What is One-Pedal Driving?

Have you heard about one pedal driving? It’s a driving technique that allows you to control the speed and direction of your vehicle with just one pedal. It operates on the principle of progressive resistance and provides greater fuel efficiency, smoother acceleration, reduced brake wear, and improved safety while driving. 

What Is It?

A driver can actually bring a vehicle to a complete stop without using a separate brake pedal. So if a driver anticipates a stop, such as a traffic light or stop sign, they can just ease their foot off of the single accelerator pedal. While it does require some practice and time to get used to using, it’s a great feature found in many EV and hybrid models that can really extend a vehicle’s brake life and make for a smooth stopping mechanism.

How it Works

Before you can use one-pedal driving, you must turn it on. You can usually do so in the vehicle’s settings menu. Most of the time, there is an on-off button to activate the feature. When initiated, the deceleration force is not abrupt, yet it gradually slows the car and once the vehicle stops altogether, the hydraulic brakes will keep the vehicle at a stop until the pedal is pushed to accelerate again. Brake lights will actually illuminate when the pedal is released to alert the driver the vehicle is slowing down.

The Benefits

Besides extending the vehicle’s brake life because of less wear and tear, it can also extend your EV’s driving range by several miles. It is better for the environment because of less brake dust in the air, feels smoother and, overall, is more convenient with only one pedal to reach for to do the work.

EV Range Anxiety Explained

The Challenges

It takes getting used to correctly timing stops in addition to the one pedal. And although some hybrids and PHEVs offer regenerative braking, it’s primarily offered in all-electric vehicles.

Do you want to know more about braking options? Read about regenerative braking in this blog post.