SA Smarts to get stop/start systems as standard

[BCO]

Pretty good news IMO. I reckon all cars should be equipped with this tech. As far as I'm aware Smart is the first in SA to offer auto stop / start.

http://www.greencars.za.net/sa-smart-cars-to-get-micro-hybrid-drives/

 

[Fazda]

A great system, just a pity it's in such a crappy car!!

 

[BCO]

Yeah. Would much rather see it incorporated in the Blue Efficiency Benzes. Also BMW offers it as a part of their Efficient Dynamics system in other markets, but not here in SA for some reason.

 

[davemc]

smart has realised the idea behind the automatic start-stop system in a particularly clever way: the control electronics shut down the engine as soon as the driver brakes and the vehicle’s speed falls below 8 km/h – for example when approaching traffic lights.

The engine starts again in the fraction of a second as soon as the driver releases the brake pedal. In this way the fuel consumption is reduced even further. There is no noise pollution when stationary.

Is this true with all fuel injected cars?

I "know" that with a carburettor driven car, starting costs a lot of petrol.

 

[dj_jyno]

Is this true with all fuel injected cars?

I "know" that with a carburettor driven car, starting costs a lot of petrol.

Not really true of traditional fuel injected cars. As far as I remember, the stop/start systems integrate the starter and alternator into the flywheel of the car, which can crank the engine up much faster than the normal system. Up to speed quicker = less fuel to start.

 

[davemc]

Thank you dj_jyno.

 

[Nerfherder]

Would be cool if you could get this as a conversion for your older car.

 

[BCO]

Would be cool if you could get this as a conversion for your older car.

Yeah! I would love this on my car. It always bothers me to have my motor running when stopped dead in traffic.

 

[dj_jyno]

Pretty good news IMO. I reckon all cars should be equipped with this tech.

It would make a huge difference, especially in heavily-congested areas.

Yeah. Would much rather see it incorporated in the Blue Efficiency Benzes. Also BMW offers it as a part of their Efficient Dynamics system in other markets, but not here in SA for some reason.

They haven't included it in South Africa yet, due to people here still equating high efficiency with bad performance. If it's green, they don't want... Citroën had the Stop & Start system in the C3 about a year after it was released in Europe.

The Efficient Dynamics system as implemented on the manual BMWs will have negligible effects here in any case, since people tend to ride the clutch to hold at traffic lights (senses the cluth pedal, unlike the Smart which works with the brake pedal).

 

[BCO]

We had the C3 stop/start in SA?

 

[dj_jyno]

No, never released in SA AFAIK.

 

[werner]

the golf mkII had this as an option for europe, last century.

 

[BCO]

the golf mkII had this as an option for europe, last century.

Linky?