Drivers in Europe want to save fuel and reduce emissions from their car, and are willing to pay more for new technologies like Start-Stop to do so, according to research released this week by Johnson Controls.
“We conducted this study to gain a better understanding of how consumers feel about fuel-saving power train technologies such as Start-Stop,” said Holger Jetses, vice president and general manager of Johnson Controls Power Solutions Europe, Middle East, Africa.
The study is based on research with individuals and via a web-based survey. Results show 50 percent of consumers in Germany, France, Italy, the UK, and Russia are willing to pay more for a new vehicle if the fuel consumption is cut by 5 percent. The environmental aspect also plays a role in consumer preferences to drive in a more environmentally friendly way.
Consumers also indicated they are interested in achieving even more fuel efficiency, as long as it’s for the right price. According to Jetses, innovative new power train solutions, such as Micro Hybrid, will be the next technology to play an important role in reducing emissions and improving fuel economy.
“Johnson Controls is already in development of a solution that has the potential to improve fuel economy up to 15 percent at an affordable cost, with Micro Hybrid,” said Jetses. “Leveraging a dual voltage architecture, Johnson Controls’ Micro Hybrid battery system will involve a traditional 12-volt battery that starts your car and a 48-volt Lithium-ion battery that enables optimization of energy generation and consumption.”
In a Start-Stop system, the car’s engine will shut off when the driver comes to a stop or idles. Johnson Controls’ Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) battery will power devices during the stop mode and quickly restart the engine when the driver’s foot releases the brake pedal.