[dnautics]

I would say that a good comparison (of course the math is different, since one is monopole-monopole and another is monopole-dipole) would be saying it's like a continuous gravitational slingshot except with solar wind ions and electricity. With a gravitational slingshot, you use gravity to steal kinetic energy from the larger body (usually the planet doesn't notice); with this you use an electric field to steal kinetic energy from the passing wind.