CVT-Efficiency Measured under Dynamic Running Conditions

The CVT, designed by Volvo Components Corporation for the Volvo LCP 2000, did not give the expected acceleration to the cars in which it was tested. That led us to suspect that a CVT of the chain or belt type has a poor efficiency during ratio change.

Our measurements prove that the changing of ratio only is not a problem. The measurements illustrate the importance of controlling the rate of change of the engine speed. How this control is carried out influences the response when going from low power at low engine speed to high power at high engine speed.