Regenerative braking is one of the advantages of an electric car but what is it and how does it work?

Moving cars create a lot of kinetic energy, and when brakes are applied to slow a car down, all of that kinetic energy has to go somewhere but on a normal car, braking simply wastes energy.

In an electric car, some of the energy produced can be reused. So every time you brake, regenerative braking captures energy that is otherwise lost and then uses this power to help recharge the car's battery.

But how does it actually work?

Regenerative braking uses an electric vehicle’s motor, the same motor that’s used to turn the wheels, as a generator and instead of using electricity, it produces or ‘regenerates’ power and the effect slows the car. So the next time you step on the accelerator, this freshly generated power is sent back to the battery, where it can be used to accelerate the vehicle once again. The amount of electricity the system generates is directly related to the level of braking force so how much energy you actually recover depends on how and where you drive.

Although it is not possible to completely recover all of the energy consumed moving the car forwards, capturing some of it will increase your range. You can generally configure the levels of regenerative braking, according to your own preference.

What is one-pedal driving?

One-pedal driving uses the energy recuperation system in the electric car so when you lift off the accelerator the speed drops quickly. This allows you to control the speed of the car using just your accelerator pedal. When your foot is on the accelerator pedal, power is being sent from the battery to the motor to turn the wheels and this process reverses when you lift off the throttle. Essentially it makes driving easier, particularly in situations like stop-and-go traffic.

What about traditional brakes?

Regenerative braking and in particular one-pedal driving doesn't replace the traditional brakes but it does mean you won't need to use them quite as often. So while there is less wear and tear on your brakes they still need to be regularly checked and maintained and will need to be replaced when worn out.

Are you looking to make the switch to electric motoring? Click here to browse different EVs, compare your favourite models and learn about the transition to electric motoring on Nevo.ie.