The U.S. Department of Energy states that cars, trucks and heavy-duty vehicles waste more than six billion gallons of diesel fuel and gasoline each year – without even moving. In an effort to minimize vehicle idling and fuel consumption, Havis Inc. launched IdleRight2, the next generation of the company’s idle reduction and fuel management system.
IdleRight2 minimizes idle time by monitoring the battery's voltage while the vehicle is turned off and electronics, such as light bars, radios and computers, are still on. When the battery voltage drops to a pre-set level, the system triggers the remote starter to run the engine long enough for the battery to recharge, then turns the vehicle off again. This process significantly cuts down on the vehicle’s idle time while mission critical electronics are in use.
In 2009, the Glastonbury Police Department in Glastonbury, Conn., tested the original IdleRight system to calculate how much idle time and fuel they saved with this system. During the test, a vehicle ran for four hours with all of its emergency lights activated. Before IdleRight was installed, the vehicle idled for the entire four-hour period and wasted 2.80 gallons of fuel. With IdleRight installed, that same vehicle’s idle time dropped to just 40 minutes, using only 0.46 gallons of fuel.
Based on this example, if a department pays an average of $3.50 per gallon of gas and utilizes 100 vehicles that idle 25 percent of the time, the department could save over $445,000 per year in fuel alone with the IdleRight system.
Reducing idle time is the key to saving fuel, preventing unnecessary engine wear, and decreasing harmful emissions. According to the Ford Crown Victoria Owner’s Guide, every hour of idling is equivalent to approximately 33 miles of driving. For police cars and utility trucks that idle at emergency and construction scenes, one eight-hour shift can add 264 miles of wear and tear to each of these stationary vehicles.
This latest IdleRight system is designed to work with many popular after-market remote starters, which greatly simplified installation and allowed Havis to significantly lower the product’s price.
IdleRight2 features an LED diagnostics system that not only shows what state the unit is in, but also allows customers to quantify their savings by outputting the number of idle hours saved. This data can then be plugged into the Return on Investment (ROI) Calculator (located at http://idleright.havis.com/savings.html) to determine total savings in fuel, money, miles and maintenance.
With increasing gas prices and tighter budgets, companies and municipalities can depend on IdleRight2 to reduce fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance costs. This product greatly extends the service life of vehicles, and the simplicity of the new system makes it easy to install and use in any fleet.
In addition to the IdleRight2, Havis offers another solution to manage vehicle power and fuel consumption – ChargeGuard Auto Shut-off Timer. ChargeGuard prevents vehicle battery drain, extends battery life, and provides complete voltage protection for expensive electronics. The device also reduces fuel costs by running equipment after the engine has been turned off.
Havis strives to develop innovative power management and idle reduction solutions to further the global green initiative and to save companies from the cost of wasted fuel and excessive vehicle wear and tear. For more information on IdleRight2, please visit http://idleright.havis.com.
The original IDLERIGHT won a 2009 Innovation Award in the Vehicles & Vehicle Accessories category.
