Volvo is methodically adding stop-start technology to its vehicles equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission over in Europe. The stop-start tech, which initially is only available on vehicles with the 2.0-liter D3 turbodiesel engine, cuts CO2 emission by approximately ten grams per kilometer and reduces fuel consumption by 0.4 liter per 100 km.
According to Dominique Boesch, general manager of FAW-Volkswagen Automotive Company's Audi sales division, German automaker Audi will equip all of its Chinese-made vehicles with mild hybrid technology starting in 2012. If true, then Audi will become the only automaker to make stop-start technology standard on all of its vehicle manufactured in China.
U.S. automotive supplier Johnson Controls says that, over the next two years, it will nearly triple its investment in two German facilities that manufacture batteries for vehicles equipped with stop-start technology. Alex Molinaroli, head of the Johnson Controls' automotive battery division, told Reuters that, "We will invest 275 million euros ($389 million U.S. at the current exchange rate) in our battery plants in Hanover a
German-based Schaeffler Group, a leading supplier of torque converters, says that it has developed an easily integrated stop-start system for vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. According to Schaeffler, fitting a slushbox with stop-start tech is difficult because the torque converter between the engine and trans is always engaged. However, Schaeffler claims it has designed a permanently engaged starter that transforms the torque converter into, as Ward's Auto says, "a useful
Worldwide sales of vehicles equipped with stop-start technology (aka micro hybrids) will soar in the coming decade, rising from three million units in 2011 to 37.3 million units annually by 2020, according to Pike Research. At that level, stop-start technology will be standard equipment in more than one-third of all light-duty vehicles sold.
PowerGenix, a manufacturer of rechargeable nickel-zinc (NiZn) batteries, has unveiled its first prototype power pack developed exclusively for the burgeoning micro-hybrid (aka stop-start or idle-stop) segment. PowerGenix claims that its NiZn batteries offer several advantages over the lead-acid units typically found in most of today's micro-hybrids. NiZn batteries are approximately half the size and weight of their lead-acid counterparts and boast a significantly longer lifespan. These performan
A123 Systems is looking to cash in on the emerging stop/start hybrid market with its 12V Nanophosphate lithium-ion battery. Compared to typical lead-acid AGM batteries, A123 says that its li-ion units offer enhanced charge acceptance, which reduces the load on the vehicle's alternator and engine, leading to improved fuel economy. In addition, Jeff Kessen, A123's vice president of automotive marketing and communication, claims that the firm's 12V li-ion battery weighs 60 percent less than a lead-
As has been predicted before, micro-hybrid technology (a.k.a. stop-start or idle-stop), will dominate the automotive industry within the next five years. This is according to a report from Lux Research, where senior analyst Jacob Grose is predicting that global sales of micro-hybrids wi
At a stop light. In the drive-thru. In your driveway. Stop-start technology turns off the engine whenever the vehicle is on and the driver's foot is on the brake. The merits of the technology are hard to ignore; fuel economy savings as high as 15 percent. But while stop-start has been widely adopted in Europe, here in the U.S. the only non-hybrid vehicle to feature the tech is the <
We've discussed the virtues of stop-start technology (aka micro hybrid) before and we've even touched on many of the upcoming models that are slated to receive this fuel-saving technology soon, but we never really expected that the stop-start system would become so wi
Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S – Click above for high-res image gallery
The Hyundai-Kia train and its full head of steam don't look likely to give out any time soon. To wit, the company has been adding style to its price and fuel frugality, and technology isn't being left out. The Sonata Hybrid is on its way for next year and will boast better mileage than the 3
Are there any among us that wouldn't prefer a meaningful boost in fuel mileage from our current car or truck, all other things being equal? Sure. And the good news is that there are a couple of easy ways to achieve that laudable goal, starting with adding stop/start technology to the car's powerplant.
Are there any among us that wouldn't prefer a meaningful boost in fuel mileage from our current car or truck, all other things being equal? Sure. And the good news is that there are a couple of easy ways to achieve that laudable goal, starting with adding stop/start technology to the car's powerplant.
While the search for alternatives to the internal combustion engine continues at labs across the world, work hasn't stopped on those traditional powerplants. Auto parts supplier Ricardo, for example, had just announced its HyBoost project, which aims to reduce the CO2 emissions of a " cost-effective, ultra-efficient gasoline engine in a C-segment passenger car" by something like 30-40 percent. That's pretty impressive, and will take not only Ricardo's resources but also that of the co
