Lamborghini has announced that its Aventador supercar will now feature cylinder deactivation and stop/start technology, confirming previous reports of the Italian automaker’s intent to improve the fuel efficiency of its products.
The centerpiece of its fuel-saving efforts is a combination of cylinder deactivation and stop/start technology – the latter Lamborghini claims is faster than other forms of the technology. For its stop/start system, the Aventador uses high-powered capacitors, which it calls supercaps, and provides the energy to restart the 700-horsepower V12 in a “barely detectable” 180 milliseconds. According to Lamborghini, this system saves three kilograms (6.6 pounds), though it is not said what that savings is compared to. A conventional battery is used for the vehicle’s electronic systems and is claimed to last “virtually the entire vehicle life.”
The second piece is Lambo’s Cylinder Deactivation System. This system shuts down one bank of the V12, alowing the Aventador to run as a straight-six when cruising at speeds under 84 miles per hour. When the driver applies the accelerator, the system re-engages all cylinders.
Lamborghini claims a 20-percent reduction in fuel consumption and emissions when driving at 80 mph. Overall average fuel economy is said to drop by as much as seven percent. How these figures translate into improvements in the EPA cycle, which currently estimates the Aventador at 11 miles per gallon city, 18 highway, has yet to be seen.
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