Start/Stop Tech Coming to Four Volvo Models

Every little bit helps when it comes to improving emmissions and lowering fuel consumption. 

Volvo is adding start/stop technology to four of its models equiped with its 2.0l D3 diesel engine and six-speed automatic transmission: the S60, V60, V70 and S80. The technology will be available in Europe from early Septemeber 2011. 

Volvo says that the added technology cuts CO2 emmissions by 10g/km and lowers fuel consumption by 0.4 liters/100km. 

Start/stop was already available on some Volvo models with manual transmissions, but Volvo says that there is a greater technological hurdle translating it to automatic transmissions because it must activate even faster. 

The technology senses brake pedal pressure to determine when to start and stop the engine. When the system detects that the vehicle is not moving, it automatically shuts off the engine.

"We have focused on achieving the same agile feeling as you get with today's conventional automatic. The response is so seamless that it feels like the car starts accelerating immediately when the engine restarts," explains Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research and Development at Volvo.