...One final feature to look at is the Regenerative Braking System, which helps increase the 5-Series GT’s efficiency. When you are accelerating or cruising in a normal car, the alternator is running off of a belt attached to the engine. This extra resistance means that your car’s engine must work harder in order to maintain proper speed, thereby decreasing fuel efficiency. BMW’s new regenerative brakes take a page out of the book of
hybrid vehicles. Hybrids sometimes use regenerative brakes to generate electricity while braking in order to help power the electric motors.. The BMW system uses the regenerative brakes to recharge the car’s battery. Also, when the brakes are applied, a clutch on the alternator engages so that the engine is slowed bythe alternator’s resistance and the battery is further recharged...
