Getting Hybrid Technology into Conventional Cars

Engine idling is a significant factor in gasoline engine inefficiency, making up as much as 17% of the fuel consumed in urban driving. To address this, some manufacturers are looking at incorporating hybrid-style technology such as start-stop systems as a way of gathering some of the "low-hanging fruit" of hybrid efficiency for the non-hybrid vehicles in their fleet.

Start-stop (turning off the engine instead of idling at red lights and other times when the car isn't moving) is already a staple of hybrid vehicles. But start-stop technology only costs $300-400 per vehicle, as opposed to the thousands of dollars a full-hybrid version of a vehicle represents.

European and Asian markets have taken to this more readily, while in the US, Mazda has encountered EPA testing regulations that offer no fuel-efficiency credit for their i-stop system. BMW, Smart, Mercedes-Benz, and Mini are also working on adopting this technology to vehicles in their fleets.

via: bnet

image: Mazda 3 i-stop

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Won't save anything
written by Phil, April 06, 2010

The meagre amounts of fuel saved by this measure will be more than offset by increased maintenance costs as a result of stop start operation namely:

1. Requirement for heavier duty batteries (more lead is required) or the more frequent replacement of standard size batteries. This will result in more environmental corruption from increased demand for lead and resultant mining and smelting and disposal of wastes and waste batteries.

2. Starter motors will wear out faster, requiring more expense to the owner to replace them.

-4

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written by TheGeek, April 06, 2010

It's nice to see some of the tech from hybrids moving into normal vehicles. It's these kinds of most bang for the buck type of ideas that will really impact overall fuel economy as most people can not afford the cost of the 30k plus hybrids.

Hybrid technology?
written by gr3b, April 06, 2010

This technology existed way before the first hybrids. The first commercial product was the Volkswagen Lupo 3L (1 liter 33 km of 1 Gallon per 78 Miles).

It did that with a standard battery but with a bigger start engine.

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written by Karkus, April 06, 2010

False..... The EPA test cycle includes stops. It will benefit. Look it up.

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written by Jibran B., April 06, 2010

I have been shutting my car off since I have started driving and it has given me great gas mileage. It makes a bigger difference than you'd thing. I also know several others who do the same and neither them nor I have had and unusual battery or starter problems. I'm pretty sure this type of technology has been standard in many European countries for quite a while now as well. Although I'm not totally sure about that.

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written by RalfH, April 07, 2010

I agree, turning off your engine does make a noticable difference. I don't do it if I know the light will change shortly, but on some intersections it will take quite some time until the light changes. Got my Civic from 37mpg to over 39.

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written by Doc, April 07, 2010

I did a trial of shutting off at lights I knew were more than one minute on my 17 mile commute. My mileage gains were a solid 10% (3mpg) over a 3 month period.
The downside is that the xmradio would glitch out during the re-start (playing through the car tape deck adapter). I finally gave up due to that, and the effort to try to time the moving cars and get started in time not to slow down traffic behind me. And no wear-and-tear on my battery or starter that I could tell.

Now if car manufacturers started doing this as an integral part of the car's engineering, it would be a huge plus, and I'm sure the seamless nature would keep the radio and A/C going, and the car would start with a depression of the gas pedal.

FTW!

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written by Green driver, April 11, 2010

I had the opportunity to test-drive a Golf and a Mini with a Stop & Start, and I think it's a grossly overrated feature. Yes, it does stop the engine at lights, but it doesn't work before the engine is at its normal engine temperature. So if you only have a 10-minute commute in the morning, it might not work at all.

Also, it depends a lot of your commute. If you live by the countryside, it won't make any mitceable difference in your mileage.

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written by Mr. Squash, UVic EcoCar Team, April 20, 2010

Although this article is rather short on details about how the start-stop is implemented it's usefulness is probably not limited to light. There is a lot of opportunity to turn off the engine when going down hills or even when slowing down. In theory the engine can be shut off whenever torque is not required.

Combustion-assisted start/stop significantly reduces the wear on the battery and starter motor. Modifications to the engine's computer cause it to stop some pistons between TDC and BDC and inject them with fuel before shutting down the engine. Then when the engine is started the fuel is ignited to create starting torque.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6935295.html

EcoCar teams all over North America are looking into technologies like this one and many others. Check out the EcoCar competition website at www.green-garage.org or my team's website at www.ecocar.uvic.ca

Woah
written by Salman Aslam, May 09, 2010

Short and precise. I've always been a fascinated by Hybrid technology and i think it should be introduced at commercial rates for the general public besides using this technology in the cars hybrid trains should be used as well.

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