Imitation Hybrids
Renault has fitted out a small car with an automatic stop/start feature. When the vehicle is stationary, the engine stops running just like a hybrid. When the clutch is depressed and the car is in gear, the engine restarts. This is done so smoothly that the driver is unaware of it! Renault claims this simple feature reduces fuel consumption by ½ what could be achieved with a hybrid drive – but at far lower cost! This modification probably costs almost nothing!
Several American “light” hybrids operate in a similar fashion. The vehicles’ engine shuts down when stationary, and restarts automatically as soon as the accelerator is pressed. Starting is smoother than normal because the engine is cranked by the belt-driven alternator operating as a motor – not the normal starter motor. (The normal starter motor is still required for cold cranking when starting is more laborious, but the warm engine starts far more easily.)