Should Tesla Shift to Neutral (N) at Traffic Lights?
3 Answers
Tesla at traffic lights, if the waiting time is short, you can stay in Drive (D) without shifting to Neutral (N); if the waiting time is long, you should shift to Neutral (N) and apply the brake. Relevant information is as follows: 1. Note: You must keep the brake pedal pressed at traffic lights (for safety reasons). This makes it more convenient—when the light turns green, simply release the brake and press the accelerator to go, easy and straightforward. If the waiting time is longer, over a minute, shift to Neutral (N) and apply the brake or engage the parking brake. 2. Recommendation: After shifting to Neutral (N), always engage the parking brake or press the brake pedal, because the car is in neutral at this time, and the driveshaft has no restraining force. Any external force can cause the car to move, especially on a slope, where inertia can easily cause the vehicle to move, leading to accidents.
When waiting at a red light in my Tesla, I basically don't shift to N gear because the car's automatic hold function is super practical. When stopped at a red light, I release the brake pedal and the car stays firmly in place, allowing my foot to rest. Shifting to N gear would be redundant, and there's even a concern about the car rolling on a slope. Tesla designed the car with these scenarios in mind. Normally, I mainly keep it in D gear, and when the light turns green, a light press on the accelerator gets me moving—effortless and worry-free. Occasionally, if the stop is long, like more than a few minutes, I'll shift to P gear to let the system rest, but for red lights lasting just tens of seconds, it's completely unnecessary. After driving this car, I find driving much more relaxing, and I always recommend friends to use the built-in functions more and manual operations less—the automatic hold is designed for this purpose.
As a Tesla owner who uses it for daily commuting, I drive it to and from work every day, encountering countless traffic lights. I tried shifting to Neutral once but found it pointless—the car's Auto Hold feature is excellent; once stopped, releasing the brake pedal keeps the car stationary without needing to change gears. I prefer keeping it in Drive (D) to handle everything, ensuring quick starts and avoiding mistakes. While waiting at red lights, I enjoy playing music or checking navigation—it's quite relaxing. Personally, I feel shifting to Neutral risks forgetting to return to Drive, causing unnecessary hassle. Tesla's software automates everything seamlessly. Paying attention to traffic signals is far more crucial than fiddling with gears—this ensures smooth and safe driving.
