During a method for recovering electrical energy, for example during a deceleration phase of a motor vehicle including at least one electric accumulator battery, a low alternator voltage is applied during a first type of vehicle driving phase, and a high alternator voltage higher than the low alternator voltage is applied for a second type of vehicle driving phase. The transition from the low alternator voltage to the high alternator voltage is carried out by applying a first voltage step of a predefined amplitude, followed by a knee in the voltage curve, the voltage curve then continuing into at least a second voltage ramp phase of which the average slope is strictly lower than the voltage ramp of the first step.