In recent years you might have noticed an uptick in the number of CVTs used in Ford vehicles. But what is a CVT? How does it differ from other automatic transmissions that are on Charlottesville and Staunton streets? The service department at Campus Ford can help.
“CVT” is an acronym for “continuously variable transmission.” They’re also sometimes called “shiftless transmissons,” “step-less transmissions,” or “pulley transmissions,” but it’s getting rare to hear those terms.
A CVT is a type of automatic transmission that trades fixed-gear ratios for infinitely variable ratios created by two pulleys and an interceding chain or belt. CVTs have always been most common in compact cars where fuel efficiency is a priority. That’s a big reason why you’ll notice so many Ford hybrids with CVTs in Harrisonburg.
First, it helps to understand how a traditional transmission system works. A transmission’s purpose is to power the vehicle with a series of gears that go from low to high. With a CVT, cone-shaped pulleys connected by an intervening belt or chain are used instead of gears. One side remans still while the other side uses a hydraulic cylinder to move based on your speed, “transmitting” the power it generates to the engine. This system works automatically without a gear shift or paddle shifters. In a standard transmission, you have to manually use the gearshift to go to a higher gear and send more power to the engine.
As we said before, Waynesboro drivers tend to find CVTs in fuel-efficient vehicles and not performance cars. It saves fuel because the engine can operate at its best possible power range while using less fuel than other types of transmissions. Another reason why many drivers prefer CVTs is because they have a more simple design and fewer parts than gear-powered transmissions. Fewer moving parts mean less opportunities for breakage, and easier repairs.
Ford has done a great deal of research and development on CVTs as their line of hybrid vehicles have grown. Currently you can find CVTs on the Ford Escape Hybrid, Ford Escape PHEV, and Ford Maverick.
Now that you know about CVTs, pay a visit to the Campus Ford service hub for more information on how your Ford is built and how it operates!
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