What is regenerative braking?

Regenerative braking: what it means for your everyday drive

If you’re new to electric cars or plug-in hybrids, regenerative braking is one of those features you’ll notice pretty quickly — even if you don’t know what it means just yet. It really changes the game when it comes to slowing your car down and once it becomes second-nature, many drivers don’t want to go back.

So, what actually is regenerative braking, and what does it mean for you behind the wheel?

Saving energy and working smarter – electric does it all for you.

In a petrol or diesel car, slowing down creates heat in the brakes and the energy which is used to get the car moving is used up and wasted. In an electric car, things work a little differently.

When you lift your foot off the accelerator, the electric motor starts to slow the car while also acting like a generator. That process sends energy back into the battery, ready to be used again later (almost like a personal storage unit for electricity!). You’re not doing anything extra — the car is simply making better use of energy that would otherwise be wasted.

Reducing wear-and-tear.

According to Halfords UK, regenerative braking reduces the load on friction brakes which helps keep them in good condition for longer and can lower the chance of mechanical brake wear-related issues. This means less trips to the garage for wear-and-tear issues and, with Tusker’s inclusive package, whenever replacement tyres are needed or wear-and-tear is raised in your MOT, you know it’s already covered! Driving at your own pace.

The first thing many drivers notice is that an EV can slow down as soon as you lift off the accelerator, even before you touch the brake pedal. How strong that feeling is depends on the car and the settings you choose.

Some drivers prefer a gentle “coasting” feel, where the car rolls along smoothly, much like you’d expect and be used to in a petrol or diesel car. Others enjoy stronger regeneration, where easing off the accelerator slows the car more noticeably. In busy traffic or town driving, this can mean far less switching between pedals.

One-pedal driving explained

With stronger regenerative braking switched on, many electric cars allow what’s known as one-pedal driving. By adjusting pressure on the accelerator, you can speed up or slow down without hardly ever using the brake pedal.

It can take a little while to get used to, but it’ll quickly become second-nature and lots of drivers find it a calmer and more controlled driving experience — especially in stop-start traffic. The brake pedal is still there when you need it, of course, but you’ll find yourself using it less than you expect.

What does it mean by adjustable regenerative braking?

Regenerative braking really comes into its own at lower speeds, where frequent slowing gives the system more chances to recover energy. That makes it ideal for commuting, school runs and city driving.

On faster roads, many drivers prefer lighter regeneration, allowing the car to glide more freely. Most EVs make it as easy as a click of a button to switch between the regen levels, so you can choose which suits the road and your driving style.¹

Here are five (of many) EVs that offer simple, adjustable regenerative braking:

• Kia EV6 – adjust regen intensity using steering-wheel paddles, giving you multiple levels of energy recovery and deceleration
• Hyundai Ioniq 5 – like the EV6, using steering-wheel paddles lets drivers dial regen up or down quickly and smoothly
• BMW i4 – living up to its luxury title, the i4 offers several adjustable regen braking levels, including a strong setting for one-pedal driving and even an adaptive mode that uses navigation and onboard sensors to tweak regen strength automatically.
• Renault 4 E-Tech and Renault 5 E-Tech – these siblings let you adjust regen using paddles behind the steering wheel, with higher settings that enable a one-pedal-style experience for urban driving.

What is automatic regenerative braking?

Some newer electric cars even adjust regenerative braking automatically (like the Kia EV3, Tesla models and BMW iX and other BMW i-series models). Using sensors, cameras and navigation data, the car can decide when to slow more gently and when to apply stronger regeneration — for example, as you approach traffic or junctions.

It’s designed to make driving smoother and take some of the thinking out of the journey. This also introduces an added security and safety measure into these high-tech cars.

Small wins that make a big difference.

Regenerative braking won’t fully recharge your battery on its own, but every little helps. Over time, those small energy savings can support better efficiency and help you get the most from each drive.

It’s one of those EV features that quietly works in the background — making driving simpler, smoother and a little more rewarding every time you lift off the accelerator.

Tusker’s salary sacrifice car scheme offers all the cars mentioned in this article plus thousands more. Switch to electric, experience the quiet luxury of driving.

¹  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1364032124001126