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e-Step and e_Pedal

2910 Views 26 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  kurtsimon
I've been carefully watching the various YouTube Ariya casts and noted, when I can see the driver's dash display, about 1/2 of the Ariyas show e-Step and the other 1/2 show e-Pedal. Also, on some casts, they show the console setting switches, some show e-Pedal and some e-Step. I can't figure out if the difference is geographical or trim level.

e-Step behaves exactly like my Leaf with e-pedal off and drive mode set to "B". With e-Pedal off and "B" on and ProPilot on, the car comes to a complete stop if the car in front stops; I don't need to use the brakes.

It's obvious, the only difference is between e-Pedal and e-Step is the firmware and possibly the switch on the console.

I've asked my dealer if they'd check with Nissan to see if my car come with e-Step, they can modify the firmware, and maybe the switch, for me.

I'd appreciate anyone who has info on this issue to way-in.

Just thought of a option for Nissan to consider. Let the driver select e-Pedal or e-Step in the vehicle settings.
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Many videos were made using pre-production cars, some of which had the button labeled e-pedal. I could be wrong but think all production cars are e-step. The difference is noticeable if you use it with ProPilot off. Without ProPilot, e-step won't bring the car to a complete stop without hitting the brake, where e-pedal would.
so will the car come to a complete stop with ProPilot on?
Many videos were made using pre-production cars, some of which had the button labeled e-pedal. I could be wrong but think all production cars are e-step. The difference is noticeable if you use it with ProPilot off. Without ProPilot, e-step won't bring the car to a complete stop without hitting the brake, where e-pedal would.
I am very familiar with 2 Leafs e-Pedal. Please note I said: "e-Step behaves exactly like my Leaf with e-pedal off and drive mode set to "B". With e-Pedal off and "B" on and ProPilot on, the car comes to a complete stop if the car in front stops; I don't need to use the brakes."
Plus, I drove one of the demo Ariyas several months ago. So, I'm familiar with how e-Step works. It is a hazard if a driver has been using e-Pedal for 5 years.
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so will the car come to a complete stop with ProPilot on?
Absolutely, even if one is using ProPilot and "B" mode and e-Pedal is NOT on.
I am very familiar with 2 Leafs e-Pedal. Please note I said: "e-Step behaves exactly like my Leaf with e-pedal off and drive mode set to "B". With e-Pedal off and "B" on and ProPilot on, the car comes to a complete stop if the car in front stops; I don't need to use the brakes."
Plus, I drove one of the demo Ariyas several months ago. So, I'm familiar with how e-Step works. It is a hazard if a driver has been using e-Pedal for 5 years.
Fair enough. I also think they should make it an option in the settings and it's likely they could do that with an OTA update. I think that would make a lot of people here happy. I doubt you'll find an option to change the label on the switch though, unless a third party decides to offer that.
so will the car come to a complete stop with ProPilot on?
Yes
Just did a Nissan customer survey. Aside from the usual questions they made a point of asking about E-pedal and E-step and the preferences for one over the other and why. So maybe they are considering doing something about it after all. I made it clear that I prefer E-pedal, 1 foot driving over E-step and the reasons why. Here's hoping.
I repeat in hopes Nissan follows this forum:
Just let the owner select e-Pedal or e-Step in the vehicle settings.
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I repeat in hopes Nissan follows this forum:
Just let the owner select e-Pedal or e-Step in the vehicle settings.
In the current control configuration I have concerns. I haven’t driven a leaf or a Tesla, the only comparison I have is the Ioniq 5. The Ioniq 5 has paddle switches on the steering column that can be used to set the regeneration level, it made it easy to adjust the level in traffic. I like the fact the break peddle on the Ariya does the same thing, press a little, a little bit of regeneration, press harder, and you get more, press even harder and you add the mechanical breaking. Just having a one peddle option without a way to easily adjust the regeneration level doesn’t sound very refined at all.
In the leaf you can turn onE Pedal or turn it off. with it off you still get regenerative breaking but not to the same degree that you would with it on. I have it on all the tame but I still use the break pedal from time to time, you can't do a panic stop with out using it.
Regen braking occurs only when e-Pedal or "B" mode is on. E-pedal activates the friction brakes below 5mi/hr. B mode is the same as e-Pedal except the friction brakes are NOT automatically activated. The driver must use the regular brake pedal to stop or hold the car on hills.

