2012 Mazdas will be fitted with a new kind of regenerative braking system called i-ELOOP.

This invention of Mazda is the first of its kind in the world to use a capacitor, and it results in 10 percent better fuel economy.

The system converts the vehicle’s kinetic energy into electricity as it decelerates and saves it to power stuff like climate control, audio system and numerous other electrical components. But the i-ELOOP feature a big capacitor which can store large volumes of electricity and, unlike batteries, can be charged and discharged rapidly and isresistant to deterioration through prolonged use.

Mazda’s system eliminates the need for a dedicated electric motor and battery, making the whole process more efficient.

i-ELOOP features a new variable voltage(12-25V) alternator, a low-resistance Electric Double Layer Capacitor (EDLC) and a DC/DC converter.  i-ELOOP starts to recover kinetic energy the moment the driver lifts off the accelerator pedal and the vehicle begins to decelerate. The variable voltage alternator generates electricity at up to 25V for maximum efficiency before sending it to the EDLC for storage.  The capacitor, which has been specially developed for use in a vehicle, can be fully charged in seconds. TheDC/DC converter steps down the electricity from 25V to 12V before it is distributed directly to the vehicle’s electrical components.