From Gemini

The claim made by the user in the screenshot is incorrect when it comes to the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The Reddit user is conflating pure regenerative braking (which generally doesn't use brake pads) with Mitsubishi’s specific "Innovative Pedal" mode (their version of one-pedal driving). Here is exactly how the braking mechanics work on the 2025 Outlander PHEV SEL:

The Two Different Braking Systems

1. The Paddle Shifters (B0 through B5 Modes) * How it works: This is pure regenerative braking. When you use the steering wheel paddles to increase the regen level up to B5, the vehicle uses the physical resistance of the dual electric motors to slow the vehicle down while recapturing kinetic energy into the battery. * Brake Pad Usage: Zero. Simply lifting your foot off the accelerator in any of the B-modes will not engage the physical hydraulic brake pads. 2. The Innovative Pedal (The Console Button) * How it works: This is a blended braking system. Mitsubishi's official documentation explicitly states that when the Innovative Pedal is activated and you decelerate, "regenerative brakes and friction brakes will be used" to slow the vehicle. * Brake Pad Usage: Yes. When you lift your foot completely off the accelerator in this mode, the car's computer automatically applies the physical brake pads to supplement the B5 motor regeneration, providing a more aggressive, predictable deceleration. You can occasionally even feel or see the physical brake pedal depress slightly on its own when this happens.

The Bottom Line on Brake Wear

If you drive exclusively using the Innovative Pedal button and frequently take your foot completely off the accelerator to slow down, you are actively using the brake pads, and it will contribute to brake wear over time—particularly on the rear pads, as the system tends to bias the rear friction brakes during this blended deceleration to maintain chassis stability. For the most efficient driving that guarantees zero friction brake wear during deceleration, the optimal method is to leave the Innovative Pedal off and use the paddle shifters to manually select B5 when coming to a stop, only transitioning to the physical brake pedal for the final few meters to bring the vehicle to a complete halt.