Electric vehicles are quickly gaining a foothold in the automotive industry. These vehicles possess many features that their mechanically powered counterparts do not have.
Vehicle braking is one such example, and this article delves into the specifics of how EV brakes work.
The main theme of the entire “going electric” campaign is the concept of resource conservation.
As a result, the brakes on electric vehicles are also designed to prevent energy losses or to minimize them.
To understand how the brakes of EVs are different, we first need to take a look at the working principle of conventional braking systems.
How Do Conventional Braking Systems Operate?
According to the law of conservation of energy, energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be transformed from one form to another. This is the underlying principle of an electric vehicle's regenerative braking system.
In a conventional braking system cars are slowed down by converting the vehicle's kinetic energy into heat energy, by using the brake pads and discs. This system makes use of friction to bring the vehicle to a standstill.
Regenerative Braking System To The Rescue
To save the world from the energy losses of conventional braking systems, EVs employ a system known as regenerative braking.
Its name gives away what it does. It regenerates the energy that would have otherwise been lost during the braking process.
A motor, when operated in the opposite direction acts as a generator. So, as soon as the driver pulls up his foot from the pedal of an electric vehicle, the motor starts acting as a generator and starts producing energy.
How Does This System Help In Increasing The EV Range?
The vehicle's kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy, which is then used to charge the EV's batteries, extending the vehicle's range significantly.
This demonstrates how important this system is for modern electric vehicles because range anxiety is the main deterrent that keeps most drivers from switching to the EV segment.
Is The Regenerative Braking System Enough On Its Own?
This raises the question of whether the Regenerative Braking system is sufficient to bring the vehicle to a halt.
To put it simply, the answer is no. In addition to this Regenerative Braking system, a conventional braking system is required to bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
Do EVs Require Manual Input?
Due to the effective regenerative braking systems of modern electric vehicles, single-pedal driving is now possible, in which the driver can control the car's speed by simply releasing the vehicle's pedal.
A few vehicles on the market go one step further by allowing drivers to customise the level of regenerative braking. This enables drivers to have a highly personalized driving experience.
One such example is Tesla vehicles which have the following three levels of regenerative braking:
· Mild;
· Standard;
· Hold.
Out of these, “Hold” is the most efficient one so if you happen to be a Tesla owner and are looking for a higher range, choose this option.
What Is The Benefit of Different Levels Of Regenerative Braking?
These levels give drivers the flexibility to shift to a low regenerative braking level on highways where brakes aren't needed as much.
They can revert to higher levels of regenerative braking in cities where driving dynamics necessitate the use of brakes more frequently and in emergencies.
Final Verdict
So, the brakes on EVs are much different from those on conventional vehicles. They are the way to go if we want to conserve resources and step into a world with minimal energy losses.
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