One of the disadvantages of many electric cars is that they do not have towing capacity, a function that is “disabled” by the high power consumption of the battery. Bosch is working on the solution, a special CVT automatic gearbox for electric cars.
A few weeks ago we told you one of the great problems of hybrids and electric vehicles, the “capping” of the towing function. An important disadvantage compared to combustion models, but that has an explanation. And is that the trailer subtracts a lot of battery power, so the autonomy considerably decreases.
The fact of not having the towing capacity is due to the decision of prioritize autonomy. However, Bosch has also detected other special peculiarities, such as the fact of the transmission: single speed, it is ideal for urban and highway traffic, but not for other functions such as towing.
Bosch CVT transmission for electric cars expands its possibilities
The engineering division has demonstrated the positive qualities of a CVT type automatic transmission with a push link belt, which it presented at the end of last year 2020. The technical tests of the CVT4EV, in real conditions, allow you to freely control the speed and torque of the electric motor. By automatically adjusting the gear ratio for performance, the new transmission can offer shorter and longer gear ratios with lower power consumption.
Tested on board a Volkswagen e-Golf, Bosch technicians have developed a very compact set that includes the transmission, inverter and electric motor. The system is adaptable, so can be combined with a smaller or larger electric motor, also scaling the battery capacity.
The new CVT4EV transmission from the German giant can also count with different operating modes, allowing even more fun with electric all-wheel drive off the asphalt, thus demonstrating the typical driving behavior of each brand. A system that is adaptable to each type of model and that supposes an important saving of costs to the manufacturers.