Ekici, Yunus EmreKaradag, TeomanAkdag, Ozan2026-06-192026-06-1920250360-54421873-6785https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2025.138854https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12899/5900In the era of global decarbonization and sustainable urban mobility, optimizing energy recovery in electric public transport systems has become a strategic imperative. This study presents a comprehensive and data-driven investigation into the optimization of regenerative braking (RB) performance in hybrid electric trolleybuses operating in T & uuml;rkiye. Unlike conventional research relying on controlled driving cycles or laboratory simulations, this work employs real-world operational data totaling over 79 million records collected over five years to construct a high-fidelity predictive model. Using a novel meta-heuristic algorithm inspired by the physiological mechanism of water uptake and transport in plants (WUTP), eight critical parameters influencing RB power including vehicle speed, gradient, acceleration, passenger mass, ambient temperature, and auxiliary system loads were integrated into a robust mathematical framework. The resulting model, WUTP-EBREM, accurately predicts regenerative braking power under varying operational conditions, achieving a minimal error rate (RMSE: 0.12 %). This enables a fine-grained understanding of how instantaneous operating dynamics affect energy recovery in electric buses. Subsequently, the model was applied to 50 of the city's busiest bus routes, each with distinct topographical and operational characteristics. Route-based analyses revealed substantial variability in RB potential, highlighting that optimal energy recovery depends not only on vehicle design but also on contextual factors such as slope patterns and thermal loads. The findings offer direct implications for fleet energy planning, battery sizing, and route optimization, providing actionable insights for transit operators and electric vehicle manufacturers alike. Beyond its empirical contributions, this research introduces a scalable modeling architecture adaptable to various geographic regions and climate conditions, bridging the gap between theoretical energy models and field-level implementation. By capturing the stochastic, non-linear nature of urban electric bus operation, the study sets a precedent for integrating artificial intelligence into real-time transport energy optimization. The WUTP-EBREM model stands as a unique decision-support tool for smart transportation planning, offering both academic value and immediate practical utility. This work is poised to inform future studies in energy-aware vehicle control systems, sustainable transit infrastructure, and intelligent fleet management strategies in electrified urban environments.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessElectric BusesRegenerative Braking SystemsBig Data In TransportationTransport Energy EfficiencySustainable Urban MobilityArtificial Intelligence In Transit SystemsArticle10.1016/j.energy.2025.1388543382-s2.0-105018671591Q1WOS:001600055700013Q10000-0001-7791-04730000-0002-7682-7771