An overview of regenerative braking systems

The rapid growth of the automotive sector has been associated with numerous benefits; however, it has also brought about significant environmental deterioration of our planet. Consequently, attention on minimizing the impacts of this industry have led to the development of kinetic energy recovery systems known as regenerative braking systems (RBS). RBSs facilitate kinetic energy recuperation through vehicle braking processes, thus avoiding the usual dissipation of energy (heat) due to friction-based brake pads. This literature review aims to provide a concise and holistic discussion of RBS fundamentals: history, competing technologies, types, characteristics and limitations, applications, vehicle dynamics, and RBS evaluation factors.