Ten Million -
The number of cars fitted with start-stop systems in the world by 2015, according to the Yano Research Institute in Japan. In 2009, only 900,000 cars were fitted with this fuel saving technology.
Start-stop system shouldn’t be confused with button start in cars like Nissan Micra. Start-stop is an electro-mechanical device which sends the engine into hibernation if it idles for very long, thereby saving fuel when you’re still at the traffic lights.
Vehicles like the Mahindra Scorpio, Bolero, Tata Super Ace come with start-stop technology in India.
A start/stop system will be added to the Hyundai i10 in August 2010 reports Auto telegraaf. The Hyundai i30 is first in the Hyundai line-up to receive the start-stop motor which slips the engine into stand-by mode when idling prolongs.
Hyundai claims the i30 benefits from an fuel efficiency increase of of 7% after the installation.
The fuel economy improvements on the i10 post transplant is unknown, but the extra mpg could make it one of the most fuel efficient engines on the current crop of small cars in India.
Sources indicate Tata Motors might introduce Start-stop tech where the engine automatically slips into stand-by in traffic signals saving fuel, in the future. The company has successfully carried out the transplant in the Ace mini truck which has also been introduced initially in the Kolkata market.
Fuel efficiency is the cornerstone of any small car sold anywhere today. Perhaps the most significant achievement in that sense is the Start-Stop technology, which pushes the engine into stand-by at traffic lights, reducing not only fuel usage but harmful emissions.
The Suzuki A-Star (sold globally as the Alto) and the Splash (which will be referred to as the Ritz in India) will get the Start-Stop technology in the interest of better fuel economy and fewer emissions and no doubt will cost higher than the standard counterparts.
