On June 3, Tesla responded to market rumors about the potential ban of its single pedal mode. The company stated that this standard has not yet been officially released and implemented, and it does not affect existing products and functions.
Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) solicited public comments on a mandatory national standard, "Technical Requirements and Test Methods for Passenger Car Braking Systems," which includes changes to the application conditions for energy recovery braking functions in new energy vehicles. The deadline for comments is July 27, 2024. In this context, there have been speculations that Tesla's single pedal mode might be banned.
According to Section 5.2.18(f), for vehicles with Type A or both Type A and Type B electric regenerative braking systems, the braking effect achieved by releasing the accelerator pedal in the forward gear should not decelerate the vehicle to a stop.
Type A electric regenerative systems are not considered as service brake regenerative systems, meaning they achieve energy recovery by releasing the accelerator pedal. Type B electric regenerative systems are considered as service brake regenerative systems, meaning they achieve energy recovery by pressing the brake pedal. In layman's terms, after the implementation of the new national standard, releasing the accelerator pedal can still recover energy and decelerate the vehicle, but an additional brake pedal application is required to bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
The document notes that with the gradual widespread application of Type A electric regenerative braking systems, drivers have developed the habit of using the accelerator pedal to achieve braking and stopping, which may lead to misuse or errors in emergency braking situations. To clarify the positioning of Type A electric regeneration as an auxiliary braking system, this requirement was proposed after thorough industry research and discussion. The aim is to guide drivers to develop good driving habits and ensure driving safety. Considering the current state of industry technology and products, a separate transition period is provided for this clause.
