2015 Chevy Impala Will Come Standard with Fuel-Saving Start/Stop Technology
Since Chevrolet redesigned its flagship vehicle last year, the 2014 Impala has been hard to ignore. Its sleek exterior paired with its luxurious all-new interior and overall functionality has won over consumers and critics. It wasn’t long after its release that the Impala started winning awards and has since received recognition for quality, cost of ownership, safety, and being family-oriented.
So, for those who’ve been playing with the idea of purchasing an Impala, there’s even better news. Chevrolet recently announced that the 2015 year-model Impala will be equipped standard with start/stop technology, an addition that will improve its city mileage by nearly 5% (or 1 MPG.) This will allow the 2015 Impala to yield an estimated fuel economy of 22 MPG city and 31 MPG on the highway.
What is Start/Stop Technology?
Start/stop technology is a feature that actually shuts down the engine in certain driving conditions to reduce fuel consumption and is becoming more prevalent worldwide. A recent report from Navigant Research predicted that sales of vehicles with this technology will grow from 8.8 million in 2013 to 55.4 million in 2022, internationally. The start/stop feature is designed to transition from “off” to “on” as subtly and seamlessly as possible so drivers will virtually feel no difference during its operation. This technology was actually first featured as a standard option on Chevrolet’s mid-sized sedan, the 2014 Malibu, a first for the vehicle’s segment. The feature showed to improve the Malibu’s fuel economy by 14%!
How it Works:
“Start/stop system customer research indicates they want the engine to start up as quickly and smoothly as possible after a stop,” said Mark Meyers, Chevrolet Global Vehicle Performance manager. During the development of this technology, a team of software engineers was created. The Center for Excellence focuses on advancing stop/stop technology and making its operation seamless to the customer. A big challenge for the team was overcoming “change-of-mind events,” which are instances in which the driver begins to stop but then quickly accelerates. The algorithms adapt the system so the starter can fire even if the engine did not fully shut off. The smart software also prevents the system from engaging if the car does not reach 6 MPH since its last start, a welcome feature in stop-and-go driving conditions. The system also considers cabin temperature, humidity, battery charge, and other factors when deciding whether or not to shut the engine off. Hardware revisions have also been made. The noise and vibration team worked closely with drive-train engineers to revise motor mounts to provide the greatest isolation possible from the cabin. The team also included a larger, heavy-duty starter motor to assist with the additional ignition cycles.
For the 2015 model-year, the Impala will be available with two different power trains: a standard 4-cylinder 2.5L engine and a premium 3.6L 6-cylinder engine. The V6 engine will not come with the start/stop option. The 2015 Impala is expected to go on sale this summer with a suggested starting price of $27,735 for the 4-cylinder LS (base) model and $30,960 for the 6-cylinder LT model.
For more information on start/stop technology or the arrival of the new Impala at Jeff Gordon Chevrolet in Wilmington, NC, call (910)798-2650 or fill out the contact form below to send us an email! For the most current incentives and rebates available on the 2014 Impala or Malibu, click here!
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