A braking mechanism used in electric and hybrid vehicles where the electric traction motor is run in reverse to act as a generator. When the driver lifts off the accelerator or presses the brake pedal, the resistance of the generator slows the car down while sending electricity back to the high-voltage battery. This extends driving range and drastically reduces wear on the traditional friction brakes.
If you set the regenerative braking to maximum, you can practically drive with just one pedal.
Do not mix it up with
- Engine braking: Engine braking uses the internal resistance of a combustion engine to slow down, while regenerative braking uses an electric motor to generate power.
Related terms
Regen
The process of recovering kinetic energy during deceleration in electric and hybrid vehicles.
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.
Brake fade
The loss of stopping power caused by excessive heat buildup in the braking system.