Open Access

In modern transportation, electric bicycles play an increasingly important role e.g. in urban traffic as well as for commuting and recreational activities. Nevertheless, a limiting factor of electric bicycles is the battery capacity. One approach to increase cruise range is regenerative braking, where kinetic energy is recovered during the braking process and used for recharging the battery. In this study, the potential of regenerative braking is analysed with simulations, considering realistic bicycle and rider behaviour. Limiting factors as the charging strategy as well as efficiency losses are regarded. An artificially generated track that represents the average ride of an electric bicycle is used to evaluate the potential of regenerative braking. In addition, a measurement ride is recorded and analysed. Finally, a parameter sensitivity analysis is carried out that provides a systematic overview of the parameters influencing regenerative braking.