More European automakers are fitting stop-start systems as standard.
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Bosch has shipped 500,000 start-stop systems to BMW and Mini since it started production in 2007 and said three more vehicle manufacturers will start fitting them in the next few months.
The supplier claims that start-stop systems can reduce fuel consumption up to 5% fuel under the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) and produce correspondingly less CO2. The reduction is as much as 8% on the urban test cycle.
According to Automotive News Europe, Renault will fit start-stop systems as standard on all models from 2009.
“Rising petrol costs and taxes favour environmentally-friendly models, and make it easier for us to introduce new technologies, said Alice de Brauer, environmental protection chief at the automaker.]
Renault is reportedly testing systems from all the major suppliers, including Bosch, Valeo and Magneti Mareilli. Continental is also planning to enter the market from 2010.
Renault is reportedly expecting a 5-6g/km reduction in CO2, and up to 15-20% fuel savings on urban routes. The system is expected to add between EUR500 and EUR600 to the cost of the car.
Valeo on Tuesday said it had signed a contract with PSA Peugeot Citroen to equip over 1m vehicles with its stop-start technology by 2011.
The parts maker reckons fuel consumption and CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to 15% in urban driving cycles with its system. It estimates that, in cities, a car spends up to one-third of its time at a standstill with the engine idling unnecessarily.
The Valeo system replaces the traditional alternator and starter motor and is already available on PSA’s Citroen C2 and C3.
