[Merc6]

Smartphone app brings start-stop tech to any modern car

VOYOMOTIVE is a company that is bringing Stop/Start technology to any car VIA the OBII port. Pretty interesting, I've wished I had Stop/Start on my Cruze ECO when stuck in traffic quite a few since we waste so much fuel idling.

Some people have turned cars off if the light is literally 10 mins long. I tried it a few times but it's a hassle trying to remember to turn the car back on then shift back into gear and go. being still cold out I'm not going turn the car off for 6 or 7 mins with a 4 month old in the car.

Overseas Cruze has start stop but I believe they may also have aux heating to maintain that temp of sitting there for a bit with the engine off like the hybrids do.

 

[ChevyGuy]

The stop-start system does use the starter motor more than usual, but Voyomotive's engineers (recruited from the auto industry) insist the process also reduces wear and tear on the engine.

Let's see. My last car's engine lasted nearly 200K and was stilling going strong. But I did go though a couple of starters. Uh, no sell.

And if the manufacturer starts having to change a bunch of starters under warranty, I'll bet they'll raise a fuss.

The basic $99 Voyo device, which connects online through the driver's mobile phone, will also require an annual $50 network connectivity charge.

I think that business plan is DOA. Before I laid out any money, I'd have to quantify how much I was spending at red lights. And with the Cruze's tiny engine, that's not going to be much.

I think these guys will have to pray for return of insane gas prices. When gas is sky-high, people will go for ways to save. But not when gas prices have fallen like they have.

 

[obermd]

If I know I'll be sitting at a stop light for more than a minute I'll kill the engine unless I'm trying to defrost the car. My ECO MT will restart and be ready to go in the delayed time it takes the opposing light to turn red and we get the green.

 

[cruze2011white]

Cars that have start stop all have a extra battery maybe smaller and a beefed up started. Doing this to a car not designed for it is not a good idea. Yes you can do it but your battery will suffer as well as the starter.

These cars are also designed to put the car in neutral and start immediately. They also don't turn off if it notices you creeping a little and then stop. I drove a Malibu with it. It was ok but something I don't think I really care for. I think a hybrid in traffic is better.

 

[David1]

Start/stop sucks. My other cars that have it I had it deactivated. You will not notice any savings from it and it is supper anoying in heavy traffic.

 

[obermd]

The reason hybrids can pull it off is they use the battery to actually get the car moving. Then they start the engine.

 

[Dvan5693]

Start/stop sucks. My other cars that have it I had it deactivated. You will not notice any savings from it and it is supper anoying in heavy traffic.

The cruze a beefy enough starting/charging system. For instance it has a 130A alternator which is alot for such a small car. Many other cars in our class have closer to 100A alternator. As far the battery and starter. So your starter may die 15k earlier because of some extra starts when the engine has reached an optimal temp....big whoop and for the battery, a warm start is not very hard on a battery.

Why would so many auto manufacturers implement this into their cars and why would this company make this product if it provided no savings....that makes no sense lol. I'm pretty sure Stop/Start does save gas and increase your fuel mileage. So you're telling me that
idling your car doesn't waste gas? Care to explain that and why so many companies have implemented this into their vehicles, including the chevy Cruze overseas.

Cars that have start stop all have a extra battery maybe smaller and a beefed up started. Doing this to a car not designed for it is not a good idea. Yes you can do it but your battery will suffer as well as the starter.

These cars are also designed to put the car in neutral and start immediately. They also don't turn off if it notices you creeping a little and then stop. I drove a Malibu with it. It was ok but something I don't think I really care for. I think a hybrid in traffic is better.

The extra battery or bigger battery that most cars have is not because a normal battery couldn't handle the starting, they are to run of all of the electronics when the engine isn't running for prolonged periods of time, the Cruze's do not have many Gizmos to run compared to most luxury cars that have this(which are the ones with extra/bigger batteries usually)...I'm sure our battery is far sufficient enough to do this....the most I have going at a light is running lights, radio and HVAC at times. The starters would take a bit of a toll but most people do not even keep their car long enough to have to replace a starter.

 

[ChevyGuy]

why would this company make this product if it provided no savings....that makes no sense lol.

You're kidding me, right?

My dad said that cars are made for one thing and one thing only - to get your money. Transportation is secondary. Take a look at the back of any magazine like Popular Science. Why are any of those things made? To get your money. Will they actually save you money? Doubtful.

I'd like to see the calculations that shows the break-even point for a $50/year subscription. You'd have to have enough "stop" time in your daily commute to pay for that.

