Many traffic control systems are a feature of urban streets. Vehicles on city roads undergo modest deceleration and acceleration when they depart from one location and subsequently reach their destination. Substantial energy loss occurs when a motor vehicle continuously accelerates, then slows down or stops. Regenerative braking technology for cars allows this energy to be captured and used to propel the vehicle, thereby avoiding energy losses.
The regenerative system is becoming increasingly popular, as there are more and more hybrid electric vehicles or fully electric cars on the roads.
What is Regenerative Braking?
This system is widely known as an energy capture method. The process slows down a moving car by converting its kinetic energy into another form of energy, preferably electrical energy, to charge an integrated battery system. This stored charge can then propel the vehicle’s wheels and increase its energy efficiency.
When an electric motor runs forward, it consumes energy from the battery. However, when the same motor operates in reverse, it charges the car’s battery. This is the main science behind this braking mechanism.
When a car moves on the road, it produces substantial kinetic energy due to its speed and mass. In this energy-saving process, an electric traction motor uses the same momentum as the vehicle to generate electrical energy and charge a battery. Otherwise, the momentum will transform into heat energy in the brake discs, which will be useless.
Regenerative Braking vs. Conventional Friction or Dynamic Brakes
After applying force to the brake pedal, the conventional braking system applies friction from the brake pads onto the brake discs, and the car’s wheels gradually stop. The vehicle’s kinetic energy transforms into thermal energy in the braking device. This ultimately results in a waste of gasoline energy due to friction braking.
A relatively advanced idea is dynamic braking. An electric motor would capture the vehicle’s kinetic energy and produce electrical energy, but it is instantly consumed in resistors that release a lot of heat.
However, the regenerative system is a revolutionary process where activating the brake pedal causes the electric motors to stop the moving wheels. Instead, they propel a traction motor in the opposite direction, which generates electricity and charges the onboard battery.
As the technology suggests, the regenerative system is highly efficient for battery-operated electric vehicles. This methodology improves the car’s mileage by 16% to 70%. The efficiency range is wide because the success of this method depends on the driver’s braking style, the vehicle’s heat, and the ambient temperature.
Conclusion
Automotive industry statistics suggest that a standard-size electric vehicle with one occupant traveling at 120 km/h produces kinetic energy of 0.25 kWh/km. If the car uses regenerative braking, this kinetic energy can increase the vehicle’s range by 1.25 km with each braking event. Therefore, new-era electric vehicles offer more energy efficiency than conventional ICEVs. Next time you decide to buy an electric vehicle, be assured that you will save money and the environment at the same time.