3-Speed Transmission Gives a 15% EV Range Improvement

[Powered7]

Doesn't the Volt have a single-speed transmission? Switching to a three-speed transmission could add 5 miles of electric range, and allow for weight reduction thus potentially adding EV miles!

More here: http://www.gizmag.com/antonov-3-spee...sion-ev/19088/

[Fulgerite]

Doesn't the Volt have a single-speed transmission? Switching to a three-speed transmission could add 5 miles of electric range, and allow for weight reduction thus potentially adding EV miles!

More here: http://www.gizmag.com/antonov-3-spee...sion-ev/19088/

The Volt has a continuously variable transmission. CVT. This article does not apply to a Volt.

[tboult]

Doesn't the Volt have a single-speed transmission? Switching to a three-speed transmission could add 5 miles of electric range, and allow for weight reduction thus potentially adding EV miles!

More here: http://www.gizmag.com/antonov-3-spee...sion-ev/19088/

Volt has continuously variable transmission using a epicyclic gearing setup and two electric motors.
The article is more about direct-drive EV's like the leaf. The tradeoff there is complexity/reliability vs range.

[Skotty]

I could still see a multi-gear transmission improving efficiency and performance slightly, but I don't think it would be worth the added complexity on the Volt.

[erewhon]

I could still see a multi-gear transmission improving efficiency and performance slightly, but I don't think it would be worth the added complexity on the Volt.

The Volt's continuously variable transmission has an infinite number of gears. Is that enough for you?

[Powered7]

That makes sense to me, thanks!

[saghost]

Doesn't the Volt have a single-speed transmission? Switching to a three-speed transmission could add 5 miles of electric range, and allow for weight reduction thus potentially adding EV miles!

More here: http://www.gizmag.com/antonov-3-spee...sion-ev/19088/

Tesla tried to make a two gear solution work on the roadster - tried hard for a few years. They couldn't find one that could handle the torque, shift smoothly and reliably, and not add a bunch of weight. They eventually came up with a strategy to boost the current through the motor to buy back their low speed performance and went with a single speed transmission instead.

The linked article has a 2.2:1 gear spread from highest to lowest - from which they are claiming a 15% improvement in performance. GM says they get "1-2 miles of electric range" or "2-4%" depending on the source from allowing the CVT to drop motor RPMs by a similar amounts by using the second motor. You will note that the Volt has a noticeably better highway MPGe compared to other EVs with similar city MPGe.

So I'm somewhat skeptical of both the promised savings and the practicality of making such a trasmission without large weight/reliability impacts.

[virkambhatt]

3-Speed Transmission Gives a 15% EV Range Improvement it is correct but for some specific condition only while in rest all conditions it is not so because switching transistors is cause of low range and short circuit.

[tboult]

3-Speed Transmission Gives a 15% EV Range Improvement it is correct but for some specific condition only while in rest all conditions it is not so because switching transistors is cause of low range and short circuit.

Hmm three strange post by this new member.. guess they want the link to their site/sales not really a volt person.

[saghost]

Hmm three strange post by this new member.. guess they want the link to their site/sales not really a volt person.

We've got another one who always posts something tangentially related to the topic lately - makes me think it's a smart spambot, but I'm not 100% certain:

http://gm-volt.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1374253