Before you own a car, you might be clueless about vehicle transmissions but they’re vital to know as your vehicle insurance. You might have probably heard about manual and automatic transmissions and not CVT.
The CVT is the newest type of automatic transmission and is referred to as a shiftless transmission. This article will explain CVT transmissions, how they work and which cars have them.
What Is a CVT Transmission?
A CVT transmission, or continuously variable transmission, seamlessly changes through an unending range of effective gear ratios while you drive, whereas other kinds of mechanical transmissions offer a fixed number of gear ratios and have hard shifts between each.
CVT transmission systems are also known as single-speed, shiftless, and stepless transmissions.
The shiftless nature of a CVT offers unparalleled flexibility that maintains constant angular velocity regardless of output speed. Additionally, a continuously variable transmission makes accelerating smooth and offers enhanced fuel economy.
CVTs are used in automobiles, tractors, motor scooters, snowmobiles, bicycles, and earthmoving equipment. The most common type of CVT uses two pulleys connected by a belt or chain; however, several other designs have also been used at times.
How Does a CVT Transmission Work?
CVT systems work through a pulley system. The CVT consists of cones at each pulley connected via a belt or chain. The cones can move to increase or decrease the belt diameter to change gear ratios, or by allowing quick shifting into the needed ratio for increased engine power, and boosting fuel economy.
One pulley in the CVT gets connected to the engine and the other directs power to the wheels. The width of these pulleys changes based on the needed power, as one gets large and the other gets smaller. This allows a CVT to deliver strong and seamless acceleration.
Though there are no gears in a CVT, some CVT systems simulate a more traditional changing of gears. In these transmissions, the belt-and-pulley system gets aligned so that preset points get moved by using a shift lever or paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
Apart from CVTs, there is also a different type of variable transmission, often called an eCVT, which gets used in many hybrids and plug-in hybrid vehicles. eCVTs are more complicated transmissions that use electric motors and a physical gear set to function as a CVT, but also to blend power from the vehicle’s gasoline and battery-electric systems.
CVT transmissions are popular now because most manufacturers realize that CVTs work well for their primary customer base. A CVT transmission equally operates well even with a smaller engine. Using CVTs makes acceleration quicker and more responsive, so the average driver enjoys a better experience.
Continuously Variable Transmission Pros And Cons
Listed below are some of the top CVT pros and cons you must know before choosing a car that has CVT fitted in it.
Pros of CVT
#1. Enhanced Fuel Efficiency.
Most of the automobile markets in the world are quite price-sensitive, and due to the rising fuel costs, fuel efficiency is a major deciding factor when you plan to purchase a car. It is widely known that vehicles with CVT fitted in them have enhanced fuel efficiency.
Most of the PHEVs and hybrid cars come with CVT, which helps in increasing the efficiency of fuels of these mid-size cars. Honda Amaze is one of the top cars in the Indian market that comes with CVT and has one of the best mileages. Thus, when it comes to the CVT engine pros and cons, this is one of the top pros.
#2. Hassle-Free Seamless Long-Distance Drives.
The CVT has a belt-driven system that leads to the rotation of the rotor disc or pulley located in the CVT unit according to the input of power and momentum of the car. The mechanism sounds incredibly seamless, but it is very subtle, and there are no sudden lurches or jerks that you might experience when you drive a vehicle that has a manual transmission.
Thus, CVT enhances the quality of your drive and makes it sophisticated. This can especially be experienced over long distances when the engine of your car remains completely calm and relaxed.
#3. Desired Power All The Time.
The gear ratios are fixed in a traditional gearbox, but that is not the case with CVT. In a CVT, the gear ratios are infinite; thus, there is a very positive and responsive reaction when the accelerator of the car is pressed when the car is treading uphill.
You also do not need to be worried about shifting to the accurate gear, you gain the correct amount of pace and power when you are treading down an inclined pathway.
This is one of the top advantages when you take your car for drives on the highway when the car can breach the cruising speed with ease. Thus, in the list of pros and cons of continuously variable transmission, this is one of the top pros.
