Mazda Develops World's First Capacitor-Based Regenerative Braking System Called i-Eloop

Mazda is claiming a 10% improvement on fuel economy from the world's first capacitor-based regenerative braking system that it calls i-Eloop. The system will begin appearing in Mazda's cars in 2012. 

Most car's with regenerative braking send the electricity that is created to be stored in the battery, in Mazda's system this electricity is stored in a capacitor. A capcitor is an electric component that stores electricity but can be charged and discharged faster than a battery. The power from the capcitor will be used to power the climate control, audio system and other electrical components. 

Mazda claims that the i-Eloop system is better because it weighs less than conventional regenertive braking systems, and the capacitor is able to siphon more energy from braking than other companies' systems. 

The system begins to generate electricity as soon as drivers take their foot off of the accelerator. The capacitor can be charged in seconds, and then the energy is converted from 25V to 12V for use by the car's systems. Excess energy is used to charge the battery. Because the system is producing power as soon as the driver gets off of the accelerator, Mazda claims that it improves fuel economy in stop-and-go driving by 10%. 

I-Eloop can be used with Mazda's i-stop system to extend the period when the engine is off.