[ronnie]

How do the paddle shifters work? I own the 2019 Insight and read somewhere they have nothing to do with shifting, but they are related to recharging the battery. Can someone explain?

 

[Hapless11]

How do the paddle shifters work? I own the 2019 Insight and read somewhere they have nothing to do with shifting, but they are related to recharging the battery. Can someone explain?

. They control the level of regenerative braking. The left paddle increases it, and the right paddle decreases it. Basically, it slows the car without using the traditional brakes and uses the cars kinetic energy to recharge the battery. It's really useful for long downhill sections of road where you're wanting to maintain a speed, and in regular cars you'd use the traditional brakes to do that.

 

[ronnie]

Doesn't the car have regenerative braking even without the paddle shifters? I thought the car was always doing this when breaking, coasting, etc. Do the paddle shifters just do this more than the default amount?

 

[Hapless11]

Doesn't the car have regenerative braking even without the paddle shifters? I thought the car was always doing this when breaking, coasting, etc. Do the paddle shifters just do this more than the default amount?

You are correct. When coasting or regular braking, there is regenerative braking going on. You can adjust the level to add more using the left paddle or back it down from what you added with the the right paddle. It's helpful on downhill sections of roadway with steeper grades. I also use it to slow down when I'm approaching a stop sign or stop light before I apply the brake pedal. This way I get more charging.

 

[dr_glenn]

In the bottom center of the instrument panel (below the D when in drive), there will be down-arrows when you use the paddle shifter. It appears that two clicks is the maximum. The paddle upshift is only for cancelling the downshift. Pressing accelerator also cancels paddle downshift.

 

[ronnie]

and by "getting more charging" are you getting better gas mileage?

 

[Hapless11]

and by "getting more charging" are you getting better gas mileage?

Since more charge is going to the battery, the car can run on the battery longer without needing the gas engine to start up and charge it. So, yes. I've exceeded the EPA mileage by 2-3 mpg every day since I've owned it.

 

[insightable]

What I'm looking for is a hack to enable the highest level regen and keep it there even when in regular Drive or Econ mode. Its too bad the engineers didn't think that was a good idea....

 

[hobokencentral]

Great idea about the hack, but - yeah - too bad the engineers didn't think that was a good idea. I read online that they didn't want to do a permanent regen mode because it would scare off new-to-hybrid owners.

 

[alpha642]

Wonderful clues on the paddle shifters! Thanks.... NOW I understand!

 

[shragae]

Very helpful thread, thank you!

 

[BILLBOGEY]

I have been using the left paddles to slow car when approaching stop sign or traffic lights . Is this a proper thing to do? I have not yet put gas in car, got it on Dec 30 and plan to refuel the first of every month to check mileage. I have been checking my gas mileage for 50 years. My 66 427 Corvette got about 10MPG. My last car was a 2018 HRV and it got 26MPG for 3400 miles I drove it. I am retired so do not drive many miles. Expect the Insight will give me MPG in the 40s since most of my trips are 20 miles or less. Will know on Feb 1 when I fill up.

 

[mgldan]

Welcome to the forum!

The Range & Fuel indicator in the cockpit is really accurate. It lies about the remaining range (it says you have less range than you really do), but not about your MPGs.

The paddles are definitely to be used to slow your car. They engage the regenerative braking and help keep the MPGs high.

 

[FRR]

One other suggestion. The minus actually means MORE regenerative braking and the Plus means LESS. It's crazy and confusing, but once I got that straight I use them all the time.

 

[PacketPaul]

I personally view the paddles as a little bit of a gimmick. When you press on the brakes, the regenerative brakes starts working. Using the paddles and slightly pressing on the brakes accomplish the same thing. But the paddles do not activate the brake lights … so they are slightly more dangerous.

I guess the only real benefit is if you are going down a steep hill. The paddles would be equivalent to shifting in lower gear in a normal car.

By the way, if this is your first hybrid, regenerative braking is awesome. I had a Prius that went 150k miles before I changed the brakes.

 

[andrew28]

I personally view the paddles as a little bit of a gimmick. When you press on the brakes, the regenerative brakes starts working. Using the paddles and slightly pressing on the brakes accomplish the same thing. But the paddles do not activate the brake lights … so they are slightly more dangerous.

I guess the only real benefit is if you are going down a steep hill. The paddles would be equivalent to shifting in lower gear in a normal car.

By the way, if this is your first hybrid, regenerative braking is awesome. I had a Prius that went 150k miles before I changed the brakes.

Yeah, I always do a quick glimpse of my rear view mirror if I have a car following me before using the minus paddle (if they are really close I use the brake). Otherwise I like using the minus paddle cause I don't have to move my foot from the gas pedal in certain situations.


This is my first hybrid so I really do hope the regenerative braking will save me money from having to replace brake pads.

 

[ScubaGuy]

You are correct. When coasting or regular braking, there is regenerative braking going on. You can adjust the level to add more using the left paddle or back it down from what you added with the the right paddle. It's helpful on downhill sections of roadway with steeper grades. I also use it to slow down when I'm approaching a stop sign or stop light before I apply the brake pedal. This way I get more charging.

VERY Helpful! I was pulling both LEFT + RIGHT Paddles towards me...DOH! :smile_big: Now, I know! I would like to see a Hack wherein you just PULL-HOLD the LEFT Paddle and it does Max Regen. Pumping it 2x doesn't make any functional sense to me.

 

[insightfully]

VERY Helpful! I was pulling both LEFT + RIGHT Paddles towards me...DOH! :smile_big: Now, I know! I would like to see a Hack wherein you just PULL-HOLD the LEFT Paddle and it does Max Regen. Pumping it 2x doesn't make any functional sense to me.

Functionally, I think it doesn't go to immediate "max" because it can cause loss of traction. I feel the car pull back a little when I make the first click, and I pause a bit before I make the second click. Honda warns through the manual that "rapidly increasing the deceleration rate by quickly shifting the paddle can cause the tires to skid." This is especially true in rain or snow conditions...

 

[ScubaGuy]

Functionally, I think it doesn't go to immediate "max" because it can cause loss of traction.

Whoa, thanks for that info. I better stop that bad habit of pull-pull. I did just get my car back from tint and notice the draw like you mentioned. 3rd Day of ownership and learning everyday! THX

 

[andrew28]

Functionally, I think it doesn't go to immediate "max" because it can cause loss of traction. I feel the car pull back a little when I make the first click, and I pause a bit before I make the second click. Honda warns through the manual that "rapidly increasing the deceleration rate by quickly shifting the paddle can cause the tires to skid." This is especially true in rain or snow conditions...

Do you think VSA will prevent the skidding? I'm just use to double pulling on the deceleration paddle for max regenerative braking. No skidding so far even though I know the risk. I don't do it when it is raining or snow on the ground though(keep my distance on dry roads, too).