Control device for a motor vehicle having an energy recovery system (20, 24) for recuperating kinetic energy of the motor vehicle by means of an electromechanical transducer, wherein the control device has a control part for controlling a quantitative measure of the recuperation on the basis of a setpoint acceleration for the motor vehicle and a carriageway gradient at the location of the motor vehicle, characterized in that the control device also has a cruise controller which is configured to set the setpoint acceleration of the motor vehicle and to intervene in a drive system (18, 20) and a brake system (22, 20) of the motor vehicle in order to control an acceleration of the motor vehicle which corresponds to the setpoint acceleration, wherein the control part is configured to calculate the quantitative measure of the recuperation in such a way that the setpoint acceleration of the motor vehicle and the carriageway gradient at the location of the motor vehicle are included, in the form of the difference between the setpoint acceleration and an exponent (axvRoSlo) of the carriageway gradient, in the calculation of the quantitative measure of the recuperation, wherein the exponent of the carriageway gradient is an acceleration value which is equal to an acceleration due to gravity corresponding to the carriageway gradient, in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, and wherein when the specified difference is calculated at least in the case of a negative carriageway gradient which is less than or equal to a threshold value of the carriageway gradient, a negative acceleration threshold value is also subtracted from the setpoint acceleration, which threshold value corresponds at least to a minimum braking deceleration which is to be brought about by a friction brake device of the motor vehicle. characterized in that the control device also has a cruise controller which is configured to set the setpoint acceleration of the motor vehicle and to intervene in a drive system (18, 20) and a brake system (22, 20) of the motor vehicle in order to control an acceleration of the motor vehicle which corresponds to the setpoint acceleration, wherein the control part is configured to calculate the quantitative measure of the recuperation in such a way that the setpoint acceleration of the motor vehicle and the carriageway gradient at the location of the motor vehicle are included, in the form of the difference between the setpoint acceleration and an exponent (axvRoSlo) of the carriageway gradient, in the calculation of the quantitative measure of the recuperation, wherein the exponent of the carriageway gradient is an acceleration value which is equal to an acceleration due to gravity corresponding to the carriageway gradient, in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, and wherein when the specified difference is calculated at least in the case of a negative carriageway gradient which is less than or equal to a threshold value of the carriageway gradient, a negative acceleration threshold value is also subtracted from the setpoint acceleration, which threshold value corresponds at least to a minimum braking deceleration which is to be brought about by a friction brake device of the motor vehicle.