BorgWarner Inc. in Auburn Hills, a Tier 1 auto supplier focused on clean and efficient technology solutions for combustion, hybrid, and electric vehicles, today announced it assisted Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn in delivering better vehicle efficiency with the Eco-Launch stop/start solenoid valve and hydraulic accumulator.
Engineered to deliver fast, smooth launches during engine restarts, Eco-Launch is now available on the Ford 8-speed, front-wheel drive (FWD), mid-torque transmission used for a variety of vehicles in North America.
“BorgWarner’s Eco-Launch technology provides drivers with the fuel economy benefits of stop/start and the seamless launches they expect,” says Martin Fischer, president and general manager of BorgWarner Transmission Systems.
“Our solution is a cost-effective, fast-to-market approach that allows automakers to enable existing or new automatic transmissions to be compatible with stop/start strategies.”
Shutting off the engine when the vehicle stops increases fuel economy between three and 10 percent, depending on driving patterns. However, accelerating from the stop mode can cause automatic transmissions to lurch or roll back.
For quick launches without lurching, BorgWarner’s low-noise, high-flow, low-leak solenoid valve enables the hydraulic accumulator to prime the transmission faster than the driver can switch from the brake to the accelerator.
BorgWarner, which operates manufacturing and technical facilities in 66 locations in 17 countries, has approximately 29,000 employees. For more information, visit borgwarner.com.
