Continuing just-auto’s series of interviews with leading transmission developers, Matthew Beecham talked with Dick Elsy, chief executive officer of UK-based Torotrak. The company develops gearless traction drive technology which increases efficiency and reduces CO2 emissions in vehicles. Its variable-drive technology is also being developed for superchargers, engine auxiliary applications.
just-auto: Do you think that transmissions have more potential these days to help reduce fuel consumption and at a lower cost than, say, engine-internal measures?
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Dick Elsy: The industry is realising that an either/or approach is no longer possible. Manufacturers cannot afford to ignore the enormous potential improvements in internal combustion efficiency and they recognise that a more holistic approach to the drivetrain’s design and operation is what will really make a difference.
Torotrak is involved on the powertrain side via our Rotrak joint venture, working on variable pressure charging for downsized engines and in the drivetrain as a partner on projects that range from main drive transmissions to mechanical flywheel hybrid systems. Closer collaboration between powertrain and drivetrain divisions is inevitable – we see that it is already happening in advanced development programmes.
Everybody’s asking: how can we use these alternative drivetrains to extract the full potential of downsized powertrains? It’s not just a question of increasing engine fuel economy by 15% and then using a transmission to get an additional 10%: it’s looking at how you can get the drivetrain to coordinate with your combustion strategies. The answers are exciting the programme managers and I can see how good it will be for the industry, for drivers.
How do you see the global transmission market evolving in terms of the split between manual and automatic transmissions? And what do you see happening in those emerging markets such as China and India?
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By GlobalDataThe conversations we have with our development partners point generally to increasing volumes for automated transmissions, due mainly to the demand for improved fuel economy and driver convenience. Control of the transmission ratio also provides greater scope for integration between the engine and the driveline’s control strategies that can improve economy and emissions. That’s hard to do with a manual gearbox.
This is something that is starting to become very important to commercial vehicle manufacturers and operators and is part of the reason why we are working with Allison to design a production intent prototype variable transmission.
Our partners in emerging markets also forecast increasing demand for automatics too. They suit the growing number of new drivers in congested cities. Driver comfort and convenience will be as strong a selling point in the world’s growing number of mega cities as power and speed have traditionally been in markets with open roads and motorways.
The Pixel, a concept city car by Tata shown at this year’s Geneva show, reflects the direction that Tata sees of the importance that buyers of such vehicles attach to convenience features. The car uses a prototype automatic Torotrak transmission that allows the vehicle to turn within its own length by contra-rotating the two driven wheels. It makes parking and manoeuvring in congested urban conditions much easier and illustrates how automatics still have enormous potential to provide manufacturers with differentiating features.
We’ve seen the introduction of gearboxes with seven and eight speeds and even nine speeds which can improve efficiency. From a technical point of view, I guess that gives the traditional planetary automatic in cars a new lease of life? On the flipside, does the additional cost and weight of more gears cancel out the efficiency gains?
The logic that increasing the number of ratios improves efficiency is also an argument for variable drive technology. The main reason for the continued development of planetary automatics is that the capital investment in manufacturing plant and facilities has already been made whereas high volume production of IVTs would necessitate substantial new investment.
It’s one of the reasons that we are targeting the emerging markets where there is no current legacy investment in planetary autos. There’s a much greater willingness to invest in new technology, especially if it gives manufacturers technology independence from the established markets.
How will the move towards hybrid powertrains affect transmission choice?
The move towards hybrids creates new opportunities for innovation throughout the driveline for manufacturers. Torotrak is involved in projects with manufacturers looking to integrate CVT-flywheel systems into the driveline. People are realising that such hybrids don’t just save fuel by regenerating the vehicle’s brake energy; they can also be used to provide additional torque. This is extremely useful for highly downsized engines where low-end torque is harder to deliver.
There’s a lot you can do with a driveline that can hold an extra 80hp in reserve and deliver it quickly and smoothly. A research project with Jaguar and other partners confirms there are significant advantages in using a mechanical flywheel energy store connected to the driveline via our variable drive technology.
As a purely mechanical system, there are fewer energy conversions than with an electric hybrid. And with no batteries, high-voltage electrics or thermal management, the compactness and lightweight of flywheel-CVT hybrids also makes integrating them into vehicles easier.
