The coming 2016 Chevy Volt will feature, as standard, the Regen On Demand regenerative braking system that was first utilized by the company in the Cadillac ELR, according to recent reports.
Up until now, the Chevy Volt has of course made use of regenerative braking, but there’s been no way for the driver to control the degree to which it functions. With the 2016 model, this will be changing though, giving drivers the ability to adjust how aggressive the regenerative braking is via paddle shifters integrated into the system.
http://youtu.be/NXCKarf7s9Y
This plasticity of function will of course allow the system to be altered to better suit the situation — more aggressive regen in city environments, less so when on the highway, etc.
GAS2 provides more:
Like many plug-in cars, the Chevy Volt offers regenerative braking, though the driver doesn’t have any direct control over just how aggressive the regenerative braking is. Once you take your foot off the pedal, the regen kicks in, and you’re basically bound to whatever factory settings are in place. Cars like the Tesla Roadster and BMW i3 have particularly aggressive regenerative braking systems; other regen systems are hardly noticeable at all.
But the Cadillac ELR offered drivers Regen On Demand, using paddle shifters to allow adjustments to the regenerative braking depending on what the situation calls for. In city traffic, a more aggressive regen means more electric mileage, but on the highway drivers might want to tone things back. It’s arguably the best feature of a car that’s been subject to massive rebates and discounts.
Given that the Cadillac ELR hasn’t exactly been a success (not that that’s a surprise), the exportation of its best qualities to the company’s other offerings doesn’t seem a bad move — likely making the Volt even more attractive to potential buyers than before.
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