Regenerative braking

Slowing the car by running its electric motor as a generator, recovering energy into the battery instead of wasting it as brake heat.

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When an electrified car slows down, its motor can flip roles and act as a generator: the wheels spin the motor, the motor resists them, slowing the car, and the resulting electricity is stored in the battery. The US Department of Energy describes this as capturing energy normally lost during braking, which a conventional car turns into brake heat.

Fueleconomy.gov says EVs use regenerative braking to recapture and reuse energy that would normally be lost in braking. It advises anticipating stops and braking gently, because hard braking brings in the conventional friction brakes, which do not recover energy.

Some cars let you choose the regen strength, from gentle coasting to strong deceleration when you lift off, taken furthest in one-pedal driving.

Limits worth knowing: fueleconomy.gov says cold weather reduces battery performance, which also affects regenerative braking. The Department of Energy says brake wear is significantly reduced in all-electric vehicles because of regenerative braking.

  1. US DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center, Hybrid Electric Vehicles
    US Department of Energy Accessed
  2. US fueleconomy.gov, Where the Energy Goes: Electric Cars
    US Department of Energy and US EPA Accessed
  3. US fueleconomy.gov, Tips for Hybrids, Plug-in Hybrids, and Electric Vehicles
    US Department of Energy and US EPA Accessed
  4. US fueleconomy.gov, Fuel Economy in Cold Weather
    US Department of Energy and US EPA Accessed
  5. US DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center, Maintenance and Safety of Electric Vehicles
    US Department of Energy Accessed

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