BMW 5-series

Car Technology

Regenerative braking in a non hybrid

Engineers at Bavarian Motor Works,commonly known as BMW,have tried to apply the technology they developed to attain one single goal,superior handling and performance.Now BMW has announced a revised 5-series sports sedan which has regenerative braking-which is used first time in a non-hybrid car.This idea came from an alternator control project show in Paris last year.The basic principle is changing the time at which the alternator charges the battery.Usually it is being charged the whole time,means loading the engine whole time,in spite of whether the car is ascending or descending.

But in the new BMW 5-series car the alternator is connected only when the car is decelerating.So at the other times,the load on the engine is less,the whole power generated is used to move the car,whole of this refers to low fuel consumption.The alternator haven’t changed much.BMW just added an electronically controlled clutch that engages when the car is decelerating.BMW have changed the structure of battery so that it can suit itself to the frequent charge/discharge cycles.

The 3.5 KWs power required to drive the electronic components of BMW 5-series is supplied by a powerful battery.BMW wont release the exact numbers,but they said they are using glass mat technology.In this technology the battery plates are separated using a saturated absorbent glass—boron silicate—rather than the common liquid electrolyte or gel.The microfibers hold the acid electrolyte which improves the energy storage during the frequent charge/discharge cycle.

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