[marzac2]

Originally Posted by Arct1k

No - its not "working" as a motor it is working as a "generator" and hence creating elec (and heat) from the kinetic energy of the car.

No. The motor would only be working as a "generator" while you are "free rolling".

The moment you apply brake, you are asking the motor to stop a 9lb vehicle. And this comes at a cost = energy.

Do you believe that making a motor alone stop a 9lb vehicle, that it would not spend any energy doing so? Are you saying that it would actually re-gain energy making this happen?