Land Rover Cuts CO2 With New Technology

[GrahamPonty]

Land Rover has taken another step forward in reducing its impact on the environment with the unveiling of the latest technology to be applied to its award winning Freelander 2.

The intelligent stop/start system, which will be fitted as standard on all diesel manual Freelander models, will help to cut CO2 emissions by over 7% from 194 g/km to 179 g/km, dropping the vehicle a VED band from band F to band E.

This equates to a fuel economy improvement in a combined cycle (NEDC) from 37.7 mpg (7.5/100 km) to 41.5 mpg (6.8/100 km), an improvement of 10%.

The stop/start system will be installed on all manual diesel Freelanders sold across the world.

The system turns off the engine when the vehicle is stationary and automatically restarts it when the driver is ready to move off. This prevents the engine from unnecessary idling, eliminates wasting fuel and cuts carbon dioxide emissions. Failsafe systems are built in to prevent usage when the battery power is low, during cold start conditions and when air conditioning levels need to be maintained.

The first vehicles to benefit from the stop/start system will be produced towards the end of 2008.

The stop/start system is just one of Land RoverÔs integrated approaches to tackling the challenges of climate change.

Land Rover and Jaguar will jointly invest £700m in sustainable technology over the next five years, in addition to FordÔs multi-billion euro programme. This will include developing hybrid technology and the use of lightweight material.

In addition, Land Rover balances all its manufacturing CO2 emissions from its UK operations (and the first 45,000 miles of customer use in the UK) with the worldÔs largest consumer offset programme managed by Climate Care.

Watch our Freelander Stop/Start video

http://www.landrover.co.uk/Microsites/GB/Videos/index_freelander2.html?route=_gb_en_Company_Sustainability_Freelander_Stop_Start@
Can't wait to get hold of one.

Graham (Ponty)

 

[Angus1]

Do you think any of the tree-huggers will see beyond the badge though?

 

[Bazz1]

New technology, load of bosh. VW had this type of gismo on there Golf and I think the Passat years ago. Bazz.

 

[Darce]

"Not only will the Golf range be expanded with several new models, the new car will also debut's VW's version of engine stop-start technology. In addition to the regular five-door hatch, VW will also launch a new three-door, the Golf-based Scirocco sport coupe and a new cabrio."

This from http://www.motorauthority.com/cars/volkswagen/vw%E2%80%99s-golf-vi-to-get-stop-start-tech-plus-more-variants/ Tuesday 25 September 2007

So hardly a few years ago Bazz - more like a few weeks it seems!

Fair play to all car manufacturers who develop new and novel ways of stretching our petrol/diesel

 

[spj]

Hi,

Volkswagen did use this system over 20 years ago in the Polo and maybe others, it was called the Formel 'E', when idling it stopped the engine and when the gear lever was moved towards 1st gear it restarted the engine.

spj

 

[Lutz]

Yes, spj, you're right. Opel offered it back in the 80's, too, but it was not very well accepted because people were sceptical about it being able to turn the engine on quickly and reliably enough when the traffic lights turned green.

 

[Darce]

Does anyone remember the early Saabs that had a free wheeling device when you took your foot off the accelerator going down a hill.

It was ruddy frightening! And I think it had to be removed as freewheeling a car in the UK is deemed as not being in control of your vehicle.

My brother got used to it though - he had a fantastic two stroke one that was a real goer in the 60's followed by several of the superb V4's.

We used to practice hand-brake turns al la the Scandinavian Rally driver for Saab that did it so well. What was his name? I keep thinking Eric Carlson but I am not sure.

In fact now that my brother is semi retired he has a 95 (the estate) which he uses as everyday transport. It is so over engineered that with regular maintenance it just goes on and on.

Great vehicles

 

[emmerson2]

There was a system called "Startix" in the 1930s. There ain't nothing new under the sun.

 

[Oldfogey]

It sounds good, to just use petrol when you're moving.

However.. I would want to be sure that I could disable it if I wished. I can envisage that driving in heavy stop-start traffic, with the engine a bit older, and the battery past it's best, you could readilly find that you had a dead car on your hands.

Like a lot of these automatic systems, I would want to know that I am in control.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Does anyone remember the early Saabs that had a free wheeling device when you took your foot off the accelerator going down a hill.

It was ruddy frightening! And I think it had to be removed as freewheeling a car in the UK is deemed as not being in control of your vehicle.

My brother got used to it though - he had a fantastic two stroke one that was a real goer in the 60's followed by several of the superb V4's.

We used to practice hand-brake turns al la the Scandinavian Rally driver for Saab that did it so well. What was his name? I keep thinking Eric Carlson but I am not sure.

In fact now that my brother is semi retired he has a 95 (the estate) which he uses as everyday transport. It is so over engineered that with regular maintenance it just goes on and on.

Great vehicles

Hello Darce,

My first real car was a Saab 93 two stroke, and it was great fun. The three cylinder engine, firing on every cycle made it as smooth as a 6 cylinder 4 stroke, Yes it did have freewheeling hubs, which if I recall could be locked. sadly its achilies heel was the drive shafts which had a very basic cast iron universal joint, which with any reasonable steering lock let you know they were there as the wheel decelerated and accelerated twice every revolution as the knuckle's rotated. Eventually a piston went through the side of the cylinder block. I had to buy a second very early 96 which also had a 2s engine and i transplanted the engine, and the drive shafts which by now were a constant velocity design. since then I have had 3 more Saabs currently runing a 2000 9-3 2.2 Tid diesel. If I had space, time and money I would buy another 2s as a restoration project.

 

[Jazman]

The new Mini Clubman has the same set-up with over ride that most testers advise using!

With todays traffic do you want to wait for the car to start everytime you pull away, and how much of this extra use will the starting syustem take!

Having binned a new Disco this year due to mainly to relaibilty LR should sort what they have rather than sell gimmicks.

 

[Lutz]

It seems that LR have obviously had difficulty in meeting exhaust emissions goals without resorting to such measures. Otherwise, it is difficult to explain the reason why such a feature is fitted, given its undeniable very reserved acceptance. Theoretically, it would be against the law to override the system as it would be tampering with type-approved exhaust emissions control, although in practice I doubt whether it would have any consequences.

 

[Jazman]

The over ride switch is standard fitment on BMW's new Mini Clubman so I can't see how it would be against type approval.

 

[John_374224558]

Ive got a Freelander 2 myself, and while the idea may be ok in principle, if you suddenly need to move off in a hurry for whatever reason, are you not in danger of putting excessive wear on the turbo, as it will take a few seconds for the oil to start flowing back to it again after the engine has re started.

 

[Lutz]

If an override switch has been provided, like on the Mini, then obviously the stop/start feature was not necessary in order to meet fuel economy targets but I was referring to cases where the menaufacturer has not provided this possibility.

 

[DavidW1]

I have one of these devices fitted on all of my motors, it's called an ignition key. Switch off decisions come from the grey processor which has iputs from the Mk 1 eyeball and the common sense node.

The big advantage of this setup is that it can be transferred between vehicles.

 

[Lutz]

Nice one, David. I like it.

 

[mcghee]

Does the windscreen demister stay on when the engine shuts down?

New technology, I think not.

Valuable technology, I don't think so. I think most of us probably already switch off if we're going to be stationary for more than a few seconds.

If it's going to save the planet make it law to switch off as they've done in Switzerland. Otherwise this gizmo is a pointless piece of marketing nonsense.

 

[Bazz1]

Darce, sorry to differant but Iam talking in the 80-90's VW had this technology, not just a few weeks ago, Bazz.