My 535i (US) will be delivered in late September ? hence trying to get an understanding of this feature.

I?ve seen in the press release and in one or two posts a reference to the electrical regeneration capability when braking for the LCI e60s. Does anyone know any details about this ? how it works, benefits, etc.?

Ted

 

It's really a pretty simplistic system. The alternator charges the battery only when the brakes are applied rather than continuously. It just takes advantage of the fact that you are decelerating and eliminates additional load on the engine when cruising or accelrating.

 

That and the fact that the battery itself is designed to be charged very quickly without boiling over, etc. by using fiberglass mats between the plates...

 

Is that all that's to it? Dissappointing. I figured that the system would somehow capture a part of the energy that is dissipated through braking. Now it all turns into wasted heat. So, basically it only brakes slightly more through increasing the drag.