What is the meaning of “energy recuperation while braking”? Is this something incorporated into all cars these days? And how do the brakes produce energy?
The term can be confusing because it seems to imply that the brakes have some sort of energy-producing capability.
In actual fact, in cars with an energy-recuperation feature, the brakes are no different from the brakes in any other car. They work by applying friction.
Applying more pressure on the brake pedal increases the friction material acting on the brake discs or drums. Recuperation of energy during braking is possible only on electric vehicles and hybrids with an on-board electric motor designed to harness the momentum of the car to produce electricity.
Each time the accelerator pedal is released or the brake pedal is depressed, the control system in such a car will switch the motor to function as a generator. The electricity produced is fed to high-voltage batteries for storage.
This function contributes to slowing down the vehicle as well as there is a mechanical load on the motor. As such, many of these cars have longer-lasting brake pads than conventional vehicles.
This is the concept of brake-energy recuperation, also known as regenerative braking.
Lately, there are cars labelled as “mild hybrids”. These cars do not have a dedicated electric motor. Instead, the alternator also functions as a weak motor, which can produce a minuscule amount of torque to assist in take-off.
A small degree of energy recuperation is also available during deceleration in such vehicles. – Shreejit Changaroth