Start-stop systems shut off the internal combustion engine when the driver stops and restart it seamlessly when the driver accelerates, thus reducing emissions and improving fuel economy. Battery-based start-stop systems are enhanced with an ultracapacitor-based voltage stabilization system that provides the starting power needed to restart the engine, thereby reducing the high voltages and repeated cycles that shorten battery life.
Electronic voltage stabilization control allows for a smooth start, reduces motor vibration, and provides a superior experience.
The Maxwell ultracapacitors in Continental's VSS design are also an additional source of stabilization for the vehicle's electrical system during times of high energy demand.
Unlike batteries, which produce and store energy through a chemical reaction, ultracapacitors store energy in an electric field. This electrostatic energy storage mechanism allows ultracapacitors to charge and discharge in fractions of a second, operate normally over a wide temperature range (from -40°C to +65°C), function reliably for up to a million charge-discharge cycles or more, and withstand shock and vibration.
