Peugeot-Citroen to debut new stop-start system

Future models from PSA Peugeot-Citroen will soon benefit from the second generation of Valeo’s stop-start system.

The system will be launched in the third quarter of 2010 and will be featured alongside the HDi diesel engines of Peugeot and Citroen in around a million vehicles by 2013.

The first generation of the stop-start system has been in production since 2004 and has featured in models including Smart cars and the Mercedes Benz A- and B-Class vehicles. Now this new generation micro-hybrid system sees the power and control electronics integrated into the electrical machine, reducing the size of the packaging.

The micro-hybrid system cuts off the vehicle’s engine at a red light or in a traffic jam and restarts it when engine power is solicited. To optimise fuel savings further, it can cut off the engine even before the vehicle comes to a complete stop – as soon as it falls below 5mph with an automated transmission and 12mph with a manual transmission. This helps to reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 15 per cent in congested urban traffic.

Engine restarts are immediate and there are no vibrations or noises; and because the engine cut-off phases are longer and more frequent, the fuel savings are greater than those available with other systems.

About Paul Lucas

Paul is a freelance writer with a background in everything from motoring to finance; and holidays to women's undergarments he just writes about them, honestly! He has now sadly crept into his early 30s and seems to have forgotten everything learned at school Still, he's a green car fanatic and isn't that what counts?

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