[Rbrian]

I've just picked up my new Vivaro e. I spent most of the morning transferring a literal tonne of tools and equipment from my old diesel Vivaro (actually a rebadged Renault Trafic).

This afternoon, I drove it for the first time, and did 31 miles and one single job. The only EV I've driven regularly before this was my friend's MG5, which has auto hold. The Vivaro creeps forward, like a traditional automatic. I don't like sitting at the lights with my foot on the brake, blinding those behind me and tiring my leg. In a manual I'd change to neutral, put the handbrake on, and have a rest.

What should I do? Put it in Park? Leave it in Drive and just put the parking brake on? Change to Neutral?

Leaving it in Drive and using the parking brake seems fine, but I don't know what I don't know.

 

[Pmholling]

I wonder why Stellantis have done that? Would be interesting to see of the motor remains energised at a stop in these cases. If it’s smart enough to de-energise it at a stop with the brake on will it do the same with the parking brake.

 

[Rbrian]

I wonder why Stellantis have done that? Would be interesting to see of the motor remains energised at a stop in these cases. If it’s smart enough to de-energise it at a stop with the brake on will it do the same with the parking brake.

The power needle stays at zero, so it doesn't seem to be trying to creep. The parking brake is quite clever - when I finish the journey I don't have to do anything but turn the key, it automatically puts it into Park and puts the parking brake on.

I think they did it to make it easier for those used to fossil vehicles to get used to it. There's virtually no visual difference, inside or out, between the fossil and electric versions. It's not a weird special electric vehicle like a BMW i3, it's just a normal vehicle that happens to have a different power source. It drives just like a posh fossil automatic, quiet and smooth (I rented a Mercedes Vito minibus with an auto box, I could hear the gear changes but not feel them).

 

[Peirpoint]

Auto hold on my Qashqai appeared work in a different way to putting the handbrake on.
At the minute I've got a Corsa 1.2 Turbo and I've been so used to holding the Mokka on the footbrake I've not given it any thought.

When I got the Mokka the dealer said to just keep your foot gently on the brake pedal.

I hate people who keep the stop lights on when I'm behind them but nobody has flashed me or got stroppy about it. It seems if you only press the pedal lightly enough to stop the vehicle creeping that the brake lights don't come on.
Have a go tonight, see if you can catch the reflection in the window of your house.

Gaz

 

[TomH]

This is just a suggestion since I have never even seen a van like yours. In my VW ID3, if you come to a stop gently and smoothly by just lifting off the accelerator, it will not stop completely but goes into a slow creep, like an old-fashioned automatic. You then come to a full stop with the foot brake. Taking your foot off the foot brake leaves the parking brake applied by the autohold. Just apply the accelerator to move off. It's worth noting that the amount parking brake you get is proportionate to the pressure on the footbrake. So if you feather it to a stop, it is only just on. This can result in imperceptible movement and an alarming creaking noise if you are on a hill.

 

[Peirpoint]

This is just a suggestion since I have never even seen a van like yours. In my VW ID3, if you come to a stop gently and smoothly by just lifting off the accelerator, it will not stop completely but goes into a slow creep, like an old-fashioned automatic. You then come to a full stop with the foot brake. Taking your foot off the foot brake leaves the parking brake applied by the autohold. Just apply the accelerator to move off. It's worth noting that the amount parking brake you get is proportionate to the pressure on the footbrake. So if you feather it to a stop, it is only just on. This can result in imperceptible movement and an alarming creaking noise if you are on a hill.

Except none of the stellantis vehicles appear to have autohold. Irritating.
The handbrake can be engaged but if you put it on manually it has a bit of a hissy if you then try to drive off.

Gaz

 

[Hilltop Dave]

Sounds like how my 13 Reg Nissan Leaf behaves. What I do at lights is to engage the (left foot operated) parking brake and put the 'gear' into Neutral. This enables a quick get-away (into gear and release the parking brake, while simultaneously applying a little accelerator) at lights - if I put it into Park, I have to depress the main brake pedal to get it from Park into Drive, and then transfer my right foot from the main brake to the accelerator to get moving.

 

[Rbrian]

Except none of the stellantis vehicles appear to have autohold. Irritating.
The handbrake can be engaged but if you put it on manually it has a bit of a hissy if you then try to drive off.

Gaz

It take as long to come off as it does to come on - nearly a full second, which doesn't sound like much, but it's enough to start rolling if you take your foot off the brake when you press the button!

I'm used to manual handbrakes, that old Vivaro had more in common with a steam train - you had to move the levers with a lot of strength, and finesse and mechanical sympathy, and you could feel all the linkages. It was hard work to drive, but satisfying. This new one is very easy to drive, I could do it in my sleep!

 

[Peirpoint]

It take as long to come off as it does to come on - nearly a full second, which doesn't sound like much, but it's enough to start rolling if you take your foot off the brake when you press the button!

I'm used to manual handbrakes, that old Vivaro had more in common with a steam train - you had to move the levers with a lot of strength, and finesse and mechanical sympathy, and you could feel all the linkages. It was hard work to drive, but satisfying. This new one is very easy to drive, I could do it in my sleep!

