CVTs, the future of Semi Trucks?

"Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur" (velocity860)
12/01/2013 at 15:41 • Filed to: Semi Trucks

Think about it. Peak torque and efficency at all times. That is perfect for semi trucks.

CVTs might be boring in cars, but semi trucks don't need to be fun, they need to be powerful and efficient. You've probably seen a semi truck starting from a red light, shifting a million times, barely getting through the intersection before the light turns red again. With a CVT, it wouldn't need to shift at all and it would accelerate much quicker, without any energy lost from shifting. On the highway, the CVT, in theory, would be more efficient and get better gas mileage, saving the trucking company money. Also, the truck would have more power to get up hills when necessary, and that would lead to more consistent traffic flow. The only reason I can think of why trucks don't have CVTs already is they can't handle the torque. Once they develop a CVT that can take it, and you know truck companies have most likely already thought of this, trucking will never be the same.

DISCUSSION (31)

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur
12/01/2013 at 15:43

Not to mention it leaves truckers with more free time for prostitute murdering.

Kinja'd!!!

Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
12/01/2013 at 15:45

Exactly. So truckers will support the change as well!

lepie > Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur
12/01/2013 at 15:47

Imagine ...

The mother of all belts.

TheOnelectronic > Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur
12/01/2013 at 15:47

Like you said, the biggest issue is a CVT that can handle the torque.

My thought, however, is that trucks will go diesel/electric first, like Locomotives did.

Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur > TheOnelectronic
12/01/2013 at 15:49

Now that's a thought

lepie > TheOnelectronic
12/01/2013 at 15:50

They already sort of have over here. There is a big store chain called "colruyt" that developed a hybrid semi together with DAF.

The idea is that they go full electric into town so they can make the deliveries at night without any noise and pollution in the town centre. They are still testing this i think, but the system seems to work well.

jsmizira > Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur
12/01/2013 at 15:53

Cvt's are a nice short term solution but in the end I think the best thing for truck efficiency might be in wheel electric motor systems that aid in regen and have mounds of torque through the rpm range. The electricity can come from any source including diesel generator with auxiliary solar panels on the trailers to in the future small scale L.I.F.T.R. Power plants in trucks. Making sure all trucks are aerodynamic would absolutely help as well.

Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur > jsmizira
12/01/2013 at 15:56

Nah man I wanna truck in a huge brick wall rollin coal errwhere

tromoly > Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur
12/01/2013 at 15:58

I'm confused as to why you think a CVT would get better economy on the highway. Assuming the vehicle is driving at an equal constant speed, the amount of power required should be the same whether a standard transmission or a CVT is used, that's basic drag science.

Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur > tromoly
12/01/2013 at 16:01

Because in practice, CVTs tend to get a bit better mileage than normal transmission. Example: Mitsubishi Mirage.
Also that's why I said in theory it would, who knows what would actually happen

offroadkarter > Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur
12/01/2013 at 16:01

A CVT could never handle the stress of an 18 wheeler. You are suggesting that the transmission derived from a go kart and snowmobile, is put into something that hauls thousands of tons constantly.

CVT's are garbage in cars, theirs a reason they are only used in low power garbage cars.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur
12/01/2013 at 16:04

http://www.torotrak.com/products-partn…

Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur > offroadkarter
12/01/2013 at 16:04

That's why I'm saying they need to develop better ones for a truck, duh. Use unobtanium or something

Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
12/01/2013 at 16:07

See, I knew someone else had to be thinking of it.

PS9 > Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur
12/01/2013 at 16:12

Kinja'd!!!

The critical weakness of the CVT is inherent in the design itself. Bottom line; it's a belt, and no belt you use will have the same level of friction you can get with a gear. This will always limit the amount of torque you can handle with a CVT.

DCTs are the future of trucks. Enough gears, and you can get a non-trivial fraction of the benefits offered by a CVT without the weakness in handling torque.

jsmizira > Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur
12/01/2013 at 16:16

Hey man I'm not disagreeing. I'm just thinking that if it's not a two stroke Detroit screamer or a big quad turboed, twin supercharged pikes peak race or exhibition truck maybe Ahmed or billy bob driving these OTR rigs wouldn't mind not having to fill up as often or at all. Not to mention cheaper shipping for us

duurtlang > lepie
12/01/2013 at 16:17

Combined with DAF, making something superior to a CVT? Now that's ironic.

Velocity- Peuguette Connoisseur > PS9
12/01/2013 at 16:17

Paddle shifters in a truck yes please

lepie > duurtlang
12/01/2013 at 16:17

LOL i guess it's ironic

They use a normal transmission, but they have an electric motor hooked to the transfer case.

Drewp317 > offroadkarter
12/01/2013 at 16:30

i know the extra weight is obviously a factor, but there was a cvt developed for F1 which is definitely not low power garbage

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > tromoly
12/01/2013 at 17:58

that's assuming highways don't have any variation in speed or inclination.

DasWauto > TheOnelectronic
12/01/2013 at 22:10

CVTs are quite common in tractors (masses of torque). I'd be more suspect of the efficiency of those transmissions than their ability to handle the torque.