Look Ma, no gears!

The pulleys in the CVT expand and contract to provide a shift-less experience combined with optimal fuel economy

THOSE of us of a ‘certain age’ grew up determined to master the art of driving manual transmissions, admitting to not being able to handle three pedals was just inviting sledging.

Fast forward to the current day, and three pedal driving is going the way of the dodo, thanks to a combination of improved technology and the need to meet emission reducton targets.

As well as the dual clutch transmission, another self-shifting transmission gaining in popularity is the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

With thanks to our friends at Nissan, here is the short version:

A continuously variable transmission is designed to provide a smooth journey by seamlessly shifting through an infinite range of gear ratios to best match driving conditions.

Unlike manual transmissions (MT) or automatic transmissions (AT), a CVT selects the most suitable transmission gear ratio without a traditional gear shift using adjustable pulleys, offering a smooth, shift-less, feeling when accelerating or decelerating, allowing the engine to operate at the most efficient speed for optimal fuel economy.

A CVT provides a smooth and shiftless drive by adjusting the width of two pulleys, changing the arc radius of the steel belt running between them to control the gear ratio.

During low-speed driving, the arc radius of the belt on the engine shaft pulley narrows for responsive take-offs, comparable to when MT vehicles are in first or second gear.

During higher speed driving, the arc radius of the belt on the drive pulley widens, giving a comparable drive to MT vehicles in 5th or 6th gear.

A traditional CVT shifts through gears while maintaining the engine’s most efficient rpm and promoting optimal fuel consumption, the tradeoff is a lower operating efficiency when compared to a typical AT.