![\"mazda3istop\"](\"http:\/\/l.yimg.com\/a\/feeds\/us\/grn\/green_ecogeek\/mazda3istop.jpg\")
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Engine idling<\/a> is a significant factor in gasoline engine inefficiency, making up as much as 17% of the fuel consumed<\/a> in urban driving. To address this, some manufacturers are looking at incorporating hybrid-style technology such as start-stop systems as a way of gathering some of the “low-hanging fruit<\/a>” of hybrid efficiency for the non-hybrid vehicles in their fleet.<\/p>\n Start-stop (turning off the engine instead of idling at red lights and other times when the car isn’t moving) is already a staple of hybrid vehicles. But start-stop technology only costs $300-400 per vehicle, as opposed to the thousands of dollars a full-hybrid version of a vehicle represents.<\/p>\n European and Asian markets have taken to this more readily, while in the US, Mazda has encountered EPA testing regulations that offer no fuel-efficiency credit for their i-stop<\/a> system. BMW, Smart, Mercedes-Benz, and Mini are also working on adopting this technology to vehicles in their fleets.<\/p>\n via: bnet<\/a><\/p>\n