[Brenda Batchelder]

I have noticed on some of the long steep highway hills here in PA if I use the cruise control the car will charge it self back up and prevent me from having to use the breaks to slow myself down. Just wondering if anyone has additional info on this? On one long steep hill my battery went from half way to almost full by the time I got to the bottom.

 

[cockedandglocked]

Not sure what other info you're looking for.

The cruise control activates regenerative braking (and regular braking, if needed) to reduce your speed if you exceed the speed you set it to.

You don't have to actually press the brake pedal to get battery regeneration. Even with cruise control off, and without touching the brakes, if you coast down a hill you'll recharge the battery some.

Even my 2007 Audi cruise control activates the brakes if my speed exceeds the speed I set it to. It's not a hybrid, but the idea is the same. Not new technology.

 

[yticolev]

That's normal. You can exactly duplicate that effect with your foot on the brake. Look at your charge needle while you are stopping. Take note of where it is in the bottom charge portion. You can increase the charging rate by slowing faster.

Same thing on a downhill that is steep enough (or your speed is low enough) that you are actively charging. Turn off CC and lightly press on the brake instead to maintain the same speed. Needle will be in the same place.

When appropriate, I always use CC on downhills (and everywhere else truth be known). Might as well charge the battery if there is not enough room to utilize the momentum from speeding up down a hill with CC off and your foot off the accelerator.

 

[Griswald]

Yep...regenerative braking is "free" energy. Well, not really, you had to get to the top of the hill first, but its energy that is not wasted through heat.

 

[Sstr Maria]

breaking or braking?

Your post caught my attention because I thought your regeneration was "breaking" going downhill.
You actually meant braking, which is normal. Breaking would not be normal.
Please be more careful in your choice of words.
Words matter.

 

[yticolev]

Very common misspelling. Assume (hope) spell checkers are responsible for most of them.