Recuperative Braking

The truck is equipped with a recuperative braking system. When recuperative braking is active, the motor acts as a generator, resisting the rotation of the wheels and creating electricity.

When the driver presses on the brake pedal, or a driver assistance system demands the vehicle decelerate, the vehicle is able to use some of the energy used to slow the vehicle to charge the high-voltage batteries.

If the vehicle is equipped with dynamic recuperative braking using the accelerator pedal, then using the accelerator pedal can engage recuperative braking.

Engaging Recuperative Braking

To activate recuperative braking with the right-hand stalk switch, select position one through three, as shown in Fig. .

Off

Low

Medium

High

Fig. 1, Recuperative Braking Positions

When a recuperative braking level is selected, the recuperative braking telltale shown in Fig. appears on the driver display.

Fig. 2, Recuperative Braking Telltale

A thin inner blue line also appears on the charge meter section of the power gauge, as shown in Fig. indicating the maximum level of recuperative braking requested. Each level (low, medium, high) extends the line by 1/3 until the line extends the length of the meter at 'high.' If level one or two is selected, a blue caret appears to mark the recuperative braking limit. If level three is requested, there is no limit and therefore no caret.

Fig. 3, Power Gauge

A dynamic thick outer blue line led by a electronic needle communicates the amount of recuperative braking power being generated at any moment.

Pressing on the accelerator pedal, putting the vehicle in neutral, or moving the right-hand stalk switch to the off position deactivates the recuperative braking charge request.

If the right-hand stalk switch is in the low, medium, or high position when the keyswitch is turned on, the recuperative brake telltale, shown in Fig. flashes and recuperative braking is disabled. To enable recuperative braking and stop the telltale from flashing, move the right-hand stalk switch to the off position.

Recuperative Braking Limitations

A number of dynamic conditions affect the active amount of recuperative braking power generated. These include the vehicle's speed, mass, the terrain, and the high-voltage batteries current state of charge (SOC). Recuperative braking is limited if the batteries have a high SOC. It may also be limited if the high-voltage batteries are cold.

If the recuperative braking is limited, or severely limited, the driver is notified of this limitation through a message appearing on the driver's display.

Dynamic Recuperative Braking Using the Accelerator Pedal

If equipped with dynamic recuperative braking using the accelerator pedal, the driver can engage recuperative braking when lifting their foot off the accelerator pedal at speeds above approximately 20 mph (32 km). At low speeds, such as when in stop and go traffic, there is little to no kinetic energy to be captured through recuperative braking.

To activate recuperative braking using the accelerator pedal, the right-hand stalk switch must be requesting recuperative braking power at a low, medium, or high level. This level may act as a limit to the amount of recuperative braking power that can be recouped from a slowing vehicle, therefore DTNA suggests setting the stalk switch to high to allow the driver to regulate the amount of recuperative braking through modulating the pressure on the accelerator pedal.

When the driver lifts their foot off the accelerator pedal with the right-hand stalk switch engaged, the electric motor immediately uses the kinetic energy of the vehicle to charge the batteries, slowing the vehicle. Using this feature in traffic allows a driver to extend the vehicle's range.

When the vehicle is coasting, the recuperative braking needle sits at zero.