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By now, most of us in the EV world have either experienced or heard about regenerative braking. It’s this surprisingly pleasant feature that helps recharge your battery every time you ease off the accelerator, at least when the road is dry. But in snow and ice? That’s where things get complicated. And today, thanks to a story from Tesla owner Rich Gill, we’re going deep into the unexpectedly slippery side of regenerative braking and whether it’s time for Tesla to rethink how it handles winter driving modes, especially for drivers who didn’t grow up in the Arctic.
Here’s what Rich shared recently in the Tesla Tips & Tricks group on Facebook:
“I purchased a new 2024 Tesla Model Y Long Range last year, and added the acceleration boost. Almost a year later I totaled it when I let off the accelerator, while driving slowly in a snow storm; it just went sideways and off into a ditch. I believe the regenerative braking locked the wheels and turned it into a sled.
I was planning on getting the exact same Model Y LR, just a year newer. That is until, I realized the performance models were nearly $9,000 off. So it wound up being cheaper than the Model Y LR, and I wouldn’t have to spend the extra 2k for the acceleration boost. Score!
Now that I have it, it seems slower than the Model Y LR. Anyone ever experience that? Maybe it has to do with the wheels being a smaller diameter? It’s most notable when I accelerate, slow down a bit, and accelerate again. It’s like it has less juice on the second hit, where the LR didn’t seem to have that much of a decline.”
Now that’s a story worth slowing down for – regen pun intended.
This isn’t just about one Tesla in a ditch. Rich’s experience opens up a broader and very real concern for EV drivers — especially those new to driving in slippery conditions. Regenerative braking is a revolutionary feature, no doubt about that. If you’re not familiar with how it works, take a moment to read this breakdown on regenerative braking and how it functions in EVs and Tesla vehicles. The article explains the fundamentals and even goes into why it’s generally great — except when it isn’t.
What Rich described — the car suddenly going sideways after lifting off the accelerator — is an example of how unchecked regenerative braking can feel unlikeable when traction is already compromised. That “sled” moment he experienced sounds eerily familiar to some Model 3 and Y owners in snowy areas.
Torleif Theodorsen, a Tesla driver from Norway (a country that basically lives in a snow globe for half the year), had this to say in the same thread:
“I am Norwegian and must say that I am surprised that you perceive the regen in relation to the driving conditions. Test friction by braking hard and assess the speed accordingly. Winter tires are a must.. you don’t go out in slippers, do you?”
He’s right. Tires matter. But even with winter tires, drivers report strange behavior when regen kicks in on black ice or powdery roads. Some even say that Teslas need a specific slippery-snow setting — something better than the existing Off-Road Assist. Yes, Off-Road Mode exists, and some Model Y owners have used it with mixed results in the snow. But does it really adjust regen braking or just tweak traction control? Tesla hasn’t made that clear, which adds to the mystery — and the risk.
Kimberly Brinson chimed in with a solid piece of advice:
“It’s best to turn off regen braking in snowy conditions. Glad you were ok. Hard to tell from your pictures but it didn’t look like much damage unless it damaged the batteries.”
Some drivers, especially in Norway, have expressed similar concerns. James Hooker added:
“I read lots of complaints about the regen braking on slippery winter roads here in Norway. I personally haven’t had an issue yet (4 winters with my M3LR), so I’m not sure if it’s down to different tires, technique or what. But definitely lots of people saying the regen should be able to be disabled on snow and ice.”
The idea of adjustable regen braking settings for snow makes sense. In fact, it mirrors what Tom McKee, another Tesla owner, did manually:
“I have a 2024 Tesla Model 3 Performance and drove it in the snow a lot this past winter. Impossible to drive in any of the standard modes because of the very real danger I faced when letting off the gas. But, thankfully, since it’s a Performance, I just made a Track Mode setting (I just named it Snow Mode) where I turned the regenerative brakes off all the way with the slider. I used it every time the roads were the least bit slippery and I felt 100% safe.”
He even created a separate “Fun Mode” for snowy parking lots. That’s practical and kind of brilliant. But it raises a question: why should drivers need to create a workaround for something that could be a factory option? Shouldn’t safety in hazardous driving conditions be part of the baseline, not a DIY project?
This brings us to a wider issue in EV design: adaptive driving modes.
Many modern vehicles — especially luxury gas and hybrid SUVs like the Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid – come equipped with automatic terrain modes that adjust throttle response, brake sensitivity, and traction in real time. Tesla’s software-based interface means they could roll out a true Snow Mode in an over-the-air update – if they wanted to.
And here’s where we can connect a larger trend: the increasing reliance on software settings in EVs to solve mechanical problems. While this offers flexibility, it can also lead to confusion. For newer EV drivers, the idea that your car may suddenly decelerate when you lift your foot – and not because of physical brakes – can be startling. Especially when it causes a spinout.
There’s also an ethical question to ask: Should automakers be commercializing performance add-ons (like Tesla’s Acceleration Boost or FSD) while not offering free, life-saving driving modes for dangerous conditions?
Rich’s upgrade story adds another twist. After totaling his Model Y LR, he realized the Performance model was actually cheaper due to price drops — and it included faster acceleration without having to pay extra for the boost. But now, he says it feels slower, possibly due to different wheel diameters or power management changes. These kinds of software-versus-hardware inconsistencies are worth watching as Tesla continues to update performance through code.
And Rich isn’t alone. In another real-world story, a Tesla Model 3 owner described ditching gas cars entirely after getting used to the smooth power delivery of EVs. But even he admits that regen takes some getting used to — and in bad weather, it’s not always your friend.
So what can help?
Beyond snow tires, one answer may be simpler user access to customizable drive modes – like sliders for regen strength, throttle responsiveness, or automatic weather-detection. If software defines so much of Tesla’s performance identity, then let it also define safety on unpredictable winter roads.
And remember, regenerative brakes do reduce wear on traditional brake pads, but it’s not a myth that they can behave unpredictably in the wrong conditions. For more on that, here’s a solid breakdown on whether regenerative braking truly replaces traditional brakes — or if that’s just hype.
Bottom line? Electric vehicles can be fun, fast, and futuristic – until they start behaving like a sled in the middle of a snowstorm. Rich’s experience reminds us that winter driving is still a real-world test, no matter how advanced your tech is. Maybe it’s time Tesla gave regen braking the same seasonal upgrade that boots and coats get.
Have you had a moment where regenerative braking surprised you in snow or ice? Do you think Tesla should offer a real Snow Mode that adjusts regen and throttle response automatically? Let us know your experience in the comments below. Your feedback might just help another driver avoid a snowy slide into a ditch.
Armen Hareyan is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, and Youtube. He has more than a decade of expertise in the automotive industry with a special interest in Tesla and electric vehicles.
Image source: Grok.
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Source: torquenews.com
