Officials at Volvo Penta of the Americas have announced a new automatic start/stop option for industrial diesel engines, including a fuel savings of 5% or more by switching the idling engine off.
“Automatic start/stop is becoming increasingly common in private cars,” said Volvo Penta Americas Region President Ron Huibers. “Volvo Penta is now offering the same functionality for industrial engines; consumption is the biggest cost for industrial equipment in material handling, construction and mining. When fuel can represent up to 90% of the machine’s operating costs, a reduction of up to 5% in fuel consumption is extremely valuable.”
When the machine’s engine is idling, company representatives noted, it turns itself off after a pre-set time, usually 5-10 seconds. And when the driver activates any of the machine’s controls, the engine restarts automatically; the capability, the company added, can be deactivated or reactivated as needed. While reducing operational costs, company officials noted that the mechanism will also lower emissions and reduce noise levels.
With more than 4,000 dealers in more than 130 countries, Volvo Penta is a top global manufacturer of engines for industrial applications; these include both diesel and gasoline engines. Volvo Penta is also part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of heavy trucks, buses and construction equipment.
