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Mazda Motor
Corporation announced today that
its unique idling stop system, i-stop,
has won the 2009 Automotive
Researchers’ and Journalists’
Conference of Japan (RJC)
Technology of the Year award.
Idling stop
systems reduce fuel consumption
by automatically shutting down
the engine when the driver stops
the vehicle. Mazda’s i-stop
system is fitted to
direct-injection engines and
uses combustion energy to
restart the engine in just 0.35
seconds, about half the time
necessary for most other
competing systems. The i-stop
system also suppresses noise and
vibration as the engine shuts
down and restarts, ensuring that
drivers experience a natural
driving feel with no sense of
discomfort.
Mazda introduced
i-stop on the all-new Mazda3,
which was launched in Europe and
Japan in June 2009. The new
Mazda3 with i-stop offers
approximately 15 percent
improved fuel economy compared
to the previous model when
tested under Japan’s 10-15 mode
test cycle. Mazda3 models with i-stop
also qualify for Japan’s eco-car
incentive program as well as tax
reductions of 75 percent under
the government’s eco-car tax
reduction program. Almost half
of the total Mazda3 sales volume
in Japan to date has been i-stop
models.
Seita Kanai,
Mazda’s Senior Managing
Executive Officer in charge of
R&D, said “Mazda’s i-stop system
is one of the green technologies
that form the base of our future
product strategy. It improves
fuel economy without adversely
affecting driving performance.
In this way, we believe i-stop
perfectly reflects Mazda’s
commitment to provide our
customers with driving pleasure
as well as superb environmental
and safety performance. We are
honoured to receive this award.
In recognizing our environmental
efforts, this prize holds a
special significance for Mazda.” |
