Cadillac has received Green Car Journal's 2014 Green Car Technology Award for its innovative electric car technology, the company announced Wednesday.
The regenerative braking system is featured in the Cadillac ELR, a plug-in luxury coupe, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The annual award doesn't go to a car so much as a fresh technology "that achieves significantly greater levels of efficiency and improved environmental impact," Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and CarsOfChange.com, said as quoted by the Chicago Tribune.
Regen braking, which lets the driver use paddle shifters to regenerate and store energy, is used in almost every hybrid car, but Cadillac's green technology works a little differently. Known as "Regen on Demand," the ELR's motor system increases the amount of energy stored in the battery through controlling the rate of deceleration.
"It provides a more engaged, satisfying driving experience," Chris Thomason, chief engineer of the ELR, told the Chicago Tribune. "When you consider the added benefit of recapturing energy, it's also a smart thing to do."
The carmaker was honored with the award during a Green Car Journal press conference at the Washington Auto Show.
"Cadillac has cleverly evolved a common electric-drive efficiency system into an intriguing feature that adds a new dimension to the driving experience," Cogan said in a press release.
"Ever-increasing efficiency is crucial to our driving future, yet efficiency itself is not an attraction for a great many car buyers. Cadillac's Regen on Demand is an inspired example of how technology can increase efficiency while connecting with a driver, enhancing driving dynamics along the way."
According to the press release, the other finalists for the award were the Acura Sport Hybrid SH-AWD powertrain; Audi 3.0-liter TDI clean diesel engine; BMW i3 carbon fiber reinforced plastic passenger cell; Ford 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine; Honda Accord plug-in powertrain; Hyundai hydrogen fuel cell; Mazda i-ELOOP brake energy regeneration system; Porsche plug-in hybrid powertrain; and Ram Truck 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine.
The Washington Auto Show runs from Jan. 23 to Feb. 2.
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