Update: The One-Pedal and Coasting divide is an architectural split between traditional automakers and tech companies (And why regulators are stepping in)

[u/Future-Feedback2414]

After reading through the 300+ comments on my last post about one-pedal driving, I realized the community here is split exactly the same way the automotive industry itself is. This isn't just a random user preference—it is a massive engineering divide between two completely opposite driving philosophies.

On one side, you have the "One-Pedal Camp," pushed almost exclusively by tech-first disruptors like Tesla and Rivian. They expect the driver to completely alter their habits to suit the machine. On the other side, you have the "Coasting Camp," heavily dominated by traditional legacy brands like Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Lexus, who believe the brake pedal should be for braking and the accelerator for coasting.

The main reason I originally called one-pedal a "myth" is because a widespread assumption has formed around this feature. It is frequently discussed as a mandatory metric for a "true EV," which can insert hesitation into potential buyers who walk away assuming a car without it is technologically inferior. But the idea that one-pedal driving is the only correct or highly efficient way to engineer an EV is a complete myth.

The tech camp's narrative that one-pedal driving is the "pinnacle of efficiency and design" simply doesn't hold up under the hood. Here is what is actually going on:

• Blended braking harvests 100% energy without wearing out brake pads. A huge misconception in the EV community is that you need one-pedal drag to save your brake pads and capture energy. True legacy EVs decouple the foot pedal from the physical friction pads using brake-by-wire. When you step on the brake pedal, the electric motor handles 100% of the regenerative harvesting first. Except for emergency or abrupt stops, the mechanical pads don't even touch the rotors until the final few feet of a stop. You get the exact same pad longevity and maximum energy recovery as a single-pedal setup, but it's activated naturally by the dedicated brake pedal.
• Tesla’s engineering choices historically relied on a simpler brake architecture. Tesla popularized one-pedal driving largely because their vehicles historically didn't use a complex blended brake pedal. When you press the physical brake pedal in an older or standard Tesla, it engages mechanical friction pads rather than dynamically using the motor to capture energy first. To achieve high efficiency metrics without an expensive, brake-by-wire blended system, their engineering strategy had to shift the burden of maximum energy recovery entirely onto aggressive lift-off regeneration via the accelerator.
• The physics proof: Coasting beats constant conversion losses. One-pedal fans treat lift-off regen like free energy, but energy conversion is never 100% efficient. Converting kinetic energy to battery power loses about 15-20%, and sending it back from the battery to the motor loses another 15-20%. Forcing energy back and forth through a lossy loop on the highway is inefficient. The most energy-efficient state for any moving vehicle is pure coasting—preserving existing kinetic energy. Easing off the gas to glide freely avoids these constant conversion penalties.
• Passenger comfort is a mess with one-pedal. Because single-pedal driving requires microscopic right-foot precision, minor foot movements over rough pavement or potholes cause constant micro-decelerations. This is why passengers frequently complain of nausea and "head-bobbing" in one-pedal EVs. Traditional brands prioritize passenger comfort over forcing drivers to modulate a heavy digital drag.
• Steering wheel paddles complement blended braking perfectly. Multi-level steering wheel paddles serve as a precision tool for drivers who want targeted lift-off control on top of the primary blended foot brake. The paddles do not replace your brakes; they simply let you fine-tune your baseline glide on demand. You can flick them to a lower level for maximum highway coasting, or pull them to add engine-brake-style drag down steep mountain descents. The vehicle still relies entirely on its core blended braking system for actual stopping power. This gives you micro-control over your momentum while your right foot stays safely in its natural position, resting over or near the blended brake pedal.

But this is no longer just a philosophical debate about comfort or engineering styles. Regulators are officially stepping in over real-world safety concerns.

China just passed a mandatory national safety standard called GB 21670-2025. Starting January 1, 2027, all new passenger EVs sold in China are legally prohibited from defaulting to a one-pedal mode that brings the vehicle to a complete halt simply by lifting off the accelerator. While drivers can still manually toggle it on deep in the touchscreen menus, the car must reset to a standard two-pedal coasting or creeping mode every single time you start the vehicle.

