The Tesla Model S’s regenerative braking system can recover enough energy during a single downhill descent to add 5-10 miles of range, yet this energy recovery is so efficient that it occasionally creates a peculiar problem: the brake fluid cools to dangerously low temperatures on long mountain descents because the friction brakes are barely being used, forcing Tesla to install electric heating elements in the brake lines to prevent fluid viscosity from degrading and compromising stopping power.
Car Fact #70 — August 25, 2026
