Mahindra & Mahindra, the leader in utility vehicles in India, has taken the initiative to introduce the path breaking Fuel Smart System for the first time in India.The Fuel Smart system is an automatic engine start stop system. It hasbeen introduced in its Scorpio M2DI and Bolero SLX BS3 models.
The start stop system automatically shuts down and restarts the automobile’s engine. The engine begins effortlessly once a driver depresses a clutch prior to moving ahead. This in turn reduces the duration for which the engine is kept idling, therebyimproving fuel economy.
This start stop system comes into play when the automobile has to spend considerable amounts of time waiting at traffic signals or intraffic jams. This feature started in hybrid electric vehicles but now has also started appearing in vehicles without a hybrid power train like Scorpio and Bolero. Fuel economy can improve by 5 to 10 percent innon-hybrid vehicles with the start stop system.
Off late the start stop system uses anenhanced-starter which is nothing more than a conventional starter, developed by Bosch, which can withstand the increased number of enginestarts. The system is such that the alternator is not activated most ofthe time. Thus the electrical components in the vehicle run on Battery.The alternator is activated to recharge the battery while deceleratingor braking (regenerative braking). Due to the use of regenerativebraking, some have started calling this type of system a micro hybrid.
Volkswagen Polo Formel E, Fiat Regata ESand BMW were some of the earliest vehicles to use this technology. Smart Fortwo is a micro hybrid sold in Europe. Mahindra & Mahindra has introduced Micro hybrid Technology with Scorpio and Bolero. Tata Motors is following suite with Micro Hybrid Nano and Ace.
The Micro Hybrid Technology is based onthe simple principle of not burning fuel when not required. TheFuelSmart system with a Micro-Hybrid technology of Scorpio is newtechnology developed by Mahindra R&D team with help of the M/S Bosch.