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One big plus of having electric rear wheel drive is that it can double as a generator under braking.
Regenerative braking by spinning the generator in the engine (Insight) or gearbox (earlier Prii) is fine for mild braking, but distributing the braking force over all wheels gives better control.
It creates more regenerative power by not using the normal brakes on the (otherwise) undriven wheels.
(this probably applies to the 4WD Tesla too, hence the bigger range)
Provided the battery can take the surge.
My Insight stops at 10 kW recharging power, or better said it barely loses momentum at 10 kW.
Plug-in models have way bigger batteries than regular hybrids (mine has just 0.6 kWh capacity) so I guess it will allow for big surges of regenerative power.
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2011 Honda Insight + HID, LEDs, tiny PV panel, extra brake pad return springs, neutral wheel alignment, 44/42 PSI (air), PHEV light (inop), tightened wheel nut.
  lifetime FE over 0.2 Gmeter or 0.13 Mmile.
For confirmation go to people just like you.
For education go to people unlike yourself.
Last edited by RedDevil; 09-16-2015 at 11:10 AM..
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