Engine stop-start systems, which shut off a vehicle's engine when it is stopped at traffic lights or in stop-and-go traffic, have been popular in Europe for years. However, relatively few U.S. models outside of hybrids currently use the fuel saving technology.
That could soon change, with a
new study conducted by Lux Research finding that the tech will make its way into more than eight million U.S. vehicles by 2017.
While stop-start systems are available on 40 percent of vehicles in Japan and Europe, only hybrids and a smattering of conventionally-powered models currently use the technology in the U.S. This is likely due in part to the fact that the fuel savings of stop-start systems aren't reflected in current EPA fuel economy tests, which don't incorporate sustained periods of idling.
However, the technology does result in real-world efficiency gains, with an estimate from the Automobile Association of America attributing a 12 percent fuel savings to the system, enough to save the average driver $167 in annual fuel costs.
Numerous vehicles are set to gain the technology in the near future, ranging from the 2013
Ford Fusion (which will
offer it as a $295 option) to the
Pentastar V6-equipped 2013 Dodge Ram.
