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Citroën has designed his environmental strategy. In order to reflect his commitment and his technology in the field of the environment, Citroën has thrown the environmental signature AIRDREAM, which it identifies to the most respectful vehicles of the scale with the environment.

AIRDREAM demonstrates the ambition of the mark for taking part actively in the preservation of the air and of the environment, thanks to the reduction of the pollutant emission of his vehicles.

To incorporate the signature AIRDREAM, a model must fulfill these three criteria:

1 - The vehicles that use fossil fuels must have emission of CO2 equal to 130 g/km*. Or to be vehicles Stop and Start, without emission of CO2 or noise when they stop, or to be vehicles GNV (natural gas), with 20 % less of emission of CO2 with regard to the gasoline.

2 - To be made of a plant with the certification ISO 14001.

3 - To be designed so that 95 % of the vehicle has value (recycling and energy valuation) at the end of his useful life.

Citroën will include in this signature the vehicles that incorporate advances and new technologies capable of reducing even more pollutant emission in the vehicles.

Thanks to his politics in favor of the environment, Citroën is, at present, one of the builders most advanced in this matter.

*Las emission must be minor or equal to 158 g in case of vehicles diesel equipped with FAP and compatible with biodiesel B30, miscellany of diesel and of 30 % of methylic ésteres of vegetable oils (equivalent to 130 g, from the well to the wheel *). Or to 200 g in case of vehicles that work with Superethanol E85 (equivalent to 120 g, from the well to the wheel).
The concept “from the well to the wheel” bears in mind the emission of C02 of the finished cycle of production of the biofuel, that is to say, growth of the plant, harvests, transformation, waste processing organization and use.

Ecological technologies developed and commercialized by the mark

Faithful to his tradition of innovation, Citroën develops and commercializes, for many years, vehicles equipped with respectful technologies with the environment.

Citroën has been one of the builders first in commercializing the system Stop and Start, present in the C2 and the C3, which reduces about 10 % the consumption in urban circulation (up to 15 % when the circulation is dense), or what is the same, close to 15 g of CO2/km.

The mark is one of the first ones in having developed and commercializing the FAP (filter of particles), which can equip, at present, most of the engines HDi, whose results in terms of consumption and of pollutant emission are outstanding (between 20 % and 35 % of reduction in the consumptions, in relation to an engine gasoline of similar potency).

These technologies are completed by two change boxes manuals piloted, Senso Drive (for C1, C2, C3 and C3 Pluriel) and the CMP (for C4, C4 Picasso and Grand C4 Picasso), which there allow to reduce between 3 % and 5 % the consumption and the emission of CO2.

There is added to these technologies the fact that the set of engines HDi commercialized by the mark from 1998, can work with a fuel that it contains up to 30 % of biodiésel without any modification. This way, the low consumptions and emission of CO2 of the engines HDi are reinforced by the use of a renewable energy.

Stop and Start:
An effective answer to protect the environment

The Citroën commitment with the environment is not new. The mark develops, for years, vehicles equipped with respectful technologies with the environment, like the system Stop&Start, that allows to reduce the consumption and the emission of CO2 close to 10 % in urban cycle. Citroën incorporates this technology for the first time in a series vehicle in the year 2004, on having thrown the C3 Stop&Start. In September, 2006, one incorporates also the C2 Stop&Start.

The principal characteristic of the system Stop and Start is the stop of the just engine earlier and during the detention of the vehicle (cloggings, semaphores …). The vehicle starts in an automatic and immediate way on having "released" the pedal of the brake, as soon as the driver wants to initiate the march again. The functioning of this system supports in the incorporation of a speed box robotizada SensoDrive and of a reversible alternator managed electronically, capably of disconnecting the engine in long stops.

The System Stop&Start helps to improve the quality of life in city, adding, to the important reduction of consumption and emission of CO2, the suppression of sonorous emission from the moment in which the vehicle stops. This characteristic constitutes an undeniable advantage in terms of acoustic and vibratory comfort.

With the commercialization of these vehicles, Citroën continues with his strategy of innovation and protection of the environment. The use of this technology, complemented with the gearbox SensoDrive and with the engine gasoline 1.4i 16V of 90 CV, they allow the C2 and C3 Stop and Start to achieve a few numbers of reduction of consumption and emission of CO2 of the order of 10 % in urban cycle.

