EVs do not need special brake pads

Are electric vehicle brake pads any different from those of engine-powered cars?

Electric vehicles (EVs) generally do not require special brake pad or disc material. However, this has not stopped manufacturers from marketing special compositions for their equipment.

EVs slow down by regenerative braking, the use of traditional mechanical friction brakes or a mixture of both.

Although regenerative braking is sufficient for the average commute, there are several scenarios where the friction brakes are necessary, like when the EV is fully charged and cannot activate regenerative braking.

Regenerative braking produces a deceleration force of up to 0.5 G-force (g). This is when the EV’s motor is used as a generator to capture kinetic energy to feed the battery while slowing down the car.

Traditional road car brakes may produce up to 1.1g of deceleration. To bridge this gap from regenerative braking, mechanical friction brakes are still needed. In fact, at lower speeds, friction braking is often used to slow down the car, rather than regenerative braking.

EVs generally weigh more than non-electric cars. As such, there may be a need to create brake pad material which can cope with the higher weight. Some manufactures may increase the ceramic content in their brake pads to achieve higher performance levels. However, the differences are minute and therefore might not necessarily require a special formula.

Some brake pad manufacturers also market their pads as having galvanised backing plates that prevent rust, which can occur because the pads are more lightly used than in an engine-powered car.

Although this is true, this has no benefit whatsoever for the actual effectiveness of braking or the quality of the brake feel. The backing plate serves merely as a layer between the corrosive material and the brake piston. This plate will be subjected to environmental degradation in any type of vehicle.

Some EV manufacturers may require an extra service step in the vehicle’s maintenance. Kia and Hyundai, for example, have introduced a brake disc cleaning mode in their EVs.

Essentially, in this mode, regenerative braking is deactivated, so the friction brakes are used to slow down the vehicle.

Heat and friction are introduced to the surfaces of the brake pads and discs, and thus remove any rust or impurities that may have built up.

For cars without this feature, a few firm steps on the brake pedal while driving on a clear stretch of road will net the same effect.