11/04/2026
CVT Transmission
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A CVT transmission consists of two pulleys connected by a sliding belt (metal or rubber). The pulleys change diameters so that one represents the smaller gear and the other the larger gear, thus determining the different gear ratios.
* Advantages:
- Infinite gear ratios, which delivers optimal engine torque at the correct ratio.
- The engine operates smoothly and doesn't always rev to its maximum power.
- Good fuel economy.
- Extremely smooth shifting. So how do the pulleys change diameters if there are no gears inside?
A conventional automatic transmission has actual gears with fixed values.
In a CVT, however, there are no fixed values; the value is determined based on the situation and your acceleration.
As you can see from the pictures, each gear is essentially two cones facing each other. Bringing the cones closer together increases the gear diameter, and moving them further apart decreases it. This is how the transmission controls the gear ratios. So, how exactly do the cones of each gear move closer and further apart to change the gear ratios?
When we press the accelerator pedal, we want acceleration. The drive wheels move closer together or further apart to achieve the optimal acceleration ratio. Now, let's look at how the two cones on each wheel move. This is achieved through oil pumps.
The oil pumps in newer generations of Xtronic CVTs (like the one in Nissan) have been modified to be smaller and have higher pressure. This makes gear changes 20-25% faster than previous generations, reducing gear adjustment time and minimizing the rubber band effect (a common complaint among those unfamiliar with the transmission). This effect occurs when you press the accelerator hard, causing the engine noise and RPM to increase before the transmission engages and the car accelerates.
Using the new oil pumps greatly reduced this feeling because previously there was a significant lag (this is the nature of the transmission; it needs a few seconds to determine your needs and calculate the optimal acceleration and fuel consumption ratios). Now, let's get to the most important part... How do we use a CVT transmission?
When we press the gas pedal hard, the engine responds instantly, increasing its sound and RPM. The problem with CVT transmissions is that they don't have fixed gears; instead, they adjust their gear ratios based on your pedaling (as mentioned above, the optimal gear ratio with fuel consumption). This is where the delay lies. As long as you're pressing the gas pedal, the transmission is constantly shifting until it determines the torque you're aiming for. This causes a delay in acceleration because the current usage is incorrect. (The transmission doesn't understand your intentions because it calculates from the very first pedal press. Each time you press a little harder, it makes calculations; the more you press, the more it calculates for the next press, and so on.) The solution is to press the gas pedal a certain amount and then hold it down momentarily. This gives the transmission a chance to quickly understand the situation and adjust itself. You'll find the engine sounds quieter, its RPMs slower, and it starts to provide optimal engine response and fuel efficiency. For this pedal... and then you pedal again or press a little harder, and it readjusts itself to the new setting based on the new pedal, giving you the best response to the new pedal, and so on.
In other words, instead of pressing the gas pedal from first to last in one go, which makes the engine louder without a quick response from the transmission... instead, press it in stages so the transmission can follow the acceleration stages with you, and you'll find its response is faster and its preparation time is shorter, with a quieter engine sound and better fuel consumption. In other words, instead of making it shift from first to sixth gear in one go and then delaying it until it goes through all six gears in a row... instead, let it shift from first to third gear as a first stage with the first pedal, and then shift from third to sixth gear as a second stage with the second pedal. This way, you'll find the engine sound is smoother... the RPMs are lower... the transmission response is much faster and less... What is possible in terms of consumption.
Okay, some people say that the CVT in other cars has less delay than this!
I'll tell you that's true because, as we explained, there are modern CVT transmissions where the oil pumps have been replaced with newer ones, which reduces the delay.
The second thing is that CVT transmissions are almost all mechanically similar, but the transmission software differs. Each manufacturer uses a specific software version developed by them. That's why we find four-speed CVTs, six-speeds, and so on. However, this transmission actually has an infinite number of gears, and the specific number of gears is determined by the software.
That's why we find differences in response delay from one car to another, but the principle and method of operation are the same.