Energy crises and environmental pollution continue to constrain sustainable development of the automotive industry. Large-scale deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) provides an effective pathway to reduce energy consumption and emissions. Regenerative braking technology plays a central role in improving energy utilization and extending EV driving range has sustained research attention. This study examines the operating principles, control strategies, and energy performance characteristics of regenerative braking systems (RBS). The historical development of brake-by-wire systems is reviewed, including system classification, structural configuration, and operating mechanisms, with an emphasis on their application in electric vehicles. On this basis, the working principles of regenerative braking systems are analyzed. A systematic review of regenerative braking control strategies is conducted across four categories: conventional control, fuzzy control, neural network control, and intelligent optimization algorithms. The analysis focuses on optimization methods for improving energy recovery efficiency and on the key factors governing energy transfer performance. Technical challenges associated with integrating regenerative braking systems into electric vehicles are further examined to provide a reference for future research and engineering development.
Zhu et al. (2026) studied this question.