HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation is pleased to announce that the New Technology Development Foundation of Tokyo has awarded it the Contribution Prize of the 42nd annual lchimura Industrial Awards for its development of the combustion technology used in i-stop, Mazda’s unique engine idling stop system. The Ichimura Industrial Awards are given annually to researchers or groups that make a significant contribution to industry by developing exceptional industrial technology in Japan.
Since i-stop was launched in Japan in the all-new Mazda Axela (known as Mazda3 overseas) in June 2009, it has won the 2010 RJC Technology of the Year prize from the Automotive Researchers’ & Journalists’ Conference of Japan, the 2009 Eco-Products Award from Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), the 2009 Technology Award from the Combustion Society of Japan, and the Technological Development Award from the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan (JSAE). Mazda’s i-stop system, paired with a direct injection engine, has been highly acclaimed as a unique eco-friendly technology for its significant improvement in fuel economy while ensuring a natural driving feel.
Idling stop systems are relatively low cost and can be widely deployed to become a highly effective method of reducing CO2 emissions. In this sense, i-stop has great potential to contribute to a more eco-friendly world. Mazda’s i-stop leverages the characteristics of direct injection engines to achieve a ‘combustion restart.’ This means that when the engine is stopped, the i-stop system injects fuel directly into a cylinder, and then ignites it to generate downward piston force to initiate engine restart. Using this technology, i-stop restarts the engine in just 0.35 seconds, about half the time of most other competing systems, while minimizing noise and vibration.
The award presentation ceremony will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, at the Hotel Okura Tokyo.
Contribution Prize of the 42nd annual Ichimura Industrial Awards
Awarded for: “Mazda’s idling stop technology”
Recipients:
Kenichiro Saruwatari - Program Management Div., Mazda Motor Corporation
Junichi Taga - Powertrain Development Div., Mazda Motor Corporation
Hiroyuki Mizuochi - Powertrain Development Div., Mazda Motor Corporation
More information about Mazda’s i-stop system is avaiable at:
http://www.mazda.com/mazdaspirit/env/engine/siss.html
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Mazda’s Ichimura Industrial Awards history:
Contribution Prize of the 26th Ichimura Industrial Awards
Awarded for: - Miller cycle engine for automobiles
Recipients: Koichi Hatamura and Tsuyoshi Goto (Mazda Motor Corporation) and Shigeru Takabe (IHI Corporation)
