Citroën Introduces Start & Stop C2 in UK; Incentive Pays London Congestion Charge
30 March 2006
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| A reversible starter/alternator handles the start and stop function. |
Citroën has announced the UK launch of a new C2 Stop & Start model, and is offering a cashback incentive of £1,696 (US$2,963) to buyers of all Citroën Stop & Start models (C2 and C3) sufficient to cover one year’s London Congestion Charge.
The Stop & Start technology, first introduced on the C3 in 2004, switches the engine off when the car is at standstill, offering up to a 15% reduction in fuel consumption in heavy traffic, according to Citroën.
The system delivers about 42 mpg US on a combined cycle, and reduces CO2 emissions by about 10% compared to the rest of the C2 gasoline line-up.
The Stop & Start system turns the engine off as the vehicle comes to a halt and then restarts the engine in just 400 milliseconds the moment the driver takes his or her foot from the brake pedal, allowing the car to accelerate away as normal.
The system uses a reversible starter/alternator that acts as a standard alternator one minute—driven by the engine to charge the battery—but, when required, then acts as a starter motor, driven by the battery to re-start the engine. The system can be easily deactivated via a button on the dash.
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| The C2 |
This C2 is equipped with a new generation SensoDrive automated gearbox, with paddleshift gearchange and automatic function, and a 90hp (67kW) 1.4i 16V gasoline engine.
Citroën unveiled the C2 Stop & Start at the 2005 Frankfurt auto show. Starting price in the UK is £10,690 (US$18,674), not including the cashback incentive.
Just a nit...
I think you mean "15% reduction in fuel consumption"
Posted by: Lance Funston | 30 March 2006 at 02:57 PM
yes, thanks.
Posted by: Mike | 30 March 2006 at 03:17 PM
That's quite an incentive. I'm surprised Citroen felt it had to be so generous - hybrids are not as well known in Europe as in the US but given the high price of gasoline here, I would have expected a readier market for the technology. Perhaps Citroen is just using it a loss leader to gain overall market share.
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