Quote:
Originally Posted by PaleMelanesian
It's not quite what you're asking about, but...
Hyundai did on the Sonata hybrid. It runs the engine at high load, diverting the excess output to the battery pack. Then it runs in EV mode until the charge is low. Then it fires up the engine for another pulse. It keeps constant speed, pulsing and gliding the engine and electric mode instead.
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Eh, this isn't that good imo since you have several conversion losses. The differential being driven backwards will be somewhat more inefficient (okay but it's like 90% instead of like 96% or something), motor losses, power electronics, and finally the battery. Then square all of those efficiencies because you are trying to put the energy back. It's likely not favorable.
Shorter pulses reduce power lost to rolling/air resistance per distance travelled since the higher speed part of the pulse is using much more power than the lower speed part of the pulse, and your average speed is a harmonic rather than arithmetic mean.