[brian v]

Not cost effective ,would be my guess! Do look into the hybrid cruze ?

 

[ChicagoCruze]

I saw it was something like a $300 add on for some other cars. Can't imagine it would be all that difficult for Chevy, especially with looming mpg rate spikes. Was hoping one was coming in the new few years. I like the Cruze and would like to upgrade with that feature.

Is a Cruze hybrid in the works? I kinda want to avoid the gas-electric route. The replacement batteries are an expensive pain in the rear.

 

[2013Cruze]

I doubt it. At least not till 2015 model year at the earliest.

 

[perlionex]

It's not just about stopping the engine. The engine drives the accessories belt, which provides air-conditioning, drives the water pump, and keeps your cooling fan spinning. A car converted to start-stop technology would typically need to convert these to run off the battery instead.

 

[obermd]

My guess is the 2015 model year. Opel's new 1.6T engine supports stop/start for both automatic and manual transmissions. Holden is putting this engine into some of their 2014s so we'll get a better feel for the answer once they are available in Australia.

 

[jblackburn]

Then the complaints will REALLY be rolling in about the Cruze's heater in the winter

 

[obermd]

Then the complaints will REALLY be rolling in about the Cruze's heater in the winter

And the lack of A/C in the summer. :signs015:

 

[jblackburn]

And the lack of A/C in the summer. :signs015:

Well, hopefully they'll supplement that with an electric compressor. I've rode in an Accord Hybrid and a Sonata Hybrid, and they shut down the engine and the AC gets a little warmer and the fan speed goes down a bit, but it's still blowing cool air at you. Honestly, that was really about the only thing I found interesting about a hybrid.

I'm not sure how that works with cars with the engine technology now, but I'd imagine it's along the same lines. Maybe they'll put in electric heating coils or a direct water pump from the cylinder head to the heater core too. My dad's Acura had that and it was great...heat within 30 seconds! Once the engine warms up more, a themostat opened and allowed flow through the whole engine block, and then a second thermostat opened to allow flow through the radiator.

 

[obermd]

Electric heater coils wouldn't be a bad idea for the current Cruze. There just isn't enough engine to generate a lot of heat. Electric heaters and A/Cs are used in most hybrids so the technology isn't "new".

 

[CHUV]

Doesnt the '13 malibu have start/stop?

 

[cwerdna]

Doesnt the '13 malibu have start/stop?

Yes, if it's the '13+ Malibu Eco.

GM had been selling BAS mild hybrid vehicles awhile ago (e.g. Malibu Hybrid, Vue Green Line, etc.) They didn't sell well and they went away.

GM's given the 2nd gen BAS mild hybrid the eAssist moniker. That includes cars like the '13+ Malibu Eco, Regal eAssist, etc. They're actually selling a LOT better than when such vehicles were marketed w/hybrid in their name.

GM also has their two-mode hybrid SUVs and trucks.

 

[cwerdna]

It's not just about stopping the engine. The engine drives the accessories belt, which provides air-conditioning, drives the water pump, and keeps your cooling fan spinning. A car converted to start-stop technology would typically need to convert these to run off the battery instead.

I haven't seen belt driven cooling fans on cars for ages and never seen one on a FWD car w/a transverse mounted engine. They use electric cooling fans.

Heck, my former 04 350Z was RWD and engine wasn't transverse mounted, so it could've used a belt driven fan. But, it didn't. It was electric.

Some (mainly early hybrids) such as the Gen 1 Prius, early Civic Hybrids and I believe both gens of Honda Insights unfortunately have belt driven AC compressors. On those, if you wanted the AC compressor to run, the engine had to run too. The aforementioned Accord Hybrid was interesting. It had two compressors per http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/honda-accord-hybrid-road-test : a larger belt driven one and a smaller electric one.

 

[Aussie]

Holden have been using electric engine fans since 1988 on RWD cars. The last car I had with a belt driven fan was a 1986 Falcon and that fan had a clutch that let it slip until the fan was needed. I had a 1963 Mini Cooper and the fan was belt driven and pushed the air through the radiator and guard into the wheel well, and it worked well.

A question, with stop start how does the battery handle it and for how long? Also does the engine keep running if the battery gets low?

I am not aware of the 1.6T getting stop start in Australia?