Mazda i-ELOOP Regenerative Braking System Improves Economy by 10%

⌕ The new i-ELOOP system

Mazda today revealed that a newly developed regenerative braking system for passenger cars capable, the first of its kind to use a capacitor, will improve fuel economy by 10 percent. The new i-ELOOP system will debut on a production vehicle in 2012, and judging by the photo they released, they are referring to the new Mazda6 sedan.

The i-ELOOP system collects energy when you stamp on the brakes and stores it for later use in other on-board electric systems, like the climate control, audio system and other devices. If you’re wondering how this saves fuel, it’s because these devices would have otherwise been powered directly from the engine.

The system is the first of its kind to use a capacitor instead of a battery. This allows for much greater storage capacity than a battery and can be charged and discharged rapidly and isresistant to deterioration through prolonged use.

In stop-start driving conditions, the i-ELOOP fuel economy improves by approximately 10 per cent.  Working in conjunction with Mazda’s unique ‘i-stop’ idling stop technology, i-ELOOP can extend the period that the engine can be shut off.

We’re guessing that this is what Mazda had in mind when it said that there are still improvements to be had with a petrol-powered car. At the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show, Mazda will debut the i-ELOOP system in the TAKERI concept car, a next generation mid-sized saloon.