Brake System for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles

Hybrid and Electric Vehicles offer the possibility of fuel saving by regenerative braking, where the electric motor is used as a generator which converts the kinetic energy of the moving vehicle into electric energy when decelerating the vehicle. Special brake systems are needed to entirely exploit the regenerative capability of these vehicles. The brake systems command the two brake actuators (electric generator and brake pressure) and are capable of regenerative blending between them.

This article describes the design of the specific regenerative brake system (RBS) developed by Continental for different hybrid vehicles which went into series production in summer 2008 in the US. The system layout and the components are shown. Specific emphasis is put on general issues involved with regenerative brakes and on the control and failsafe of the specific system. Experimental data from the vehicles brought into series production prove the performance of the system.