Reader Response Draft 2

According to Hyundai (n.d.) website, under the section “Kona Electric Sporty Performance” introduces its intelligent regenerative braking system (RBS). In general, when an electric vehicle (EV) with RBS brakes, the operation of the car motor reverses, hence generating electricity to recharge the battery (Energy5, 2023). It can adapt to traffic conditions or be controlled manually by the paddle shifters located behind the steering wheel, to control the level of regenerative braking. At the same time, the one-paddle mode can be achieved by pulling and holding the left paddle shifter. The purpose of this is to decelerate the vehicle without the usage of the conventional brake pedal. Charging is also strongest in the one-paddle mode (Hyundai, n.d.). In addition, according to Moore (2023), the Kona Electric offers a range of four distinct regenerative braking settings, spanning from 0 to 3. At level 0, there is no regenerative braking, while at level 3, regenerative braking is notably strong. The intelligent RBS employs the onboard radar sensor to automatically modulate the recuperative braking intensity in response to traffic conditions ahead. This allows the state of charge of the vehicle to be maintained at a healthy level. Furthermore, it has the capability to recognize whether the Kona Electric is ascending or descending slopes and makes appropriate adjustments. The intelligent RBS of Hyundai Kona Electric has contributed to the environment by reducing carbon emissions through energy conservation and efficiency, at the same time providing users better assistance for vehicle deceleration with the regenerative braking system.


Firstly, implementing RBS has contributed to the environment by reducing carbon emissions. According to Intellipaat (2023), implementing RBS can diminish environmental impact by minimizing the amount of energy required to operate hybrid and electric vehicles, leading to reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and reduced dependency on fossil fuels. In addition, Hyundai (2020) stated that pure EVs do not have tailpipe emissions which is why the highest score is attained for “Clean Air and for Greenhouse Gases”. Since energy is conserved and recycled through RBS as the battery is recharged through active braking, EVs are not required to be recharged as frequently from charging stations. Therefore, carbon emissions have been mitigated through energy conservation.











Secondly, Hyundai Kona Electric's multiple modes of RBS working with radar sensors benefit users by assisting them in decelerating the vehicle depending on the traffic and terrain. According to Min et al. (2019), the experimental Hyundai Kona EV was added sensors and apparatus to build an “advanced driver assistance system”, which the suggested algorithm needed accurate information about the driving environment. In addition, to obtain accurate information for the requirements of vehicle deceleration, the equipped radar sensors were used to measure the velocity and the displacement between the equipped vehicle and the vehicle ahead. The system will then control the “regenerative torque of the electric motor automatically” to brake the vehicle without the use of hydraulic brakes. The users of the EV can benefit from this system as they will be assisted in decelerating the vehicle without the use of conventional brakes. Alternatively, users can also choose to manually use the one-pedal mode. RBS is highly utilized regardless of the assistance system or manually controlled brakes. This emphasizes that the multiple RBS modes working in conjunction with radar sensors are advantageous for assisting users in decelerating the vehicle. 


Apart from the features and functions, with the RBS, Hyundai Kona Electric has constantly been one of the best energy-efficient EVs. The article “Hyundai Kona Electric awarded five-star Green NCAP rating” (Hyundai, 2020), it stated that EVs require energy for propulsion, but the energy efficiency of Hyundai Kona Electric stays within the range of the highest possible score, meaning consuming less than 30 kWh per 100 kilometers. The NCAP rating, known as the “New Car Assessment Programme” (NCAP, 2023), is recognized globally and it focuses on motor vehicle safety standards. Hyundai Kona Electric was able to obtain a global standard award constantly, which proves that Hyundai Kona Electric is a reliable EV for energy efficiency. RBS can recycle energy through braking, which I can infer it has played a huge part in energy efficiency.


The RBS is not an ideal system as it may not be as effective under certain conditions. According to Tires Plus (2022), when the vehicle brakes when it is traveling slowly, the braking force required to decelerate the vehicle is lower, hence the recharging power will be reduced. In addition, Energy5 (2023), stated that the RBS will not be able to secure maximum energy as energy is bound to be lost in the process. The RBS is not perfect, and it has its fair share of pros and cons depending on its usage.

In conclusion, RBS has the potential to benefit the environment by reducing carbon emissions through energy conservation. The Hyundai Kona Electric with RBS is consistently recognized as one of the best EVs in terms of energy efficiency. Lastly, the multiple RBS modes working in conjunction with radar sensors provide users with better assistance in decelerating the vehicles, while also optimizing recharging efficiency.

 

 

 

Summary:

Hyundai Motor Company — Komoco Motors Pte Ltd. (n.d.). Kona Electric. https://hyundai.com.sg/vehicles/kona-ev/engineering/

Energy5. (2023, September 26). The Benefits and Challenges of Using Regenerative Braking to Increase Electric Car Range. https://energy5.com/the-benefits-and-challenges-of-using-regenerative-braking-to-increase-electric-car-range

Moore, A. (2023, February 25). 10 Reasons Why The Hyundai Kona Electric Is Better Than The Tesla Model 3. https://www.topspeed.com/why-hyundai-kona-electric-better-than-tesla-model-3/#the-kona-electric-is-a-lot-cheaper

 

Point 1:

Hyundai Motor Group. (2023, March 21). Car Brakes: The Bigger, The Better? https://www.hyundaimotorgroup.com/story/CONT0000000000082263

Intellipaat. (2023, September 01). Regenerative Braking in Electric Vehicles. https://intellipaat.com/blog/regenerative-braking-in-electric-vehicle/#:~:text=Eco%2Dfriendliness%20%E2%80%93%20Regenerative%20braking%20may,decreased%20reliance%20on%20fossil%20fuels.

 

Point 2:

Hyundai Motor Company. (2020, December 01). Hyundai Kona Electric awarded five-star Green NCAP rating. https://www.hyundai.news/uk/articles/press-releases/hyundai-kona-electric-awarded-five-star-green-ncap-rating.html#:~:text=The%20Hyundai%20Kona%20Electric%20has,rating%2C%20the%20highest%20score%20possible

Global NCAP. (n.d.). Objective. https://www.globalncap.org/about

 





Point 3:

Min et al. (2019, September 26). Vehicle Deceleration Prediction Model to Reflect Individual Driver Characteristics by Online Parameter Learning for Autonomous Regenerative Braking of Electric Vehicles. https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/19/4171


Counterargument:

Tires Plus. (2022, March 18). What Is Regenerative Braking? https://www.tiresplus.com/blog/brakes/what-is-regenerative-braking-in-electric-vehicles/

Energy5. (2023, September 26). The Benefits and Challenges of Using Regenerative Braking to Increase Electric Car Range. https://energy5.com/the-benefits-and-challenges-of-using-regenerative-braking-to-increase-electric-car-range

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