Mazda i-stop Wins 2010 RJC Technology of the Year Award

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Mazda Motor Corp announced Wednesday that its unique idling stop system, i-stop, has won the 2009 Automotive Researchers’ and Journalists’ Conference of Japan (RJC) Technology of the Year award.

Idling stop systems reduce fuel consumption by automatically shutting down the engine when the driver stops the vehicle. Mazda’s i-stop system is fitted to direct injection engines and uses combustion energy to restart the engine in just 0.35 seconds, about half the time necessary for most other competing systems. The i-stop system also suppresses noise and vibration as the engine shuts down and restarts, ensuring that drivers experience a natural driving feel with no sense of discomfort.

Mazda introduced i-stop on the all-new Mazda Axela, which launched in Japan in June 2009. The new Axela with i-stop offers approximately 15% improved fuel economy compared to the previous model when tested under Japan’s 10-15 mode test cycle.

Axela models with i-stop also qualify for Japan’s eco-car incentive program as well as tax reductions of 75% under the government’s eco-car tax reduction program. Almost half of the total Mazda Axela sales volume in Japan to date has been for i-stop models.