#4. Fewer Parts And Lighter Weight.
The CVT simplifies the whole shifting process, which translates to fewer parts required to manufacture CVT. This also reduces the chances of mechanical failure as there are lesser parts. Thus, in the long run, this can be quite helpful.
Also, the CVT unit has no requirement for car gears to maintain the right ratio, which reduces the engine’s weight. This also leads to a reduction in the size of the engine, which is great. And as all know, weight reduction is directly proportional to enhanced fuel efficiency, one of the top pros of a car with CVT.
Cons of CVT
#1. High Expenses Of Maintenance.
The expenses of maintaining a CVT engine is a bit higher because the engine needs a different kind of oil that cannot be mixed with the fluids used for normal transmission engines. In conventional car engines, the oil is added to lubricate the parts, whereas, in the CVT engine, the oil is used to grab the parts so that there is no occurrence of slippage.
#2. Unusual Tone At Acceleration.
If you have ever driven a car with CVT, you will notice that at the time of accelerating, you can hear a peculiar sound. This is known as the rubber band effect. The contraction and expansion of the belts in the CVT unit might not affect the power delivery very noticeably. Still, it leads to some non-linear accelerating sound, which is not quite the case with other transmissions.
#3. Repair Is Costly.
As per most noticeable incidents, the chances of a CVT failing are higher than a normal conventional transmission. It has been noticed that the CVT is good for 80,000 to 90,000 kilometres. After this, the belt of the CVT starts to decay and wear out. Thus, car manufacturers tend to replace the whole transmission system of the car, which immensely increases the repair expenses.
What to Watch Out for When Buying a Used Car With a CVT
You’ll need to do some extra research before you buy a used car with a CVT. Because of the expense of replacing a CVT, be sure you take a test drive, conduct an inspection, and check the warranty on it.
While test driving, look out for the following:
- Slow shifting: While you don’t have to shift a CVT from first to second gear, you do have to shift between the park, drive, and reverse. If it takes more than a second or so for the transmission to shift, it can indicate a faulty CVT that may break down soon.
- Strange sounds: CVTs are naturally louder than their traditional counterparts, but they shouldn’t be so loud that humming and whining are normal. If you hear excessive noise when accelerating, that’s a red flag.
- Slipping: When you accelerate, you should experience a continuous, seamless acceleration. If it slips or momentarily loses power, the CVT is faulty.
- Jerky shifting: Shifting should never jerk or jolt the vehicle.
- Inconsistent rpm: A CVT should remain consistent, so if you notice a fluctuation in rpm while you’re driving at a steady speed, that may indicate a problem.
- Dirty transmission fluid: If the transmission fluid is dirty, it could indicate an issue with the CVT, among other problems.
CVT transmission vs Automatic
Automatic transmissions contain a complex series of gears, brakes, clutches, and principal devices. Ordinary automatics possess a finite amount of gears that are referred to as speeds. For example, you may have heard the term 6-speed automatic.
This refers to six gears within the transmission. Each gear is set to only reach a certain vehicle speed; when the driver keeps accelerating, the transmission must shift up through the gears starting with first, second, and so on.
Unlike typical automatics, the CVT can change the gear ratio forever to maintain the engine running at peak efficiency. On the whole, the more gears offered in a typical automatic transmission, the better engine power is optimized.
In comparison, a CVT produces the most efficient engine speed for each driving situation and is constant even if the vehicle is rapidly accelerating. While there is no comparison in how a CVT operates from the driver’s perspective, as in changing gears from Park to Drive, everything else is a bit more complicated.
A continuously variable transmission does not have individual gears, instead, it has one gear that is variable for all driving conditions. Unlike ordinary automatic transmissions, drivers will not feel the shift from one gear to the next.
Instead, drivers will notice a change in engine speed or RPMs, often higher for acceleration and lower for cruising. CVTs are an example of how vehicle manufacturers are improving vehicles from day to day. And while this is a new way of creating power, CVTs have been gaining in popularity in recent years.