Regenerative Braking Performance Evaluation and Dynamic Stability Analysis for Electric Bicycles

This study proposes a method to evaluate the performance of an electric bicycle regenerative braking system and investigates the effect of regenerative braking on the dynamic stability of bicycles. By analyzing the electric energy regeneration of an experimental bicycle under different road and operating conditions, we propose a performance index called "regenerative braking gain" that can quantify regenerative braking performance. The validity and effectiveness of the index are verified through driving tests under different road and traffic conditions. The effects of regenerative braking torque on the dynamic stability of the bicycle are studied using a mathematical model with roll and steer degrees of freedom. Test results show that as the regenerative braking torque increases, the stability of the bicycle at low speed deteriorates because of excessive weave motion. Based on this finding, a new strategy that can enhance the regenerative braking performance of the bicycle while avoiding low speed-instability is proposed to improve the design of electric bicycle regenerative braking systems.