Learn how to make the most of your hybrid vehicle. Hybrid vehicles are designed to charge your battery pack every time you brake or slow down. However, all braking is not created equal. Hybrid regenerative braking is most efficient when your braking or deceleration rate is fairly light. After studying vehicle test results from Argonne National Labs, weve created an app to help guide you in making the most out of your investment.
Max Regen is a training tool to teach you the right way to brake to maximize the charge you get into your battery pack. Position your iPhone or iPod touch in your cars cup holder and practice braking on level ground while the app provides visual and audible feedback on how you are doing. Using the accelerometers built into the device, we separate different deceleration rates into green, yellow, and red regions with unique audio feedback for each. When you are in the green region you are regenerating the maximum amount of energy possible for your battery. In the yellow region you are wasting a little of the total energy available to you, but youre still doing alright. If your braking takes you into the red region, you are wasting a lot of energy and could see substantial improvement in your vehicles regenerating capability by changing your braking technique.
Please remember to practice in a safe area without traffic!