A clipped term for regenerative braking, where the electric traction motor runs in reverse to act as a generator when the driver lifts off the accelerator. This creates drag that slows the vehicle down while sending electricity back into the high-voltage battery. Technicians also use the term for the active regeneration cycle in diesel exhaust systems, where excess fuel is injected to burn off soot in the particulate filter.
The customer says the regen feels weak, so check the battery temperature sensors and see if it's limiting charge current.
In electric vehicles, aggressive regen can extend brake pad life to over 100,000 miles since the friction brakes are rarely used for normal stopping.
Also heard as
- regenerative braking
Related terms
Regenerative braking
A system that slows a vehicle by converting its kinetic energy into electrical energy.
EV
An electric vehicle uses one or more electric motors for propulsion instead of an internal combustion engine.
PHEV
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle combines a combustion engine with a grid-chargeable battery pack.
Diesel particulate filter
An exhaust component that traps and periodically burns off soot from diesel emissions.