Mazda i-Eloop Technology

The innovative i-Eloop system alone increases fuel economy by ten percent.

Mazda of Lodi in New Jersey is proud to announce that Mazda has introduced yet another system to improve the fuel economy of their top-performing vehicles. First it was SkyActiv engine technology. Now it’s the Mazda i-Eloop technology, a brake energy regeneration system which has increased the fuel economy of Mazda vehicles by ten percent.

The system has three functions, the first of which  is regeneration, which takes kinetic energy normally lost when your car decelerates, and converts it to electricity. That electricity is then put into storage and saved for future use. The third function is to use the energy. It is not used to power the car but rather to power the electrical equipment, headlights, climate control and audio system.

The mechanism behind the system is a high-performance alternator which is driven by the rotation of the tires. The rotation is what generates the electricity to send over to the capacitor. The alternator only runs when you take your foot off of the gas pedal. As soon as the pedal is pushed, the alternator is switched off and power for the electric components is supplied by the capacitor. Gas is saved because the engine is relieved of producing the electricity, a task that typically uses ten percent of engine power. It allows the engine to fully focus on driving performance. The technology also takes some of the strain off your car’s regular battery, prolonging its life.

When the tires spin, electricity is created in the alternator. That electricity is received by the capacitor which sends the energy to the electrical components of the vehicle.

The capacitor is an excellent choice for the job because unlike a typical battery, it is capable of charging and distributing large amounts of energy very quickly. When decelerating from 60 mph, the capacitor only takes seven seconds to build a full charge. This quick recharge time ensures that the capacitor is constantly building and sending energy.

Many people feel that hybrids and electric-only cars are the only way to save money on gas, and while they are both great options, they aren’t the only ones available. Car manufacturers have improved their engines to increase fuel economy, but only Mazda is finding ways to extend the range of a gallon of gas in other places. The braking regeneration system comes standard on the 2014 Mazda6, and will likely be included in the other new models as well.