I don’t know how the actual hybrids do it, I never rode one; However, from the point of view of control systems, I intend to imitate the physics of the traditional transmission. The drivers shouldn’t have to experience anything different, just because the technology changes.

The “automated system” you describe is the power controller – the electronics that regulate the current flow between batteries and motors.

To answer your question: the accelerator pedal will inform the control system of how much power the driver wants flowing *into* the motors. If the power flow is actually negative (the power delivered to the motors is less than the power they are generating), then the batteries recharge. Pressing the brake pedal will enhance this effect – it will be viewed by the controller as an “anti-accelerator” – forcing the motors to behave like generators.

I don’t intend to allow an electrical “neutral gear” in my hybrid, unless the system is powered off (parked). One of the intentions of a hybrid is to harvest as much energy as possible, taking all opportunities to do it.

In my system, the only way to have the equivalent of a “neutral gear” (zero power flow) will be by keeping the accelerator pressed just enough to keep the speed constant. Actually, if you account for the losses (aerodynamic and rolling), the zero power point will make the vehicle lose speed.

I hope I answered your question… this is a little longer than it should be.

I have a question on the regenerative breaking …

In a regular combustion engine, when we are sliding in a sloped road, you typically are wasting fuel, because you keep the motor running to keep the speed constant (and maybe provide some additional security for a fast engine response to some unsuspected event)…

In an electric car you will be using regenerative breaking with some automated system, to detect you are sliding down? Or that will be just the task for the driver, to break in slopes?

The thing is, in an electric car, in a slope would be like driving with a neutral gear with a combustion engine car, if you don’t a system to break (which would also regenerate energy… ?

Sure this is already accounted for in present hybrid models, but I’m still just an ignorant on that … just had some curiosity on this …

Best Regards

Little motor: “Grandpa, why do you have 4 wires and I only have two?”
Big motor: “That’s just a phase that’s going through you.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_(physics)#Power