A hybrid electric vehicle power system comprising: a power control unit comprising: a direct current bus; a first power inverter electrically coupled to the DC bus and configured to control an electric motor in a motoring mode and a braking mode, and configured to provide current to the electric motor from the DC bus when in the motoring mode and to input current from the electric motor to the DC bus when in the braking mode; a second power inverter electrically coupled to the DC bus and configured to control a generator in a generating mode and a motoring mode, and configured to provide current to the generator from the DC bus when in the motoring mode and to input current from the generator to the DC bus when in the generating mode; a bi-directional DC-to-DC converter electrically coupled to the DC bus and configured to electrically couple to a battery and configured to provide current to and receive current from the battery and to convert voltage between the DC bus at a first voltage and the battery at a second voltage; and vehicle power management circuitry configured to receive a command to begin braking the electric motor and control the electric motor in the braking mode, via the first power inverter, to begin braking, wherein the first power inverter inputs a braking current generated by the electric motor onto the DC bus; characterized in that the vehicle power management circuitry is configured to responsive to receiving the command to begin braking the electric motor, and at least one of prior to or simultaneously with the first power inverter beginning to input the braking current on the DC bus: determine or estimate an amount of braking current the first power inverter will input on the DC bus; determine or estimate a first motoring current to provide to the generator from the DC bus via the second power inverter; and determine a charging current to provide to the battery from the DC bus via the DC-to-DC converter; wherein the power control unit is configured to control the second power inverter and the DC-to-DC converter to sink a maximum amount of braking current that the first power inverter can input to the DC bus throughout an entire duration of a braking action while maintaining a voltage of the DC bus below an over-voltage trip voltage. a direct current bus; a first power inverter electrically coupled to the DC bus and configured to control an electric motor in a motoring mode and a braking mode, and configured to provide current to the electric motor from the DC bus when in the motoring mode and to input current from the electric motor to the DC bus when in the braking mode; a second power inverter electrically coupled to the DC bus and configured to control a generator in a generating mode and a motoring mode, and configured to provide current to the generator from the DC bus when in the motoring mode and to input current from the generator to the DC bus when in the generating mode; a bi-directional DC-to-DC converter electrically coupled to the DC bus and configured to electrically couple to a battery and configured to provide current to and receive current from the battery and to convert voltage between the DC bus at a first voltage and the battery at a second voltage; and vehicle power management circuitry configured to receive a command to begin braking the electric motor and control the electric motor in the braking mode, via the first power inverter, to begin braking, wherein the first power inverter inputs a braking current generated by the electric motor onto the DC bus; characterized in that the vehicle power management circuitry is configured to responsive to receiving the command to begin braking the electric motor, and at least one of prior to or simultaneously with the first power inverter beginning to input the braking current on the DC bus: determine or estimate an amount of braking current the first power inverter will input on the DC bus; determine or estimate a first motoring current to provide to the generator from the DC bus via the second power inverter; and determine a charging current to provide to the battery from the DC bus via the DC-to-DC converter; wherein the power control unit is configured to control the second power inverter and the DC-to-DC converter to sink a maximum amount of braking current that the first power inverter can input to the DC bus throughout an entire duration of a braking action while maintaining a voltage of the DC bus below an over-voltage trip voltage. determine or estimate an amount of braking current the first power inverter will input on the DC bus; determine or estimate a first motoring current to provide to the generator from the DC bus via the second power inverter; and determine a charging current to provide to the battery from the DC bus via the DC-to-DC converter; wherein the power control unit is configured to control the second power inverter and the DC-to-DC converter to sink a maximum amount of braking current that the first power inverter can input to the DC bus throughout an entire duration of a braking action while maintaining a voltage of the DC bus below an over-voltage trip voltage.