Does anyone know how the regen braking on an outlander sport actually works?

I know that it uses kinetic energy from braking to charge the battery giving the alternator a break but I haven't yet been able to figure out how it is done?

Just an interesting topic.

 

Didn't know that the F1 KERS system had worked itself into the real world of street cars.

A similar system is used in Formula 1 race cars, called KERS (kenetic energy recovery system),

Unfortunatly, I have no idea how it works.

 

I have several ideas of how it could work but I haven't been able to find any data other than Mitsubishi advertisements and some stuff that came with the car. Nothing really useful on specifics.

 

Ok from the research I have done its different from the f1 style ker system. At least based on info I could find on those. They recover energy at the flywheel. The outlander system seems similar to one used by BMW where the a special alternator/generator goes between active and passive states. Basically it only tries to charge the battery when braking and becomes passive when running unless the battery becomes low enough for a charge. It would be interesting to know how much they actually think it helps but neat idea I guess.

 

I found a useful press release on the subject within the media section of the Mitsubishi North America website.
Open the link and scroll down to the "High Efficiency Accessories" section.

Mitsubishi Press Release on Outlander Sport

 

Found the press release one last night when I was looking around, it was one of the ones that pointed me in the right direction. I wonder if any of that regen info is available through the obd2 port. (Specifically when its charging and when it isn't). Not that it is all that important is just interesting. When I get my scanner back I will check it out. I have an ELM327 laying around that I have been planning to make an SD Card logger project out of when I get the time would be nice to have for this.

 

supposed to be the same as hybrid cars, all Toyota hybrids have it, not sure how it works tho

 

Does anyone have any more info on this subject? I'm interested my self on learning how this system works. Also is there a new link for the press release from the gray ghost as that link is broken. Thanks for the help.

 

Definately an interesting idea with a bit of a benefit. With what I have read, this active/passive/regen ability, it reduces the load on the engine with not required, can save some battery abuse (over charge, etc) along with regaining some lost energy (tree hugging hippy stuff).
That being said, from an engineering/manufacturing perspective, I have to wonder, why bother?
Alternators and batteries are really inexpensive components that could offer after sales service, the R&D couldn't be cheap, the components/design could not be cheap, the lost hp to the alternator is minimal and probably wouldn't be noticed 99% of the time.
Neat idea, but really the cost R&D, components and lost after sales service doesn't make the feel good hippy stuff worth the effort. It's not really even a good sales feature to be honest.

Not bashing it, just don't understand why they would do this from a business perspective.