Wouldn’t it be cool if, while driving your extended-range electric vehicle, you could flip a paddle shifter behind the steering wheel, and recharge the EREV’s batteries? Well, you can do just that in the 2014 Cadillac ELR — a feature Green Car Journal deemed prize-worthy, having awarded the luxury coupe its 2014 Green Car Technology Award for the Regen on Demand system at the Washington Auto Show in Washington, D.C.
Those not familiar with Regen on Demand should know that it allows the driver to use paddle shifters on the steering wheel to temporarily regenerate energy and store it as electricity in the battery pack for later use. The technology supports the ELR’s 340-mile total driving range while also adding a fun-to-drive element to the luxury EV coupe. The system is but one example of ways in which technology can increase efficiency while enhancing driving dynamics and engaging the driver along the way.
Sales of the 2014 ELR commenced ahead of schedule in December 2013,with the coupe carrying a base price of $75,995.
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Comment
Chris, you didn’t mention that using regen on the ELR or Volt has the effect of slowing down as if the driver downshifted one or two gears in a gas engine vehicle with a manual or with some automatic transmissions. That gives the driving experience a more sporty feeling, and has the additional benefit of recharging the battery.