The oil economy is one aspect of the American economy that has been suffering as the government fails to keep the gasoline prices under check. The economy now stands at a threshold where it is upto the natives to see that they use the resource economically which itself involves the automakers too, who are now entitled with the responsibility of developing techniques which make the entire affair economical.
Following on the aforesaid lines Mercedes have introduced the ECO- Start system in the Sprinters, which assures that the vehicle doesn’t eat up excessive gas especially when it is not required. The ECO- Start acts as an engine start/stop system and inturn saves fuel and reduces the burden on the environment.
If the vehicle is stationary with engine idling and the transmission is neutral for more than three seconds, the engine is automatically switched off. The moment a driver depresses the clutch pedal again, the engine re-starts.
Mercedes have picked up a very good point in terms of saving fuel as the potential for saving gas taking into consideration application and traffic density, drivers manage to cut their fuel consumption by as much as 20%. In the day-to-day verve the average percentage would fall between five and eight percent. The system performs to best advantage in urban use involving frequent stops in traffic queues or at traffic lights.
Safety is provided by sophisticated electronics. If the vehicle starts to move, the engine is started so as to ensure that servo assistance for the steering and brakes is maintained. In all other cases, the engine does not re-start until the clutch pedal is fully depressed. If the battery voltage is low or if an attempt by the system to start the engine has failed, the ECO-Start function is deactivated. In addition, the system’s safety logic checks whether the bonnet is closed to make sure that no one can be injured if the engine suddenly starts.
The other option to deactivate the Eco Start is to press a button on the instrument panel. To avoid cold starts on the one hand and overheating on the other, the system only operates at coolant temperatures of between 40°C and 100°C. The comfort of the occupants is also taken into account: when the outside temperature is below freezing point, the engine is not switched off.
ECO-Start is available worldwide, with immediate effect, for all Sprinters with diesel engines and manual transmissions. In Germany, it adds just € 203 (excluding VAT) to the price of the van.
Anyone still guessing there why the Detroit giants are failing to compete with the likes of Mercedes, this adaptation from Mercedes is good enough an answer!
[Credit: Mercedes-Benz]
