Second-gen Stop-Start technology coming 2013

[davidgrey50]

There was an article in Road & Track way back (c. 1973/1975?) about Toyota's 'Engine Automatic Stop-Start System'. When the car stopped for more than a second or two the engine turned off, re-starting automatically (If I recall correctly) when the foot came off the brake. The demonstrator (IIRC again) was a Corona.

And then Toyota spends an entire generation beavering away on this and myriad other technologies and we got the Prius. Almost like they knew the future was coming someday.

[cfg83]

davidgrey50 -

Originally Posted by davidgrey50

There was an article in Road & Track way back (c. 1973/1975?) about Toyota's 'Engine Automatic Stop-Start System'. When the car stopped for more than a second or two the engine turned off, re-starting automatically (If I recall correctly) when the foot came off the brake. The demonstrator (IIRC again) was a Corona.

And then Toyota spends an entire generation beavering away on this and myriad other technologies and we got the Prius. Almost like they knew the future was coming someday.

I read that Toyota made the Prius as a reaction to the American PNGV program. The Big-3 achieved great MPG *concept* cars and then abandoned the technology. GM created the 80 mpg Precept, Ford created the 72 mpg Prodigy, and Chrysler created the 72 mpg ESX-3 :

Toyota and Honda created hybrids out of *fear* that we were going to pass them by. Shame on us.

CarloSW2

[davidgrey50]

Which goes to show the creative value of paranoia. Or obsessiveness. Or something.

[cfg83]

davidgrey50 -

Originally Posted by davidgrey50

Which goes to show the creative value of paranoia. Or obsessiveness. Or something.

You got that right.

CarloSW2

[Piwoslaw]

It appears that a few months ago Citroën started selling cars (C3 and C4 Grand Picasso) with the second generation stop-start system mated to the 1.6 liter HDi engine. Here is some info on it:

Press information on PSA's e-HDi

EDIT:
Here are two interesting things about this Stop-Start set-up:

• The StARS starter alternator is a synchronous machine using three-phase current. The rectification of the alternator current to battery current (AC/DC) is realized with so-called field-effect transistors instead of diodes, which gives an excellent efficiency at >77% (VDA measurement), or 10 points higher than a traditional alternator and thus allows additional fuel savings, independently from the engine stop phases.

  If only all alternators used field-effect transistors instead of diodes...

• E-Booster system with 5 volts of stored super capacity power and power electronics, to:
  - Boosts the battery to drive the reversible alternator at start.
  - Support vehicle electrical voltage at start.

  So an ultracap gives the starter a kick while keeping electronics from dimming, but also helps capture more energy from regenerative braking. See also:
  Green Car Congress - Continental Supplying Maxwell Ultracapacitor Booster Modules to PSA for Second-Generation Start-Stop Systems