regenerative braking

REGENERATIVE BRAKING : 

Regenerative braking was first invented in 1967 when the American Motor Car Company (commonly referred to as American Motors) created an electrical regenerative brake for their conceptualized electric car. However, Toyota was the first car manufacturer to commercialize regenerative braking systems (RBS) with the Toyota Prius. The Prius was the world’s first mass-market hybrid car and was introduced in the US in July of 2000.

Regenerative braking systems work with hybrid and full-electric vehicles (EVs). And nowadays, this isn’t limited to only cars. Other electric vehicles use regenerative braking, including Electric bicycles , Electric scooters ,Electric skateboards ,Electric railway vehicles .

UNDERSTANDING REGENRATIVE BRAKING :

Regenerative braking was a ground breaking concept introduced in 1967 by the American Motors Corporation. The aim was to enhance a vehicle's range by harnessing the energy produced during braking and utilizing it to power its electrical components. However, despite its innovative design, the technology was only widely adopted once hybrid and electric vehicles became more prevalent.

In contemporary times, regenerative braking systems are an integral part of most hybrid and electric cars, making them significantly more efficient and environmentally friendly. 

Regenerative braking is a clever technology designed to save energy usually wasted during braking. In traditional cars, the kinetic energy generated by braking is transformed into heat and lost in the environment, resulting in a significant waste of energy. However, with regenerative braking, the energy generated during braking is captured and converted into electrical energy to recharge the vehicle's batteries.

While electric and hybrid vehicles rely heavily on regenerative braking, they also have a conventional braking system. The braking force is divided between the two systems, with part assigned to the traditional brakes and the rest allocated to energy regeneration. The regenerative braking control unit determines if both systems are necessary for safe driving and decides whether to store or use the regenerated energy.

Regenerative braking isn't limited to hybrid or electric cars; even conventional cars with petrol or diesel engines use the same principle to charge their batteries and save fuel. Additionally, many electric bikes are now equipped with regenerative braking technology.

How Regenerative Braking Works in Electric Vehicles?

The electric motor in hybrid and electric cars is designed to operate in two directions: one to propel the vehicle and the other to recharge the battery. As a driver lifts their foot off the accelerator pedal and onto the brake, the motor switches directions and regenerates energy stored in the battery.

As a result of this process, the car slows down, and the degree of regenerative braking can vary depending on the car's manufacturer. Different cars can have distinct programming to determine how much energy is regenerated when the driver releases the pedal.

It is important to note that all hybrid and electric cars still have traditional brakes. If the driver presses the brake pedal firmly enough, the hydraulic system will activate, enabling the vehicle to stop quickly, depending on the speed. However, the force required on the pedal to activate the brakes can vary between car models.

Advantages of Regenerative Braking

Regenerative braking offers numerous advantages, making it an increasingly popular technology in the automotive industry. Some of them are listed below:

• Better Fuel Efficiency for Hybrids

Hybrid vehicles are designed to maximize the use of electric motors and reduce reliance on their internal combustion engine. Regenerative braking plays a critical role in this design by helping to keep the battery pack charged, thereby minimizing the need for the engine to power the vehicle. It reduces fuel consumption and saves drivers money on fuel costs.

• Prolongs the Battery Charge

After capturing the energy from regenerative braking, the system converts it into electrical energy and stores it in the vehicle's battery pack. This stored energy can then be used to power the electric motor or other electrical components in the vehicle, which helps to prolong the battery's charge and extend the range of the vehicle.

• Reduces the Wear and Tear on the Vehicle’s Braking System

One of the critical advantages of regenerative braking is that it helps to reduce the wear and tear on the vehicle's brakes, especially in electric and hybrid vehicles where regenerative braking is used in combination with friction brakes. With traditional friction brakes, the moving vehicle's kinetic energy is converted into heat through the friction between the brake pads and the rotor. This process can generate heat, leading to brake fade and wear over time. In contrast, regenerative braking uses the electric motor to slow down the vehicle, reducing the dependency on friction brakes and the associated wear and tear.

Cons of Regenerative Braking

One disadvantage of regenerative braking is that it might be less effective when you are driving at a lower speed. If you are driving more slowly, your car has a smaller amount of kinetic energy and does not need as much braking force. 

This means that the regenerative braking system receives less energy and does not recharge your vehicle's battery very much. Another disadvantage of regenerative braking is that the regenerative braking system might provide you with less stopping power than a conventional braking system. 

Regenerative braking works well in the majority of braking situations where your vehicle gradually slows down and stops. However, regenerative braking may not give you the same stopping power as conventional braking. 

You might have to press down harder on your vehicle's brakes to get the same stopping power when driving a hybrid or electric vehicle with regenerative braking. Newer types of regenerative braking systems are addressing this issue, though. You may not feel a difference in the car's stopping power in newer car models.