Japanese carmakers add idling stop technology to increase fuel efficiency

More car makers in Japan are adding an idling stop mechanism on their new models as a way to improve fuel economy. The idling stop mechanism automatically stops the engine when the vehicle temporarily stops, as it does at red lights. Daihatsu Motor Co.’s Mira e:S minicar, which was introduced last September 20, features an idling stop mechanism that turns the engine off each time the brakes are applied and the car’s speed falls below 7 kilometers per hour. Daihatsu said the Mira e:S is the first of its kind in Japan, which has an engine that turns off as it decelerates and has a fuel efficiency of 30 kilometers per liter, the highest among existing gasoline-powered cars.

Idling stop mechanism: A new industry trend

Other carmakers are adding similar idling mechanisms to their vehicles. Mazda Motor Corp.’s new Axela, a mid-sized sedan has a similar idling mechanism found in the Mira e:S. The same mechanism is a standard feature in the 20C-Skyactiv. In 2009, Mazda fitted its old Axela model with an idling stop mechanism which uses a unique system that injects the fuel directly into the engine’s cylinders to restart the engine, thereby shortening restart time. The same technology has also been included in four other models including the Demio subcompact car. In September, Suzuki Motor Corp. added the ¥1.33 million (US$17,000) XG Idling Stop, and the ¥1.41 million (US$18,122) XL Idling Stop to its line of Swift subcompact cars. Although Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and Honda Motor Co. have all offered idling stop mechanisms on some of their vehicles, none of the cars they manufactured in Japan offered the feature. Now, the three carmakers will be adding some form of idling stop mechanisms to the vehicles they manufacture in Japan by the end of 2011. (November 21, 2011)