A properly designed system that stops the motor when ever you are stopped would save a ton of gas for people with stop and go commutes. It might be hard on the engine and require bigger batteries, but it would be one effective way to reduce gas comsumption and pollution.
Be aware that the new starters will be an integral part of the flywheel — no starter motor with a little gear that engages the gear teeth on the outside of the flywheel.
So starts will be silent.
Once the engine is running the starter becomes the alternator.
The electrical system will be 48 volts, which allows more power for a pound of machinery including wiring.
I think mileage improvement will be simple: go to diesel and make the engines less powerful. No rocket science. The vehicles might even become cheaper to make.
Will consumers accept less power? Depends on cost of fuel and cost of cars that can deliver the required mileage and still have the power.
I am afraid no one has calcualted the pollution impact of shorter engine lifespans, (how much pollution is generated manufacturing an engine, or for that matter, a car?), nor have they factored in the pollution generated by the manufacture and disposal/recycling of batteries.
There is a fixation on the tailpipe when it comes to pollution, which does not surprise me, considering the group we are talking about (Congress).
That is already done with the existing hybrids.
A properly designed system that stops the motor when ever you are stopped would save a ton of gas for people with stop and go commutes. It might be hard on the engine and require bigger batteries, but it would be one effective way to reduce gas comsumption and pollution.”
Keeping traffic moving would be far more effective. If the car must be stopped, and then it doesn’t restart- you plug up all the traffic behind you.
Not a good idea. If you have ever had the bad luck to have this happen to you, you do not want to increase the instances of it happening 10,000 fold every day.
For people who can use the tiny and tinny cars that get great mileage, so be it. I have to move a horse trailer in my business. Not going to happen with a YUGO. I don’t bitch about the mileage, but the price of gas per gallon is preventing me from promoting my business more aggressively, which hurts my lifestyle and causes a little hiccup in the economy.
Ed Begley can drive whatever he wants since he really only commutes about 2 miles to where he works. I have to go at least 6 miles to get to anything commercial, including the Post Office, which is getting totally out of control with the cost of their services- another topic for another day—.
Or you can raise the speed limit on the freeway. My Mercedes sedan gets its best mpg at around 100 mph, (as has been repeatedly tested from Idaho to Seatle.)