E-step seems to simply be the same as the "B" mode.
Regen braking occurs only when e-Pedal or "B" mode is on. E-pedal activates the friction brakes below 5mi/hr. B mode is the same as e-Pedal except the friction brakes are NOT automatically activated. The driver must use the regular brake pedal to stop or hold the car on hills.

E-step seems to simply be the same as the "B" mode.
I drive in B mode all the time - preferring it to D mode. I really don't like E-Step. E-Step will slow down much harder when going at highway speeds than B mode does. B mode allows more coasting, but not as much as D mode. This is especially noticeable on highway off ramps when entering the ramp at highway speed (70 or 75mph), or when coming up on an intersection on a rural road at 60 mph. Most of my driving is on lightly traveled Interstates and rural highways.

Regen does activate when using the brake pedal (reasonably gently) in both D and B. You can see this on the driver display by putting the car in D mode, driving up to highway speeds on a flat road, and letting off the accellerator. You'll get a little regen. Press very lightly on the brake, regen will go up, press a little more and it'll go up a little more. It's difficult for me to tell in any of the modes when exactly the car starts to blend in the physical brakes because of how seemlessly it does this, but it definitely does do regen when braking in D mode.
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The bottom line is that in the Leaf, you have three choices,
E pedal
B mode
or Drive.

You can choose what works for you, with the Aryia they have taken away our right to choose
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Re: "E-Step will slow down much harder when going at highway speeds than B mode does. B mode allows more coasting, " I've tested it; try it yourself. Pick a level roadway and at 60mph, take your foot off the accelerator. See how far you until 15mph. Try it for both B mode and e-pedal. I get the same distance.
Re: "E-Step will slow down much harder when going at highway speeds than B mode does. B mode allows more coasting, " I've tested it; try it yourself. Pick a level roadway and at 60mph, take your foot off the accelerator. See how far you until 15mph. Try it for both B mode and e-pedal. I get the same distance.
I tried all three, plus the three drive modes, very early on (slowing from 75mph instead of 60 for that part), and haven't turned on e-Pedal since, so probably should try it again. I would encourage you to do the same.
I've been carefully watching the various YouTube Ariya casts and noted, when I can see the driver's dash display, about 1/2 of the Ariyas show e-Step and the other 1/2 show e-Pedal. Also, on some casts, they show the console setting switches, some show e-Pedal and some e-Step. I can't figure out if the difference is geographical or trim level.

e-Step behaves exactly like my Leaf with e-pedal off and drive mode set to "B". With e-Pedal off and "B" on and ProPilot on, the car comes to a complete stop if the car in front stops; I don't need to use the brakes.

It's obvious, the only difference is between e-Pedal and e-Step is the firmware and possibly the switch on the console.

I've asked my dealer if they'd check with Nissan to see if my car come with e-Step, they can modify the firmware, and maybe the switch, for me.

I'd appreciate anyone who has info on this issue to way-in.

Just thought of a option for Nissan to consider. Let the driver select e-Pedal or e-Step in the vehicle settings.
My 2023 Premier FWD Ariya came with e-Step, with no ask from me since this is our 1st EV. So it cam withe-Step by defauLt.
Just got home from my experiment and have a question: Do you normally drive in ECO mode?
I normally drive in Standard mode. I'm a Software Engineer by profession, but live on a farm in the country. I mention that just to explain how I have 55 mph roads with no cars behind me for doing this kind of crazy thing. It also helps that I left work early today. Car was at roughly 65-75% SOC, so plenty of room for regen. Also, all of this is in my Ariya Evolve+ trim. I don't have a Leaf and have never driven one.

Basic procedure: Started off in B mode. Get up to a given speed, turn e-Step either on or off, remove foot from the accelerator and see how hard the car decelerates (yeah, super scientific, but this was just to see if my previous observations were at all right - ends up it was enough). I tried this at 35, 45, and 60 and the difference between e-Step on and e-Step off in B mode was unmistakable for all of them.

I had a thought though, and put the car into ECO mode and did the same thing. There was a difference at 35 that was still noticeable, but a lot less obvious. At 45, I think there was a difference, but it really could have been in my head or a result of road variation. At 60 I didn't perceive any difference.

Went back to Standard mode and tested 60 again before I got home just to make sure - still obvious.

If you normally drive in ECO mode, we could both be right. Try it in Standard mode to see. I didn't try Sport mode. If you're driving a Leaf and it doesn't behave this way, then they could just be different.
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Mine is a 2020 Leaf; but, my 2018 was the same.
I always use e-pedal. D-mode and B-mode act exactly the same if e-pedal is on.
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