The Benefits of Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT)

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Recommended: Environmental impact of the American automotive industry

Introduction
We are constantly searching for ways to perform the tasks essential to our lifestyle in ways that have a smaller impact on the environment. In the United States cars are exceedingly common, nearly twenty percent of American households own three or more vehicles (U.S. Department of Energy Web). These vehicles are also one of the largest contributors to our impact on the environment. The majority of cars use automatic transmissions, although not very efficient, they offer convenience of not shifting gears. The continuously variable transmissions (CVT) can now satisfy societies goal of reducing our effect on the environment with the convenience of the automatic transmission.
To make the most fuel efficient vehicle, every aspect of the vehicle needs to be efficiently designed to the max. While the internal combustion engine is nearing perfection for efficiency, manufacturers are focusing transmission designs. Automatic transmissions are the most commonly used in the vehicles of today. These automatic transmissions are not very energy efficient when compared to other forms of transmissions. Manual transmissions are much more fuel efficient in comparison. A third type of transmission is a continuously variable transmission. It brings the convenience of an automatic transmission and the fuel efficiency of a manual transmission together.
Manual transmissions ideally offer the best fuel efficiency when compared to automatic transmissions. Manual transmissions are transmissions that require the driver to shift gears. Many drivers of manual cars will burn gas by accelerating too fast or driving in a gear that provides the incorrect ratio for maximizing efficiency. The efficiencies of both the manual transmission and automat...

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"How Dependent Is the United States on Foreign Oil?" Eia.gov. US Energy Information Administration, 16 July 2012. Web. 02 Apr. 2013. .
Governor’s Energy Office. “Maine Energy Profile.” State of Maine Energy Profile. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 7-8. Print.
Nissan’s Advanced Technologies - PURE DRIVE." The Truth About Cars. Nissan, n.d. Web. 7 Mar. 2013. .
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