The ignition system of SKYACTIV gasoline engines uses individual ignition coils placed directly on the spark plugs. An ion sensor is built into each ignition coil. Ignition coils, by means of electromagnetic induction, generate the high voltage necessary for sparking.
Spark plugs generate the spark needed to ignite the air-fuel mixture. The center electrode of the spark plug is iridium coated and the ground electrode is platinum coated. Due to the high efficiency of the iridium electrode, the size of the central electrode can be significantly reduced, which means that the contact area with the air-fuel mixture is increased and the ignition process is optimized.
The optimum ignition timing in relation to the vehicle's driving conditions is achieved by an integrated ignition control function in the electronic engine control unit.