Traffic Jam on an incline

[honks123]

Assuming one does not opt for the £790 Driving Assistant Plus option, I am trying to work out how the i3 will perform in a traffic jam on an uphill stretch of road.

If we start by cruising up to the back of the queue and assume we can stop by just using the one pedal mode, I wonder what happens immediately after the i3 comes to a halt? Does it immediately roll backwards unless you transfer you foot to the brake? I'm assuming yes. I guess you would probably cover the brake pedal ready for the car coming to a halt and then apply the brake once the car has stopped.

So the traffic ahead moves off. My understanding is that the i3 does not have hill hold facility, so removing your foot from the brake would result in the car rolling backwards. So you must presumably have to apply the electronic handbrake? I presume this then automatically disengages as you apply the throttle to inch forward at which point you again have to apply the electronic handbrake after you stop again.

It seems like this is going to be cumbersome. Constantly applying the electronic handbrake every time you stop. In an automatic (or a LEAF) this would be a doddle because of the 'creep' effect.

 

[BrianStanier]

It should only be a matter of appropriate software to stop the car rolling back (or at least doing so very slowly) if in drive (and vice versa) even though there is no creep.

 

[AndrewDebbie]

If the i3 won't hold still on a hill, Americans will let the car roll back. A few will use their left foot on the service brake.

UK drivers will use the parking brake.

We had to relearn how to drive when we moved here. We'd never have passed the UK driving test otherwise.

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For some reason BMW dropped the hill holder from Manual Transmission 4-cylinder cars. It should be something they could patch in software, but we've been told it is not possible. No idea why since the otherwise identical 6 cylinder cars still have it. So do AT cars where it isn't really needed.

Our 2012 Z4 doesn't have it and it does have an electric parking brake. Makes driving in up hill stop and go traffic annoying. The car works and is safe but it is one of the things I don't like.

With an i3, I'd use my left foot to hold the service brake.

 

[honks123]

I have my test drive on Monday 18th Nov. I'll be finding a hill to check it out. Apparently, the regenerative braking will bring the car to a standstill even going downhill. So I wonder what happens? You take your foot off the accelerator and the car comes gently to a halt and...... then what? A second later it starts to roll down the hill? I'm sure when I am behind the wheel all will be revealed and it will seem pretty intuitive. Can't wait!

 

[SanSerif]

I have a car with a semi-automatic, "robot" gearbox. It's a just like a manual except there's no clutch and gear changes happen automagically. Stationary on inclines, it'll roll. I just use the foot brake. At worst, it'll roll back a couple of centimetres in the time it takes to move one's foot from the brake to the accelerator. But it really is no worry.