Recuperation is the capture and re-use of waste energy during braking, to reduce overall energy usage and therefore improve fuel consumption.

In electric and hybrid vehicles, regenerative braking is used to capture energy using motor/generators.

Another form of recuperation is smart control of battery charging, as used by BMW, Audi and other manufacturers. Under normal running, the alternator is disengaged and electrical equipment is run from the car's battery. The alternator is re-engaged when the vehicle is braking, slightly increasing engine braking and converting some of the vehicle's kinetic energy into electricity. This type of system is sometimes known as a micro hybrid.