Concrete advantages

Reduction of consumptions and emission of CO2

The reduction of the consumptions and emission of CO2 supposes important advantages both to the C2 and to the C3 Stop and Start. Today, the technology of the reversible alternator, associated with the electronic management of the injection of fuel, he makes sure a consumption saving in urban circulation of approximately 10 %, the equivalent to 14 g of CO2/km. In the authorized mixed cycle, the saving is near to 6 %.

When the circulation is very dense, the descent in the consumption can go so far as to reach 15 %. In the big agglomerations, the time that passes with the arrested engine represents up to 35 % of the whole.

The technology of the mechanical gearbox robotizada SensoDrive constitutes an essential argument in the reduction of the consumption. The electronic management of the step of the marches and of the clutch they assure a few levels of consumption lower than those of the classic mechanical or automatic boxes. The gearbox SensoDrive contributes a reduction of the consumption and the emission of CO2 of the order of 8 % in the urban cycle and of 4 % in the mixed cycle, with regard to these.

Comfort for the passengers

As the C3, the C2 Stop and Start contributes a few notable advantages that are perceived in a direct way with a more serene and relaxed conduction, especially when the engine stops:

• Auditory comfort for the passengers and I respect those who are in the exterior of the vehicle.

• Auditory comfort also during the instantaneous starting of the engine, which is carried out of imperceptible form for the occupants of the car.

• Physical comfort for the suppression of the vibrations of the engine, even at the moment of the starting of the engine.

The conduction comfort is perceptible from the beginning, since it is a question of a skill to which it is easy to get accustomed without modifying the way of driving.

Proven mechanics

The C2 and C3 Stop&Stara incorporate the already well-known motorization 1.4i 16V, that develops a potency of 65 kW CEE (90 CV DOUGH) to 5 250 rpm and offers a maximum pair of 133 Nm to 3 250 rpm.

To reach the targets of services and consumption, this engine integrates an openwork distribution continuously variable, a butt of 16 valves and a control of valves by means of hydraulic push-rods.

Simple and effective technology

When it is braked to stop the vehicle, the engine for just before the car stops completely (speed lower than 6 km/h); a green witness “ECHO“ ignites in the picture. The clutch remains uncoupled. The engine stays subdued while the support is supported on the pedal of the brake, even although it performs light form. As soon as the pedal of the brake comes undone, the engine starts automation again and instantaneously and the green witness “ECHO“ goes out.

When he turns to tread on the pedal of the gas pedal, the gearbox SensoDrive is in charge of going embragando progressively the status of marches that is necessary.

The driver can always deactivate the system “Stop and Start” touching the button “ECHO OFF” placed in the central console. In this case, the vehicle works like any car provided with the gearbox SensoDrive. Touching the above mentioned button again, the system enters functioning, again, “Stop and Start”.

The system verifies, across his switchboard, which a certain number of conditions fulfills to carry out or to support the stop of the engine. This one starts again automatically when the vehicle is started.

Some particular conditions can prevent the stop of the engine from being carried out:

• Too low temperature of the engine.
• Low level of load of the battery.
• Extreme conditions of exterior temperature (less of – 10 ° C, more of + 30 ° C) while the air conditioning is activated.
• Too important difference between the temperature ambience and the requested temperature.
• Activation of the defrosted / thawed one of the windshield.
• Selection of the reverse gear.

The system ôStop&Startö is reactivated automatically, whenever the vehicle is started.

Trustworthy architecture

The principal elements that compose this system are:

• A reversible alternator of a potency of 2 kW, that realizes the functions of starter motor and of alternator (it provides the electric power to the network of on board) and is mounted in the place and instead of the conventional alternator. The advantage of the starter by means of the alternator resides in the silence of functioning and in the rapidity of starting of the engine (400 ms against 800 ms in a classic starter motor).

• An electronics of control that manages the control of the alternator and takes charge of the coordination with the switchboard of the engine and the intelligent gearbox.

A battery, a thong and a tensile one of thong specifics complete the device.
Source: Press Citroen