Cadillac ELR’s innovative Regen on Demand technology has taken top honors as the winner of Green Car Journal’s 2014 Green Car Technology Award.
Like most regenerative braking systems in hybrid and electric vehicles, the ELR’s electric motor acts as a generator while braking, automatically recovering energy that’s delivered to the batteries as electricity.
Unique to the Cadillac ELR extended range electric vehicle, Regen on Demand also allows a driver to instantaneously engage and disengage regen at will by pulling back or releasing left or right steering wheel paddles. This not only creates electricity on demand, but enhances driving dynamics by inducing regen drag that allows decelerating before turns and in other circumstances, without braking or requiring a driver’s foot to reposition from the accelerator pedal.
“Regen on Demand is one of the key systems enabling the Cadillac ELR to merge performance with efficiency in a dynamic new way,” said Jim Vurpillat, director of emerging markets at Cadillac. “Putting regenerative braking at the driver’s fingertips supports the ELR’s 340-mile total driving range while also adding a fun-to-drive element matching the engaging design and performance of this premium luxury coupe.”
Along with Cadillac ELR’s Regen on Demand, 2014 Green Car Technology Award nominees include the Acura Sport Hybrid SH-AWD powertrain; Audi 3.0-liter TDI clean diesel engine; BMW i3 carbon fiber reinforced plastic passenger cell; Ford 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine; Honda Accord plug-in powertrain; Hyundai hydrogen fuel cell; Mazda i-ELOOP brake energy regeneration system; Porsche plug-in hybrid powertrain; and Ram Truck 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine. Each of these finalists earns Green Car Journal’s 2014 Product of Excellence honor that acknowledges the important role they play in creating a new generation of highly efficient vehicles.
The award was presented at a Green Car Journal press conference during the Washington Auto Show’s second Policy Day.
The Green Car Technology Award focuses on enabling technologies that bring significantly improved environmental performance to today’s production vehicles. Technologies must be in use on American highways during the award year to qualify for consideration in the Green Car Technology Award program.
