Nissan Plans 4X Increase in CVTs over Next 3 Years

28 February 2005

Nissan Motor says it plans a fourfold increase in its vehicles fitted with continuously variable transmissions (CVT) over the next three years. This would bump the number of CVT-fitted units sold by 2007 to some 1 million (24% of global sales), up from an estimated 250,000 (7% of global sales) this fiscal year.

A CVT acts as a transmission with an infinite number of gears, using either a belt or chain on a system of two variable-diameter pulleys. By improving the engine’s ability to operate at precisely the optimal speed for the required load, CVTs help reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions.

Nissan estimates its CVTs offer a 10%–12% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to a conventional 4-speed automatic.

(As an aside, when the California Air Resources Board technical staff reviewed short- and medium-term technology options for CO₂ reductions, it noted that automakers at the time seemed to be obtaining most of the CO₂ emission reductions of a CVT by using a 6-speed automatic transmission at significantly less cost. In other words, the improvement compared to a 4-speed automatic may be accurate, but not as relevant as other transmission variants evolve.)

Although CVTs have been around for a number of years, their application tended to be in lower-horsepower vehicles. Nissan currently is the only manufacturer in the world to offer a full CVT lineup for small, medium and large class passenger vehicles.

JATCO, a consolidated subsidiary of Nissan Motor, builds the automaker’s CVT units.