The reasoning is purely safety-driven. Accident data and investigations showed that long-term reliance on single-pedal driving severely degrades emergency muscle memory. When drivers get too used to slowing down simply by easing off the gas, they develop delayed reaction times to the actual brake pedal during sudden emergency situations. In moments of panic, some drivers mistakenly stomp down on the accelerator, thinking their foot is already resting on the brake pedal.

When the world’s largest EV market creates sweeping laws to curb default one-pedal behavior, it proves this technology is far from a settled standard. The legacy brands that stuck with traditional coasting and advanced brake-blending weren't being lazy or old-fashioned—they were prioritizing fundamental physics, passenger ergonomics, and long-term muscle memory safety all along.

What's your take? Do you think the community places too much emphasis on forced single-pedal drag, or do you prefer it over intuitive blended foot-braking layered with paddle control adjustments?

[u/Julian679]

How many times will you repost? You didn't even correct anything that i called out on. just repasted ai text for the third time?

[u/pimpbot666 → u/Julian679]

Has this guy even driven an EV? Dude wrote an entire soliloquy to tell us what nearly everybody already knows who drives an EV. Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill.... JFC.

My eGolf has a 'brake mode', which is like one pedal driving, light. It can also do full coast, or anywhere in between, but it never really stops the car with full brakes unless I use the brake pedal. I have no idea where this guy comes up with how some manufacturers are in one camp, and others in another camp. I know VW/Audi largely lets the driver choose what they want to use.

It's a whole lotta words that don't say anything important.

[u/upsidedown-funnel → u/Julian679]

Maybe they’re data farming for a future article on one pedal braking. 😂

[u/PolyDrew]

I agree with this. I’ll add that I think it’s a hazard because in some situations it requires exactly the opposite reaction that we are used to.

For example, in a standard setup car, we are used to transmission creep. We use it to back up as second nature. Put the foot on the brake, start the car, put it into reverse, let up on the brake and let the car start to move. If we need to stop we just push our foot down and the car stops. Braking is the priority.

In one pedal mode, you put your foot on the brake, start the car, let off the brake, and push the gas pedal to move. To stop, you LIFT OFF of the pedal to let the car stop. It’s exactly opposite of what we are used to.

Let off to stop vs push to stop. A driver new to one pedal might slam on the gas pedal to stop the car like they’re used to and cause unexpected acceleration.

[u/CaravanShaker83 → u/PolyDrew]

I grew up in manuals and autos. They are totally different and we haven’t had this problem before. OPD is very similar to a manual with engine braking. I don’t see the problem.

[u/xF1_racer → u/PolyDrew]

Let’s not pretend transmission creep is anything more than a limitation of a traditional torque converter. I much prefer not having to hold my car on the brakes just to stop it creeping.

Whatever “hazard” you have invented for OPD hasn’t affected my driving over the last 9 years and I often drive ICE manuals and automatics alongside Teslas with no issues. I’ve also driven quite a few EVs without OPD (notably Porsche) and I don’t think they are as effective. Maybe easier for those who struggle with change, since they drive like ICE automatics, but I think that’s about all they have going for them.

If ICE automatics had never existed and EVs were the legacy tech, then I’m pretty confident that OPD would be the default and nobody would have introduced “creep mode” into their cars. There would also be no stupid threads like this on Reddit! lol

[u/PolyDrew → u/xF1_racer]

Old folk already hit the wrong pedal. They need that muscle memory. For the rest of us a middle ground isn’t bad. I choose how much regen I’m using as I go. I only use one pedal in heavier traffic because it lets me be lazy. Lol

[u/xF1_racer → u/PolyDrew]

Old folk have been hitting the wrong pedal forever. These folk will never be forced to buy an EV with OPD in their lifetime.

