Porsche delves into the issues with ‘single-pedal’ EV driving approach

The Porsche engineering team considers driving an electric car without actively using the brake pedal inefficient and incompatible with its brand values, Green Car Reports says.

As you probably know, driving the car with only one pedal implies that it starts braking automatically as soon as you release the accelerator – largely due to the regenerative brake system kicking in. On an electric vehicle, you could set it up in such a manner as to never have to use the brake pedal anymore, unless precise maneuvering is required at speeds around 5 km/h (3 mph). Most modern-era EVs support it by default.

The German company argues that there are two instances of energy loss occurring in this scenario – first when the brake energy is accumulated and second when it is released. It can be more viable to let the electric car freeroll and only engage the regenerative brake when the driver actually steps on the dedicated brake pedal. Furthermore, such an approach would enable recovering more power from (stronger) braking and prolong the life of the brake pads.

Aside from this, the engineering department considers the feedback received by the driver when they release the accelerator and feel the regenerative braking at work unnatural and unintuitive. It is very different from the feedback a gas-powered car gives you, and studies have shown that Porsche fans tend to prioritize that ICE car feeling over everything else.

Neither the Porsche Taycan EV nor the Macan EV coming up in 2024 can be driven with just one pedal, and the company says it does not intend to change it anytime soon.