GM Adding Start-Stop to Nearly All Models by 2020
Nearly every model in General Motors‘ lineup will have start-stop technology by 2020.
The American automaker’s goal is to have at least one powertrain combination available with start-stop technology on nearly every GM light vehicle produced globally by the end of the decade. Start-stop is a fuel-saving feature that automatically turns off the engine when the vehicle isn’t moving and turns it on again the moment the driver removes their foot from the brake. The move comes as the EPA will begin awarding credits, starting with the 2017 model year, towards compliance with corporate average fuel economy standards to automakers with vehicles that have start-stop systems.
According to GM spokesman Tom Read, start-stop vehicles will have upgraded absorbent glass mat (AGM) batteries and tandem solenoid starters. AGM batteries have their advantages by being sealed and are more efficient than normal lead-acid car batteries, helping keep the electrolyte sealed and in constant contact with the batteries’ lead plates. To ensure start-stop vehicles have ultra fast and smooth starts, tandem solenoid starters are used.
SEE ALSO: Light is Right: How GM is Slashing Weight from its Cars
It is estimated that start-stop systems can improve fuel economy by as much as six percent in city or high-traffic driving situations, and normally costs around $300 as an option. Also helping make it easier to incorporate start-stop is GM’s new nine- and 10-speed automatic transmissions that were co-developed with Ford. Those new units were engineered from the beginning to incorporate start-stop technology by using accumulators that keep the transmission pressurized when the engine is off. As a result, the vehicle is able to move away quickly the instant the engine is restarted.
By Jason Siu
May 25, 2016
[Source: Automotive News]