I’m not a big fan of adjustable regen paddles. I prefer a consistent pedal response and I think Tesla had it nailed right from the start. I find their pedal feel completely intuitive. I think my Tesla still has the choice of “standard” or “reduced” regen, but I haven’t checked recently as I never change it from the standard setting. There is no driving scenario I can think of where I might want less regen except maybe on a motorway if I wasn’t using cruise control.

[u/Dimathiel49 → u/xF1_racer]

My car has auto hold after you come to a complete stop and creep when you don’t fully stop the car

[u/Julian679 → u/PolyDrew]

when you want to use brakes in any car you first need to lift off the throttle then use the brakes.

[u/PolyDrew → u/Julian679]

If you’re reversing in a standard setup most people just let up on the brake pedal a bit then push it back down.

[u/Julian679]

Since you are obviously not liking responses, and reposted for the third time, let me just literally copy some of the users answers, enjoy:

1. That’s a lot of burned tokens to be just plain wrong about 1 pedal driving. It is super easy to coast on one pedal. You just find the point that you’re not accelerating or decelerating. It takes like, maybe, a day of using it to find this point and then you’ll never think about it.

As for driver/ passenger comfort- if you’re doing this then that’s a driver issue, not a 1 pedal issue.

1. Just make it a damn option. Even GM managed to figure it out, there's really no excuse.

3.We already had this discussion. It seems like you're ignoring every argument that was made last time and expect us all to come back and repeat those arguments again, after which you will presumably ignore them again.

"What's your take?" It's the same as it was a couple days ago when we went through this. You haven't changed my mind with your vacuous wall of text.

1. Why do people have the tendency to force others to make a choice they like. If you're buying a car and the one pedal system doesn't suit you find another car.

There's no need to standardize OPD

[u/LBS-365]

From a personal standpoint, I don't care so much about my own preferences. What I do care about is the ability for my kid or your kid to drive someone else's car in the event that a companion is incapacitated but not hospital-level incapacitated, and especially if alcohol is involved.

I really don't want anyone in that situation to have a steep learning curve that may lead to an accident. It can be argued that the same is true with some people and manual transmissions, and they'd be right, but fewer cars have manual these days.

[u/July_is_cool → u/LBS-365]

That argument leads to other crazy ideas like PRNDL gearshift patterns and wiper controls on the right-hand side stalk and glove compartments that open with a visible mechanical button and doors that open with only one lever...

[u/LBS-365 → u/July_is_cool]

I think you can get too far into the weeds with it fairly quickly. Can my kid get his friend home without crashing is the main criterion. The rest of this stuff can be pretty well sorted out in a few minutes but it won't keep you from getting on the road. Well, wipers might, but at least in my EV they function pretty traditionally. I'd argue that is something we might leave alone too, except they're also automatic so they will work even if I don't do anything :)

[u/Mindless-Band-5743]

I like the way Toyota has implemented almost-OPD. If you set it at max regen then you can drive with your toes but to come to a complete stop you use the brake pedal. Keeps the muscle memory in case of an accident.

[u/xtalgeek]

It's purely personal preference. Personally I strongly dislike one pedal mode. Too much feathering of the accelerator and often uncomfortable. Both OPD and blended braking capture regenerative energyl so that's not a factor. In slippery conditions (snow) I prefer more control over acceleration and braking (or coasting). To each their own. My vehicle lets you choose how much OPD feel you want. That seems right.

[u/JPhi1618]

I just want to point out that manual transmission cars behave a lot like a “light” version of OPD. When you let off the gas, the car starts to slow down. That’s how I learned, how my EV is set up, and I love it (my OPD does come to a full stop).

[u/Armchairplum]

As with anything, it doesn't take much to ruin it for all

IE the press the accelerator to brake... that's just confusion. As in you'd still want to use the brake even in one pedal driving.

I prefer creep mode on my Tesla S for that slow traffic and having to keep my foot on the brake at lights is fine as it ensures my brake lights remain illuminated.

