The Prius is also easy to operate, requiring no special treatment orinfrastructure. It uses small amounts of regular gasoline and, unlike pureelectric vehicles, Prius never needs to be plugged in for recharging. Instead,the battery is charged by the gasoline engine and a unique onboardregenerative braking system. When the vehicle is braking or coasting theelectric motor becomes a generator, turning energy that would normally be lostinto electricity to recharge the batteries.
This system is particularly efficient in stop-and-go city conditions,making Prius one of the first vehicles to be more efficient in city than inhighway driving.