The Skoda.co.uk site notes on the facilities within each Karoq version that I did screen shots of a couple of months ago says the Karoq SE & SE Technology have the above feature (& presumably more upmarket versions too) :-

- noted as Start/Stop with Regenrative Braking

Does this mean that there is a small electrical generator fixed to each wheel that assists with the braking and also tops up the battery - I half suspect not, so what does this description mean I wonder?

 

 

18 minutes ago, croquemonsieur said:

 

Does this mean that there is a small electrical generator fixed to each wheel that assists with the braking and also tops up the battery - I half suspect not, so what does this description mean I wonder?

 

I'm sure it's all a bit 'smoke and mirrors', just a bit of jiggery pokery with the alternator - voltage does go up on the overrun but there's no real braking to be had from a little extra load on the alternator......

 

 

Edited 12 September, 20196 yr by Berisford

… and it almost certainly has a detrimental effect on battery longevity, because the battery has to be deliberately kept below full charge to allow the headroom for this. 

42 minutes ago, Wino said:

… and it almost certainly has a detrimental effect on battery longevity, because the battery has to be deliberately kept below full charge to allow the headroom for this. 

That and higher charging voltage (with bursts as high as 15.2 V on mine) is why EFB or AGM batteries should be used.

 

Edited 12 September, 20196 yr by agedbriar

Thanks for the replies.  I've just come across this Briskoda thread & starting with XMAN's entry, messages describe well how this so called regenerative braking works.  As described, the alternator is only made to do serious charging on the overun & when braking, through electronic control and this combined with the extra stop/start wear and tear on the battery requires that this battery needs to incorporate EFB or the even better AGM construction technology.

 

 

I'd not come across EFB nor AGM before, so here's a link that gives more info if anyone else was similarly ignorant.

 

https://www.yuasa.co.uk/info/technical/agm-efb-explained/

 

I know my Karoq has a Varta battery so I'll check to see if it's EFB.  I presume these are more expensive to replace, but maybe if the Stop/Start facility isn't enacted much, the original battery might last longer than the previous 5 year cycle I used to reckon on.   They are claimed to be able to sustain twice the number of charge cycles (or 4-5 times for AGM).  Both my earlier BMW 523 & Saab 9-5 batteries conked out after 5 years, but only cost around £50 to replace.  They both went very suddenly as batteries seem to do these days, so I expect EFBs and AGMs similarly fail almost without warning.  I note a neighbour's Merc coupe battery failed recently after 2-3 years.

 

I think a more appropriate name for this feature would be 'free battery recharge'  , as the alternator applies its load on the engine when the latter is turning from inertia (on deceleration) or from gravity (going downhill), i.e. when no additional fuel is used for driving the alternator.

In fact, the braking effect from the alternator is minimal, as are minimal the energy shifts compared to an electric car.

 

Edited 16 September, 20196 yr by agedbriar