The uStart engine startng system from Ioxus is an ultracapacitor-based, drop-in battery support module designed for Class 3-6 vehicles.

The uStart improves battery life by reducing the cycling of battery, maintaining a higher vehicle voltage during crank and under a wide range of load conditions. It supplies nearly all of the cranking current during engine starts.

For short stops, such as during a delivery, the uSTART provides the energy to the electrical bus to support ancillary devices until a crank is initiated. The system stores a relatively small amount of energy compared with a battery, but it delivers engine cranking current.

If the batteries run too low due to accessory loads or aging lead acid batteries, the operator can press a button to enable a jump-start mode, allowing the capacitor-based system to collect energy from the batteries. The uStart system can then use the energy to raise vehicle bus voltage up to 12.5 volts and use the power to crank the engine and start.

If a vehicle has not been started for an extended period of time, the uStart module will automatically detect a lack of activity and place itself into standby mode. This enables the capacitors to remain charged, even if the batteries go flat, to allow the vehicle to crank and start, preventing a need for a jump start.