It appears to me from watching the energy gauge that it takes way more energy to move the car than is returned to the battery during regen. Why is this?
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It appears to me from watching the energy gauge that it takes way more energy to move the car than is returned to the battery during regen. Why is this?
The driveline is something like 85% efficient. That means that if you use 100 Wh in an acceleration, 85 Wh actually goes into moving the car. And the same is true when you regen, those 85 Wh result in something like 72 Wh put back into the battery. Of course, on top of this, the car consumes energy when it is moving. Air resistance and tire resistance means that the car will slow down without a constant input of energy, so that 85 Wh you spent on accelerating is always dropping. If you move a given distance and only 50 Wh remains, you will only recover something like 42 Wh.OK so some of the battery energy is converted to heat and is lost but why isn't all the kinetic energy recovered?
OK so some of the battery energy is converted to heat and is lost but why isn't all the kinetic energy recovered?
The driveline is something like 85% efficient. That means that if you use 100 Wh in an acceleration, 85 Wh actually goes into moving the car. And the same is true when you regen, those 85 Wh result in something like 72 Wh put back into the battery. Of course, on top of this, the car consumes energy when it is moving. Air resistance and tire resistance means that the car will slow down without a constant input of energy, so that 85 Wh you spent on accelerating is always dropping. If you move a given distance and only 50 Wh remains, you will only recover something like 42 Wh.
ontop of everything already said, when you stop, aerodynamics are slowing you down. When you accelerate aerodynamics are fighting you. so there is more loss right there.
The inverter in the Drive Unit converts Battery DC -> Motor AC to drive, and Motor AC -> Battery DC to regen.
Perhaps my ignorance, but inverters can rectify regen AC to battery DC?
Inverters convert DC->AC, Rectifiers convert AC->DC. Both are present in the drive unit. (Tesla, and most owners, usually just call the part of the drive unit that does those processes the "inverter" even though I guess it is technically an inverter and recifier)