Reversing is hardest and took a long time but now I can reverse park in Range smoothly.

I don't believe there's any adaptive settings at play. However, I do have 10 years' experience of EVs and have driven a few other 500e as comparison. The 30mph to 0 lift off regen braking is definitely less aggressive in mine than it was from new. Whether that's bedding in or software I don't know but it isn't muscle memory when using the throttle as a switch.

 

[Maybemaybenot]

Good theory, except it does not seem to explain the reduction in regenerative braking experienced when the foot is off the pedal.

If you haven’t measured it you can’t say that.

 

[Maybemaybenot]

I don't believe there's any adaptive settings at play. However, I do have 10 years' experience of EVs and have driven a few other 500e as comparison. The 30mph to 0 lift off regen braking is definitely less aggressive in mine than it was from new. Whether that's bedding in or software I don't know but it isn't muscle memory when using the throttle as a switch.

Again if you haven’t measured it you can’t say that.

 

[vexorg]

It must be still under warranty, ask fiat.

 

[gazz_bee]

Again if you haven’t measured it you can’t say that.

I used reference points on a stretch of road when comparing. Curiosity was first piqued when I had a loaner 500e that behaved differently to my own.

Back to the OP, of the car is under warranty then trashed opportunity of that. Incidentally, how does the brake pedal perform in normal mode?

 

[Maybemaybenot]

I used reference points on a stretch of road when comparing. Curiosity was first piqued when I had a loaner 500e that behaved differently to my own.

Back to the OP, of the car is under warranty then trashed opportunity of that. Incidentally, how does the brake pedal perform in normal mode?

Was the car over 90% charge in either case?

 

[gazz_bee]

Was the car over 90% charge in either case?

No they weren't. I'm aware that regen characteristics are different when the battery is near full. I'm not suggesting it's a problem, I just don't know why it's different.

 

[IanML]

Was the car over 90% charge in either case?

That shouldn't be an issue with the 500e, I understand, as "100% charged" is only 37.3 kWh, leaving some of the capacity above that for regenerative input if required and some unused for longevity.

In my case, I live on a small island, so I don't need the maximum range, and I aim not tor charge over 80%.

 

[Maybemaybenot]

That shouldn't be an issue with the 500e, I understand, as "100% charged" is only 37.3 kWh, leaving some of the capacity above that for regenerative input if required and some unused for longevity.

If the car is over 90% charge the level of regen in Range is reduced to virtually nothing by 100%. Nothing to do with the ‘spare’ on the battery it’s not used for that.

 

[IanML]

If the car is over 90% charge the level of regen in Range is reduced to virtually nothing by 100%. Nothing to do with the ‘spare’ on the battery it’s not used for that.

I'd be interested to learn how you know that.