Gaining on the downside

Ken's original point seems valid: Reduced wind resistance also means the motors do more of the stopping, yielding a more effective regen curve.

For example, with a high-drag car, slowing for an off-ramp from 80mph to 30 in 1000feet could offer zero regen, simply coasting with the air slowing it down. Aptera would be using regen to slow.

On the other hand, Aptera's light weight means it takes less regen-braking force for deceleration. Of course it also means it takes less energy for acceleration, but due to losses like heat & friction, light weight is still a big net benefit.

Somewhere along the line it was also stated that in-wheel motors have a consistently higher regen percentage - so we could be looking at some really surprising results!

@Ken Potter Adaptive Cruise Control can do some pretty amazing things: It's astonishingly more sophisticated than the old-school variety. In my serial PHEV it decides when to coast and when to regen, when battery-powered acceleration is sufficient, when a jolt of generator-produced power is necessary and when additional torque is needed from direct-coupling to the ICE. Admittedly, the car's AI is playing a part in this, making decisions about which of the three power modes is the most energy efficient way to move two tons of Honda down the highway, but the systems integration is seamless, effortless and - frankly - amazing!

Hub motors' regen is inherently a bit better from just eliminating the frictional loss of the usual 4 CV joints, differential, & gearbox (yes, only single-speed for EVs but still intermeshing gears).