Is the Corsa still arriving at any time soon?
At least you'll have familiarity with that from driving the van.

Gaz

 

[Tim_P]

Except none of the stellantis vehicles appear to have autohold. Irritating.
The handbrake can be engaged but if you put it on manually it has a bit of a hissy if you then try to drive off.

Gaz

I too hate sitting at stop with my foot on the brake so on the e208 I just put the ‘handbrake’ on (silly switch) then simply press go and drive off, no hissy from it at all.

 

[Rbrian]

Is the Corsa still arriving at any time soon?
At least you'll have familiarity with that from driving the van.

Gaz

No idea if it will even arrive this year. It was supposed to be 12-16 weeks when I ordered a month ago, but stuff happened, and new orders are now 40 weeks. Mine still doesn't have a build date. It's a good thing I don't need a car to get to work, I park my van at home. Only a couple more weeks until my Zappi is installed, until then I'll have to rely on public charging. At this rate I'll only need to charge once or twice a week.

 

[Peirpoint]

I too hate sitting at stop with my foot on the brake so on the e208 I just put the ‘handbrake’ on (silly switch) then simply press go and drive off, no hissy from it at all.

Maybe mine is a combination of me not having a seat belt on at the time.
It goes to go but the handbrake doesn't release without the car either riding up or hankering down (depending on direction) so I'll give it another go when I get it back from the service.
Apparently there are a few odd differences that people don't consider but it's been a bit odd driving a petrol Corsa for a few days. That's what's got me thinking again about stopping in traffic.

The worst thing I ever did was put it in park, when in traffic you tend to completely forget how the bloody thing works.

😖

Gaz

 

[Rbrian]

worst thing I ever did was put it in park, when in traffic you tend to completely forget how the bloody thing works.

😖

Gaz

The first time I drove an auto, the hire car company didn't give me the category B, Fiesta or similar, I'd requested, they gave me a class A. Mercedes A Class! I put the handbrake on and the shifter into either N or P, I forget which. Revving the engine when the lights turned green I couldn't understand why it wouldn't go into drive. There was a fair queue by the time I'd figured out I needed to press the brake!

I think I'm going to leave it in D and just use the parking brake, that's simple to do, and to go again I just need to press the accelerator. I wonder if that would have worked with that petrol Mercedes?

 

[Peirpoint]

The first time I drove an auto, the hire car company didn't give me the category B, Fiesta or similar, I'd requested, they gave me a class A. Mercedes A Class! I put the handbrake on and the shifter into either N or P, I forget which. Revving the engine when the lights turned green I couldn't understand why it wouldn't go into drive. There was a fair queue by the time I'd figured out I needed to press the brake!

I think I'm going to leave it in D and just use the parking brake, that's simple to do, and to go again I just need to press the accelerator. I wonder if that would have worked with that petrol Mercedes?

What gets me in trouble is I always forget to ask how to open the fuel, flap.
The levers are usually somewhere you don't expect.

This time I did ask only to be told you just press the flap and it pops open.

I'd never have found the release for that one then!


Gaz

 

[Kreukel]

Leaving it in Drive and using the parking brake seems fine, but I don't know what I don't know.

That's what I do with my Peugeot version of the same van, leave it in drive, pull the parking brake switch, the parking brake auto releases when you touch the accelerator. Anything else needs a press on the brake before you can go.

 

[DanPaul]

My Tesla is set to auto hold, but it doesn't turn off the brake lights. I don't like that.

 

[Rbrian]

My Tesla is set to auto hold, but it doesn't turn off the brake lights. I don't like that.

Nor do the drivers behind you!

 

[DanPaul]

Nor do the drivers behind you!

Exactly!! I was told on my driving lessons "if you're gonna be stopped for a few seconds or more, use the handbrake" and in every other car I've had I've always done it second nature for the sake of people behind me.

 

[6825]

Most automatic drivers sit on the brake. I was always aware that it's annoying, as I hate drivers in front of me doing it, but it was easier. New cars I have both have autohold and turn off the brake lights which I feel is much more courteous. ID3 and Superb iV both have reliable autohold which I much prefer.

 

[Rbrian]

Exactly!! I was told on my driving lessons "if you're gonna be stopped for a few seconds or more, use the handbrake" and in every other car I've had I've always done it second nature for the sake of people behind me.

My driving instructor didn't mention it, but the first time I was sat behind someone with their brake lights blinding me, I made sure never to do that myself. It's as bad as leaving full beam headlights on!

Have you tried leaving it in drive and just putting the handbrake on? I've seen another thread from a couple of years ago asking the same question, this time in a Corsa, and the conclusion was the same. Perhaps it's just a Stellantis thing, but it's got to be worth trying.

What do you do at stop lights without auto-hold

Hi all, Sorry if this seems like a bit of an odd questions. I'm just wondering what everyone does when waiting at a stop light. Do you keep your foot on the brake, or engage the park mode, or even the EPB (electronic parking brake)? I'm coming from having a manual transmission with a manual...

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