Vehicles incorporating tailgate energy management systems

A tailgate energy management system for controlling an opening speed of a tailgate relative to sidewalls of a vehicle, the tailgate energy management system comprising:

• a governor coupled to one of the sidewalls and to the tailgate, the governor selectively applying a governing force to the tailgate only in a direction to reduce the opening speed of the tailgate;
• a speed sensor sensing the opening speed of the tailgate;
• and
• an electronic control unit electronically coupled to the governor and the speed sensor, the electronic control unit comprising a processor and memory storing a computer readable and executable instruction set,
• wherein the electronic control unit receives a speed signal indicative of the opening speed of the tailgate from the speed sensor and, when the opening speed of the tailgate approaches a pre-determined maximum opening speed, the processor executes the instruction set to cause the electronic control unit to transmit a control signal to the governor such that the governor applies the governing force to slow the opening speed of the tailgate.