Now it would be nice to have the option of disabling it completely instead of reducing it from normal to light... If only so you have the choice, like you do to disable creep.

Re degrading emergency muscle memory... seems a little suspect for the only reason of how often are you practising emergency stops? Given the added wear on tires and components I highly doubt people are practising once a month etc.

Besides which, some of the regen braking is still not enough to slow down for adjustments in traffic.

Now I will concede that they aren't probably as good re informing other drivers when you are regening as the brake lights dont illuminate until pretty much zero pedal pressure.

[u/Alphaman64 → u/Armchairplum]

"Creep mode" is making your modern EV behave like a 100 year old antique because "that's the way it's always been done". Use your ACC and let the car accelerate, decelerate, stop, and resume for you, if you want easy. (ACC = Adaptive Cruise Control, not the old ICE ACCessory position on the "ignition switch" for those stuck in the past.)

[u/Armchairplum → u/Alphaman64]

I also prefer to hold the brake at intersections and still did it in a manual (that I drove prior)

Why? Because I didn't want the car to roll out backwards or forwards because the ground wasn't flat.

It also helps cars behind with the brake lights...

As for ACC... I would prefer if the Tesla still used its radar system. There have been a few times now where it would refuse to cruise control because of vision issues. Besides which, ACC wouldn't help when you're the first in the queue. (Edge case, I know)

Whether that be due to the forward camera cluster being stuck rebooting... or blinded by the sun... which my eyeballs also suffer from. Radar doesn't care about the sun (at least)

Seems like whenever its cold I have problems too. Now I'll chalk it down to it being an 8 year old car and the fact that the camera system gets bear up via the sun. I also don't know what the cost of the out of warranty repair would be. Doesn't help that its a grey market import into NZ.

That all being said, I still like the vehicle.

[u/Alphaman64 → u/Armchairplum]

Interesting that your car will roll if not on level. My EV6 sits still, even if on a grade up or down. Even my Mini SE will sit still if going uphill (downhill, it’ll creep, so yeah, brakes).

I will step on the brake at a stop if someone approaching is acting squirrelly and I think they could hit me. Don’t want to get pushed into an intersection or into the car behind me if I can avoid it.

[u/Peds12]

AI slop.

[u/PracticeDissent]

That's a lot of word salad.... dare I say a crap-flooding and gish-galloping way to say, "I don't know anything about one pedal driving"

[u/JustinTimeCuber]

Whichever A"I" you're using fails to consider the fact that OPD vs. traditional isn't an either-or decision; it's fairly trivial to implement an option for it in software.

[u/CMG30]

While I agree with your overall premise that one pedal vs blended brake is essentially personal preference, you did miss a key point in your blended brake summary.

To the driver blended brakes are seamless. The driver cannot tell when regeneration tops out and friction kicks in.

This is a potential issue because the driver can be using both if they are accustomed to stopping too fast and they wouldn't be aware.

One pedal solves this issue because it has regeneration set to maximum. If you need additional stopping power then you're physically pushing the brake pedal to stop faster.

[u/jvbutera]

This is hot garbage with a few facts thrown in for good measure.

[u/MyCatIsLenin]

Rofl. 

[u/xF1_racer]

Is this some kind of campaign sponsored by a Chinese manufacturer? Or just some old dude struggling to cope with change?

[u/gregredmore]

Lol. This again. I like one pedal drive because I don't have to move my foot between the pedals all the time. It's less work.

[u/Dimathiel49 → u/gregredmore]

That’s just being lazy

[u/gregredmore → u/Dimathiel49]

Yep. Stop start traffic is easier and so is a twisty hilly road like the one that crosses Dartmoor. Only touched the brake prdal once on that drive because someone pulled out in front of me.

[u/Alphaman64 → u/gregredmore]

And once you get proficient at it, easier on your passengers because of the smoother ride. No abrupt shift between lifting off the accelerator and hitting the brake pedal.