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The Elio Automatic Transmission

JEBar

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the auto transmission will be an option.

the question was :
The video mentioned "manual mode" but. Has EM actually said we would get "manual mode"?
.... what he was referring to is an AMT which can also be used in a "manual mode" .... I haven't heard anything definitive on that .... the point I was trying to make is, I believe that EM will go with whatever is cheaper ....
 

Ray O

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Automotive CVT's have traditionally suffered from reliability problems. Due to the way they operate they do not handle higher power levels well and especially do not like sudden spikes in power input. This issue has been somewhat overcome in recent years thanks to the introduction of modern computer controlled power-trains which can control the engine and transmission to keep wear and tear to a minimum.

Another issue modern CVT's have is that they have not lived up to the promise of increased fuel economy which is a theoretical advantage of using a CVT as it should be able to keep the engine running in an efficient manner. There are two main reasons reasons for this. The first reason is that, unlike a conventional A/T, CVT's require a strong hydraulic pump to operate their mechanism and this pump ends up consuming much of the theoretical efficiency gained from the CVT. The second reason is that vehicle manufacturers have found that people do not like the ultra efficient optimum engine power band mode of operation. This mode of operation is resisted by many people as it sounds and feels too strange so instead manufacturers tune CVT equipped vehicles to feel as close as possible to a traditional A/T, at least close enough so that most people do not mind the differences, however this ends up being a less efficient way of using a CVT.


Personally I have not liked the CVT equipped vehicles I have driven over recent years. The reason is I do not like them is due to their very slow throttle response in many situations. My daily driver has almost always been a manual transmission vehicle so I am used to the instant throttle response of being able to shift and apply any amount of power output very quickly. However in modern CVT equipped vehicles the PCM will ensure that you do not overwhelm the transmission with too much power when you mash the gas pedal. The result of this is that when you want to pull out to pass someone on the interstate, or a two lane country road, you are stuck waiting for the PCM to reconfigure the transmission so instead of getting an instant power boost you wait as the power ramps up rather slowly.
 

Ray O

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I have driven a CVT in a Toyota Corolla and it worked well. All but one Subaru has a CVT. Nessa Marano with a 3500 cc also has a CVT.

Just for your information.
 
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