I know that some straight electric locomotives can be effective "re-generators," but diesel-electric locomotives will put current from the traction motors into "dynamic brakes" (kind of like giant electric toasters located somewhere near the top of the unit). On a hybrid car, does coasting downhill charge the battery as much as it can take and then dissipate the balance as heat somewhere?
Mr. niteowl77
I doubt it.
In the case of a conventional car’s charging/starting system, they claim it takes five miles of driving to pay back the battery for the juice it took to start. The same with a battery charger, the battery may be able to get charged in about an hour.
Back to your question...I believe the extra juice would be converted heat within the battery itself.