Commercial SC-based solutions for specific task are available for both internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric cars. They range from aids to jump start or start/stop in ICE models to regenerative braking in hybrid and BEVs. On plug-in hybrid bus, braking energy recovery system composed of supercapacitor modules can absorb and store the energy produced at braking and then release the energy during start-up or acceleration, so the vehicle could save fuel consumption and reduce emission more efficiently. If pure electric vehicles only use batteries as power supply, which has relatively short service life and limited number of charging and discharging cycles, the high power required by the vehicle at start-up will have great impact on the battery life.

In hybrid and plug-in vehicles, a braking energy recovery system based on supercapacitor modules can absorb and store energy generated during braking and subsequently release it during startup or acceleration, enabling more efficient fuel savings and emission reductions.

Pure electric vehicles rely solely on batteries for power; given that batteries have a relatively short lifespan and a limited number of charge-discharge cycles, the high power demands placed on the vehicle during startup or acceleration can significantly impact battery longevity.

However, a hybrid supercapacitor/battery system delivers high instantaneous power for startup and rapid acceleration, as well as improved braking energy recovery, allowing the batteries to operate under more stable conditions.

In summary, supercapacitors can provide peak power for pure electric vehicles, stabilize voltage, and significantly extend battery life.

Hybridization is also an option for internal combustion engine vehicles, following the mild-hybrid model. A small supercapacitor storage unit (<150 Wh/ton) assists the internal combustion engine to substantially extend range; compared to mild-hybrids equipped with electrochemical batteries, this setup allows for better utilization of regenerative braking and provides higher power to meet peak demands. Furthermore, the supercapacitor-based series hybrid configuration resolves or substantially mitigates safety issues that may arise during post-accident rescue operations involving battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

A potential helper for such application may come from the design of structural SC storage, exploiting the same aluminium shell that protects the cells for the vehicle’s structural purposes. In this way, the chassis or the bodywork may perform both the storage and structural functionalities, greatly reducing the vehicle weight and cost.