BERU equips Europe’s “Car of the Year 2007” as standard with diesel cold start technology and electronically controlled PTC auxiliary heaters
Glow plugs and PTC auxiliary heating systems from the Ludwigsburg car supplier ensure a reliable, environmentally friendly and comfortable cold start in the Ford S-Max.
(Ludwigsburg, 20 December 2006) In Europe’s “Car of the Year 2007”, the Ford S-Max, BERU AG is represented as an original equipment manufacturer with glow plugs and PTC auxiliary heating systems. An independent jury of 58 European motor journalists nominated eight candidates among 41 new car models for the final qualifying contest. A large proportion of the finalists in the internationally renowned competition for which entries have been invited by seven European magazines since 1964 also trust BERU products. The “Car of the Year” awards presentation takes place on 22 January 2007 in Amsterdam.
In the Ford S-Max, BERU glow plugs ensure an environmentally friendly diesel rapid start direct from the factory in two to five seconds. Their other advantages: rapid and reliable cold start down to minus 30 degrees Celsius, quiet, gentle engine start-up plus significantly less soot discharge in the warm-up phase. BERU glow plugs, featuring twin-helix glow technology, work using the innovative three-phase glow system. This means they glow before starting, during the actual start phase and up to 180 seconds thereafter. As a result of the afterglow the fuel combusts in the warm-up phase more completely and with less noise, exhaust emissions fall drastically and there is a favorable effect on the life of the engine.
Ford is building electronically controlled PTC auxiliary heaters from BERU as standard into the 1.8 and 2.0 liter diesel versions of the S-Max. As direct injection systems, its modern common rail units do possess an enormously improved level of effectiveness but, precisely because of this, also give off considerably less dissipated heat to the cooling water. Result: insufficient heat output in the vehicle’s passenger compartment especially at low outside temperatures.
Innovative electronic PTC auxiliary heating systems from BERU directly heat up the passenger compartment air, rapidly create a cosy feeling of warmth in the vehicle and, in addition, speed up the de-icing of the front windshield. The electronic PTC auxiliary heater in the heating/air-conditioning unit of the Ford S-Max is part of BERU’s ComfortLine and offers an optimum level of functionality, performance and comfort. In this premium version of the family of four BERU PTC models, a microprocessor controls the heating element. This microprocessor, together with the semiconductor switches, allows for individual and infinitely adjustable regulation of the heat output both in the cold start phase and during the journey. The entire heat management system was designed by BERU developers in such a way that, as a result of constant communication with the power management of the vehicle, excessive demands on the electrical supply are rigorously avoided.
BERU, specialist in Ignition Technology, Diesel Cold-Start Technology, Electronics and Sensor Technology, supplies car makers such as Audi, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Seat, Skoda, Volvo and VW on a mass-production basis with PTC systems. Its electronics are produced on ultra-modern, fully-automated production lines at BERU’s Bretten electronics site. With an estimated world market share of over 40 per cent, BERU is the world’s leading supplier in diesel cold start technology. In the field of ignition engineering for petrol engines, the Ludwigsburg company is one of Europe’s four leading suppliers.
