I'm a little baffled by some remarks about not " using the brakes". Certainly on my 08 I feel that a very light touch on the brakes is very, very useful for moderating speed and gaining charge! I've coasted downhill many a mile, using a light brake pedal to hold just below that 40mph trigger and getting my traction battery back up to full charge. On the 08, like I and the thread starter have, light braking is 99.999% regenerative. My brakes have over 200,000 miles to prove it!

I suspect that other years behave differently, but not all other years, because my 09 likes light braking too.

 

The other half of "not using the brakes" is shifting into low for the regen effect. This does the same as if tapping the brake pedal lightly without the possibility of the brake pads wearing a touch. However you'll note on the charge/assist gauge that the regen effect with the brakes is stronger than the regen effect with the shifter in low. So play it as you will with the brake pedal vs the Low shifter.

Also if there is a fault in the wheel speed sensor circuits you can lose brake pedal regen. You'll still have regen with the shifter in low when that happens,

 

Whether you have an '08 or an '09, I'd suggest watching the tachometer when you shift into Low. If the engine is shut off and then starts running, or if it's running and the rpm's increase when you shift into Low, then you're wasting energy by flapping all those engine parts around , or flapping them around faster.

Pressing the brake pedal, so far as I know, does not cause the engine rpm's to increase and so is the best way to ensure maximum regeneration.

And for extremely long steep descents where the capacity of the traction battery will be exceeded, I downshift to Low. When the battery is full and you still need braking, 100% of the braking will be done by the mechanical brakes. If I "waste" energy by using Low, and causing wasteful higher engine rpm's, then it will take longer to fill up the battery and I'll be lower on the descent before all the braking is with the mechanical brakes. I may also use the a/c, seat heaters etc. to waste additional energy.

This applies to the '09. I don't know if it applies to the '08 because no one has told me if the '08 increases rpm's when you shift into Low.

 

When using the brake pedal for regen, does it matter whether I am in L or D to get maximum regen? I've asked this several times over the years but can't get an answer.

 

It's different between the -pre '09's and the '09-'12. Maybe the simplest approach is: When coasting or slowing, whatever configuration minimizes the engine rpm's maximizes regeneration.

In the '09, using Low causes higher engine rpm's. Like engine braking with a non-hybrid. Leaving it in D and using the brakes allows maximum regeneration. The reason is that the faster the engine is turning over when you are not on the throttle, the more energy the engine is wasting from friction losses.

 

With your 2007, in general I would recommend using the brakes unless you need to slow down quickly, or to maintain speed downhill. I believe you will get a bit more regen in L, but running that way is inefficient - it causes the FEH to slow down, and you need to glide to maximize MPG.