A $99 item with no subscription would be an easier sell. I predict the whole subscription thing will be a flop. That's a little much for savings that's hard to quantify. The device would need a read-out showing how much money it saved to keep people renewing.

 

[obermd]

Thinking about this - the Cruze has a huge starter. Remember the Electric Cruze tested in Korea back in 2010. I bet we have the same starter motor as the Malibu Eco, which does implement stop/start technology.

 

[spacedout]

If I know I will be sitting in traffic for more than 3 minutes I will put my car in neutral and shut it off. Got stopped at a train crossing for 10 minutes the other day, was shocked only 2 other cars shut down. 10 minutes of idling is 10 miles I could have drove!!!

Never had to replace the starter on any car before 150K, my buick made it 225K on the original one.

 

[David1]

The cruze a beefy enough starting/charging system. For instance it has a 130A alternator which is alot for such a small car. Many other cars in our class have closer to 100A alternator. As far the battery and starter. So your starter may die 15k earlier because of some extra starts when the engine has reached an optimal temp....big whoop and for the battery, a warm start is not very hard on a battery.

Why would so many auto manufacturers implement this into their cars and why would this company make this product if it provided no savings....that makes no sense lol. I'm pretty sure Stop/Start does save gas and increase your fuel mileage. So you're telling me that
idling your car doesn't waste gas? Care to explain that and why so many companies have implemented this into their vehicles, including the chevy Cruze overseas.



The extra battery or bigger battery that most cars have is not because a normal battery couldn't handle the starting, they are to run of all of the electronics when the engine isn't running for prolonged periods of time, the Cruze's do not have many Gizmos to run compared to most luxury cars that have this(which are the ones with extra/bigger batteries usually)...I'm sure our battery is far sufficient enough to do this....the most I have going at a light is running lights, radio and HVAC at times. The starters would take a bit of a toll but most people do not even keep their car long enough to have to replace a starter.

This is start stop functionality is mostly for Europe where people are taxed based on the emissions output and not economy. Here even when they do the EPA testing for CAFE it is a minimal number but over 1 million cars it benefits the manufacturers and a good political move. My cars that have it that are high HP vehicals with big motors driving 20k miles per year saw no measurable difference with start stop on or off. I like many people do not care about the perception that hey, start stop saved me 20$ for the year when I don't even care about fuel economy. My fleet of cars averages 16mpg. What I do care about is how shitty all the systems are from all manufactures. The one start stop that was very good that you could not feel was the old e-assist in the older malibu and the Buick Lucern that is no longer used.

 

[Robby]

The Cruze (or any) starter is not designed around multiple use.....nor is the battery or alternator.

Using the ECO Malibu for example, which has start stop, the first thing noted is the very large AGM battery rated at 850Ah.

But the most interesting part is, it has no starter motor per se'.

But it does have a giant alternator......and it is giant because it also is the starter......a belt drive starter if you will.
When at a light, the engine shuts down....that giant alternator/starter will put the crankshaft in a position of nearest piston at TDC and, when you release the brake, a corresponding plug fires just as the alt/starter is engaged.....the engine restarts in milliseconds.

This is the only way to keep from wearing starter gears, ring gears, starter solenoids, and related switches and relays.
Otherwise you trade fuel expense for prematurely worn part replacement expense.

Your car, your $$$$,

Rob

 

[cruze2011white]

I remember that now. I believe this is the same way Mazda does it too. You get maybe 1 mile more in city driving. Not really worth it but the manufactures have to get up their MPG average somehow.

 

[obermd]

I remember that now. I believe this is the same way Mazda does it too. You get maybe 1 mile more in city driving. Not really worth it but the manufactures have to get up their MPG average somehow.

The City MPG estimate controls 65% of the EPA combined fuel economy number as well as the majority of the overall CAFE number the government sets on their fleet. This is why the ECO MT lost things like three gallons of gas, the spare tire, and rear cup holders.

 

[brian v]

I have a couple of cup holders for ya . they are in the rear and I am never there , I 'll put EM in the Mail for Ya ...

 

[ChevyGuy]

Using the ECO Malibu for example, which has start stop, the first thing noted is the very large AGM battery rated at 850Ah.

But the most interesting part is, it has no starter motor per se'.

But it does have a giant alternator......and it is giant because it also is the starter......a belt drive starter if you will.
When at a light, the engine shuts down....that giant alternator/starter will put the crankshaft in a position of nearest piston at TDC and, when you release the brake, a corresponding plug fires just as the alt/starter is engaged.....the engine restarts in milliseconds.

I've been next to such a car at the light. The engine start is quite different. The engine is just running again. You don't hear a starter.