Performance requirements of starter motors for different vehicle models
Among the many components of a car, the starter motor, although small, plays a crucial role. It is the "guide" for the engine to start, converting the electrical energy of the battery into mechanical energy, driving the engine flywheel to rotate, and enabling the vehicle to start smoothly. However, different car models have special requirements for the torque, power, volume, reliability, and other aspects of the starter due to their own characteristics and usage scenarios.
Car
Sedans usually pursue comfort, fuel economy, and good handling, and their engine displacement is generally between 1.0-3.0L. In terms of torque, the starter motor needs to provide sufficient torque to ensure smooth engine start-up under various operating conditions. Generally, the torque requirement is around 10-30N · m. In terms of power, the starter power of a sedan is mostly between 1-3kW, which can meet the starting requirements of the sedan engine and will not consume too much battery power, affecting the fuel economy of the vehicle.
Small size is crucial for car starter motors, as the engine compartment space is relatively compact and the layout is complex. The starter motor needs to adapt to the narrow space while also coordinating well with other components. In terms of reliability, as a daily travel tool, the starter of a sedan needs to have high reliability to ensure that the engine can be started normally at any time, avoiding inconvenience caused by starter failure during travel. The average number of fault free starts is usually required to reach tens of thousands of times or more.
SUV
Compared to sedans, SUVs have heavier bodies and larger engine displacements, typically around 1.5-5.0L, with some larger SUVs even having higher displacement. This requires the starter to be able to output a larger torque, usually between 30-80N · m, in order to overcome the engine's greater moment of inertia and start the engine smoothly. Correspondingly, SUV starter power is also higher, generally between 3-6 kW, to meet the energy requirements for high torque output.
Although the engine compartment space of SUVs is relatively large, considering that the engine itself is large and may be equipped with other complex equipment such as four-wheel drive systems, the space left for the starter is not very abundant. Therefore, while ensuring performance, the volume of the starter motor should not be too large. SUVs are often used for long-distance travel, off-road and other scenarios, facing more complex road conditions and environments, which puts higher demands on the reliability of the starter motor. The starter motor needs to have good vibration resistance, high and low temperature resistance performance to adapt to different road conditions and harsh environments, ensuring normal operation under various conditions.
commercial vehicle
Commercial vehicles include light trucks, heavy trucks, buses, etc., mainly used for transporting goods or personnel, with high work intensity and high frequency of use. Commercial vehicle engines have a wide range of displacements, from 2.0L to over 10L, especially for heavy-duty trucks and large buses, where the engines are usually larger. The starter motor needs to provide a very large torque, and the starter motor torque of heavy-duty commercial vehicles can reach over 100N · m to meet the starting requirements of large-sized engines. In terms of power, the starter power of commercial vehicles is usually between 6-20kW, or even higher, to ensure sufficient power to drive the engine.
Due to the relatively regular layout of the engine compartment in commercial vehicles and the emphasis on practicality, the volume requirements for the starter motor are relatively less stringent. However, it is also necessary to be as compact as possible while ensuring performance, in order to save space and facilitate installation and maintenance. Commercial vehicles work continuously for long periods of time in harsh operating environments, requiring extremely high reliability of the starter motor. The starter motor needs to have good heat dissipation performance to cope with the heat generated by long-term high load operation, while also having excellent durability. The average time between failures should be much higher than that of cars and SUVs to ensure the smooth progress of transportation tasks.
New energy vehicles
Pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles differ from traditional fuel vehicles in terms of power systems, but they also require a starter motor to start auxiliary equipment or start the engine under specific operating conditions (hybrid models). The starter of pure electric vehicles is mainly used to start low-voltage electrical systems inside the vehicle, such as lighting, air conditioning, etc. Its torque and power requirements are relatively low, with torque generally ranging from 5-15N · m and power ranging from 0.5-2kW.
In terms of volume, new energy vehicles pursue a compact power system layout to improve the utilization of interior space and battery layout space, so the smaller the starter volume, the better. In terms of reliability, the intelligence level of new energy vehicles is relatively high. As a part of the vehicle's electrical system, the starter motor needs to have high reliability to ensure the stable operation of the overall electrical system of the vehicle.
For plug-in hybrid vehicles, the starter motor not only starts the low-voltage electrical system, but also plays a role when the engine starts. Its torque and power requirements are between pure electric vehicles and traditional fuel vehicles, and the specific values depend on the vehicle model and engine size. And it should be well matched with the vehicle's electric drive system, working together to ensure smooth switching and operation of the vehicle in different driving modes.
The performance requirements for starters vary among different vehicle models, and car manufacturers and starter manufacturers need to fully consider these differences in their research and manufacturing processes to produce starters that meet the needs of different vehicle models, in order to ensure the normal operation and performance of vehicles.
