Why in News?

Regenerative braking is a system designed to convert the kinetic energy of the wheels to a form that can be stored and used for other purposes.

What is Regenerative Braking?

• Regenerative braking is a unique technique that is used in EVs to capture energy that the vehicle has due to its motionor, in other words, its kinetic energy that would have been wasted when the vehicle decelerates or comes to a standstill while braking.
• In a conventional braking system, a car slows down due to friction between the brake pads and rotors. But this system is highly inefficient when it comes to conserving energy
• Regenerative braking solves this problem by recapturing upwards of 70% of the kinetic energy that would otherwise be lost during braking
• In addition to improving the overall efficiency of the vehicle, regeneration can significantly extend the life of the braking system.
• This is because the traditional mechanical parts like discs, calipers, and pads – included for when regenerative braking alone is not sufficient enough to safely stop the vehicle – will not wear out as quickly as they would in a vehicle relying solely on traditional brakes.
• It can improve fuel consumption and reduce the overall braking load taken on by the vehicle’s friction brakes, reducing the wear on the brake pads

HOW IT WORKS PROVIDING ELECTRICITY?

• The most common form of regenerative brake involves an electric motor functioning as an electric generator. In electric railways, the electricity generated is fed back into the traction power supply.
• In battery electric and hybrid electric vehicles, the energy is stored chemically in a battery, electrically in a bank of capacitors, or mechanically in a rotating flywheel
• Regenerative brakes work by driving an electric motor in reverse to recapture energy that would otherwise be lost as heat during braking, effectively turning the traction motor into a generator.
• Feeding power backwards through the system like this allows the energy harvested from deceleration to resupply an energy storage solution such as a battery’s capacitors; once stored, this power can then be later used to aid forward propulsion.
• Because of the electrified vehicle architecture required for such a braking system, automotive regenerative brakes are most commonly found on hybrid and electric vehicles.