Recuperation System is Driving Me Crazy!

[grind4it]

Ok, so I’m trying to wrap my head around the recuperation system on my A3, and I’m hitting a bit of a snag.

In Auto mode, it coasts way too much for my liking, but when I switch to Manual, it feels like I’m slamming on the brakes!

Is there any way to tweak the recuperation level?

 

[icee]

The A3 E-tron does not have the typical regeneration "levels" like you see on the VW E-golf or other EVs. It takes a little getting used to.

1. While in Auto and Drive mode, the car will coast and not regen at all. This is great for overall efficiency.

2. For maximum regen, use the shifter to put the car into sport mode, you'll have to touch the brake pedal ever so slightly to get the car to max regen, all while not engaging the friction brakes.

3. Pushing the shifter to the right for manual mode doesn't regen as aggressively as Sport mode. I also did not play with this mode to figure out the relationship of speed/gear to the amount of regeneration I could observe. With our relatively tiny HV battery (when compared to a pure EV) I throw it into S mode on long downhill roads to push as much and as fast into the battery as possible. It feels like anything other than max regen doesn't help gain back usable energy.

Be mindful of your what your brake lights are indicating as you are trying to eek in a few more miles into the battery! I inadvertantly made a guy behind me mad as it looked like I was riding my brakes all the way down a mountain road in S mode.

I have a 2018 e-tron so there is no charge mode on my car. I made myself super sick by trying to charge the battery in Sport by getting on the gas to build speed and pulling off the pedal to push the energy in hold mode back in. I looked like a moron with the yo-yo speed ups and slow downs and I think I managed to push in 3 miles of range. Not worth it.

 

[etronfan]

Hello,
Yes and no.
S EV mode exists on the 2015 so you can have regen on EV mode.
This a bug that I have « published » on YouTube.

It does not work on the 2018 sadly.

 

[etronfan]

The A3 E-tron does not have the typical regeneration "levels" like you see on the VW E-golf or other EVs. It takes a little getting used to.

1. While in Auto and Drive mode, the car will coast and not regen at all. This is great for overall efficiency.

2. For maximum regen, use the shifter to put the car into sport mode, you'll have to touch the brake pedal ever so slightly to get the car to max regen, all while not engaging the friction brakes.

3. Pushing the shifter to the right for manual mode doesn't regen as aggressively as Sport mode. I also did not play with this mode to figure out the relationship of speed/gear to the amount of regeneration I could observe. With our relatively tiny HV battery (when compared to a pure EV) I throw it into S mode on long downhill roads to push as much and as fast into the battery as possible. It feels like anything other than max regen doesn't help gain back usable energy.

Be mindful of your what your brake lights are indicating as you are trying to eek in a few more miles into the battery! I inadvertantly made a guy behind me mad as it looked like I was riding my brakes all the way down a mountain road in S mode.

I have a 2018 e-tron so there is no charge mode on my car. I made myself super sick by trying to charge the battery in Sport by getting on the gas to build speed and pulling off the pedal to push the energy in hold mode back in. I looked like a moron with the yo-yo speed ups and slow downs and I think I managed to push in 3 miles of range. Not worth it.

Hello,
Yes and no.
S EV mode exists on the 2015 so you can have regen on EV mode.
This a bug that I have « published » on YouTube.

It does not work on the 2018 sadly.

 

[bruuster]

When in Sport Mode the ICE starts. So if you're trying to charge the battery you're wasting gas. When I'm driving on freeway more than 20 EV miles I'll put the car in Sport Mode which helps charge the battery on deceleration. As I get to my exit, I'll switch to EV and drive the surface streets. If I'm in bumper to bumper traffic I leave in EV Manual Mode and have 1 pedal driving which adds charge to battery. Just a few tips I've learned with the A3 over the last 5 years.

 

[Jacks A3 ET]

There is a fellow on YouTube in Europe who claims to have found a way the get that EV Charging in Hybrid. Said if you select manual then quickly shift to auto then down to Sport you will get the deleted charging mode??
Not sure if this is what you want.
But I did have a long drive that enguged Hybrid after I was in EV fo 20 miles - zero EV miles - and by the time we got home, I had Gained 5 miles of charge? There was down hill roads much of the way home. My A3 is an early production 2017 built in 2016.

 

[etronfan]

There is a fellow on YouTube in Europe who claims to have found a way the get that EV Charging in Hybrid. Said if you select manual then quickly shift to auto then down to Sport you will get the deleted charging mode??
Not sure if this is what you want.
But I did have a long drive that enguged Hybrid after I was in EV fo 20 miles - zero EV miles - and by the time we got home, I had Gained 5 miles of charge? There was down hill roads much of the way home. My A3 is an early production 2017 built in 2016.

If the video you are talking about is from « fun car reviews », that would be me

 

[Jacks A3 ET]

If the video you are talking about is from « fun car reviews », that would be me

Thanks for the Videos. I have seen several and they helped me learn more about. My E-tron. Though your A3 is earlier model & without Tech Package, And mine is a US version, much is the same. Regards from a US A3 owner.
P. S. Where are you LOCATED. I am traveling in Coatia for a week.

 

[etronfan]

Thanks for the Videos. I have seen several and they helped me learn more about. My E-tron. Though your A3 is earlier model & without Tech Package, And mine is a US version, much is the same. Regards from a US A3 owner.
P. S. Where are you LOCATED. I am traveling in Coatia for a week.

You are welcome. Glad to see if was of help , as I have seen lots of « not that correct or missing » information. That’s why I decided to create that channel.

The bug that I have discovered helps a lot of people as they where disappointed that the GTE has the regen and not the A3. I have sent it to Audi but did not want to confirm it was a bug.
Unfortunately, it was not working on the 2018 facelift.

I am in Switzerland.

I had the 2015 A3 e-Tron. Lots of fun but not full option (it was a second hand as i did not want to pay too much).
I sold it after 4 years and took the new one, new.
I really loved it. I just had one problem with it and preferred to sell it just in case.

 

[Jacks A3 ET]

Are you doing new videos on the new A3? I am sure this Forum group would be interested, as I would. Like you I bought used for $20000 as I would not have bought new at $47000. But if my 2017 lasted 5 years, I would consider a 2024 model used. I really like the size of the A3 and the Hybrid drive system suits our needs perfectly. As we only have 22000 miles on this car, And only drive about 4000 miles annually it should still have som trade value in exchange for a later model.
Regards, Seattle Jack