Valeo’s second generation stop-start system will be launched by PSA Peugeot Citroën in the third quarter of 2010.

The system, coupled with the HDi diesel engines of the Peugeot and Citroën brands, will be used with both manual and automated manual transmissions and will equip a million vehicles by 2013.

Called i-StARS, the new generation micro-hybrid system now has the control electronics integrated into the unit. It automatically cuts off the vehicle’s engine at a stand-still and restarts it when the accelerator is pressed.

Valeo claimed CO2 emissions are reduced 5g per km on average and by up to 15% in congested urban traffic.

To optimise fuel savings and make driving in the stop-start mode smoother, i-StARS can cut off the engine even before the vehicle comes to a complete stop, that is, as soon as the vehicle’s speed falls below 8 km/h (5mph) with an automated transmission and 20km/h (12mph) with manual transmission.

Engine re-start is immediate (400 msec) and the company said fuel savings are higher because engine cut-off phases are longer and more frequent than with other systems.

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PSA will brand the Valeo system e-HDi. It combines a reversible starter-alternator and diesel engine.

The Citroën C5, redesigned C4 and C4 Picasso will be the first models with this new technology from the third quarter of this year. It will then be used on most Peugeot and Citroën models powered by 1.4- and 1.6-litre HDi engines; the 308 and the 407 replacement will also be among the first models with the new stop-start system.

By 2013, 30% of the group’s diesels will be e-HDI engines.

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