Peugeot, Citroen to deliver idle-stop diesels

PSA Peugeot Citroen will employ idle-stop technology for diesel engines across most of the French group’s vehicle lines in a bid to reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption.

The French auto giant has invested €300 million ($A426.7m) under a new e-HDi sub-brand, which will see 30 per cent of Peugeot and Citroen HDi engines employ the Valeo-built second-generation idle-stop system and other measures, including low rolling resistance tyres.

The company aims to sell more than a million e-HDi-equipped vehicles by 2013, with the first recipients to be the C4, C4 Picasso and C5, all from the third quarter of this year.

It will then be rolled out on most Peugeot and Citroen cars powered by 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre HDi engines, including the 308 and the new-generation 408.

As well as the diesel engine, Citroen says the e-HDi system comprises a second-generation reversible starter-alternator, an ‘e-booster’ system for instantaneous engine restart, an electronic alternator management system (for regenerative braking) and a gearbox with optimised gear ratios.

It is claimed to deliver improvements of up to 15 per cent in both CO2 emissions and fuel economy.

From top: Peugeot 308 e-HDi, Citroen C5 e-HDi and PSA e-HDi system.

According to Valeo, the new-generation micro-hybrid system – which it dubs ‘i-StARS’ – differs from its previous system in that “the control electronics are integrated into the electrical machine”. It claims that CO2 emissions are reduced by five grams per kilometre on average, and by up to 15 per cent in congested urban traffic.

The system can automatically switch to idle when a vehicle’s speed falls below 8km/h with an automated transmission, or below 20km/h with a manual.

Valeo claims further that engine restart occurs in 400 milliseconds, without noise or vibration “even if the driver suddenly changes his or her mind about stopping”.

Functionality is guaranteed between -5 and 30 degrees Celsius, with “operation possible outside this range”. As a result, the system’s availability in Australia is uncertain at this stage.

PSA’s executive vice-president of brands, Jean-Marc Gales, said he was convinced the e-HDi technology “will quickly become the new market standard, just like the HDi engine in its time, and a source of major competitive advantage for the group”.

“Our e-HDi engines deliver the highest performance, in terms of fuel efficiency and carbon emissions, but also in terms of driving pleasure, with instantaneous engine restart, no vibrations and no noise,” he said.

Last year, PSA Peugeot Citroen sold almost one million cars that emit less than 130g/km of CO2, including around 757,000 below 120g/km. It is now aiming to sell one million cars emitting less than 120g/km by 2012.

Valeo offers two idle-stop systems, either starter-alternator or “reinforced starter-based”, and has orders to equip at least 50 vehicle models from more than 10 different car-makers.