Unlike traditional brakes, which rely on friction to stop the wheels from turning, regenerative braking uses the vehicle’s electric motor to create resistance to slow down the vehicle. In addition to slowing the vehicle down without the use of brakes, the motor running in reverse acts as a generator and captures the kinetic energy that would typically be lost as heat and converts it into electrical energy, thereby increasing your vehicle’s range.
Whenever Model 3 is moving and your foot is off the accelerator, regenerative braking slows down the vehicle and feeds any surplus power back to the Battery. By anticipating your stops and reducing or removing pressure from the accelerator pedal to slow down, you can take advantage of regenerative braking to increase driving range.
Vehicle deceleration due to regenerative braking may vary depending on the current state of the Battery. For example, regenerative braking may be limited if the Battery is cold or is already fully charged.Electric motors can operate in two different modes.
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With Drive selected, when you press the accelerator pedal, the motor will drive the wheels in a forward direction in order to move the car. As you lift your foot off the accelerator pedal, the momentum of the vehicle turns the motor into a generator, inducing a current which is then fed back to the battery.
