Diversion of energy from regenerative braking

A system for diverting regenerative energy from a generator of an electric vehicle comprising:

• a battery having a state of charge, coupled with the generator through a first switch having a closed configuration and an open configuration and configured to receive regenerative energy from the generator when the first switch is in the closed configuration;
• a heater coupled with the generator through a second switch having a closed configuration and an open configuration and configured to receive regenerative energy from the generator when the second switch is in the closed configuration;
• an air conditioning unit coupled with the generator through a third switch having a closed configuration and an open configuration and configured to receive regenerative energy from the generator when the third switch is in the closed configuration;
• and
• a processor coupled with the battery, the first switch, the second switch and the third switch and configured to control the first switch, the second switch and the third switch such that when the state of charge of the battery is greater than a predetermined threshold and an instantaneous temperature of the air in the interior of the vehicle is equal to a desired temperature the interior of the vehicle, the processor controls the first switch to be in the open configuration, the second switch to be in the closed configuration and the third switch to be in the open configuration for a first predetermined amount of time and controls the first switch to be in the open configuration, the second switch to be in the open configuration, and the third switch to be in the closed configuration for a second predetermined amount of time or the processor controls the first switch to he in the open configuration, the second s itch to be in the closed configuration and the third switch to be in the closed configuration such that an effect of the heater cancels out an effect of the air conditioning unit.

A method of diverting energy in a regenerative braking system for an electric vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a battery, a generator, a heater and an air conditioning unit coupled with the electric vehicle;
• determining if the battery has a state of charge greater than a predetermined threshold;
• determining a desired temperature within a cabin of the electric vehicle;
• determining an instantaneous temperature within the cabin of the electric vehicle;
• and coupling the heater to the generator for a first predetermined amount of time and then coupling the air conditioning unit to the generator for a second predetermined amount of time or coupling the heater and the air conditioning unit to the generator such that an effect of the heater cancels out an effect of the air conditioning unit when the state of charge of the battery is greater than the predetermined threshold and when the instantaneous temperature is equal to the desired temperature.