Zeroshift Clutchless Auto Transmission for EVs May Extend Range 10%
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From: Fairfax Station, VA. Formally Long Island :(
Zeroshift Clutchless Auto Transmission for EVs May Extend Range 10%
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=19407
An extra 10% for the Volt would be a nice thing.
Zeroshift clutchless transmission rendering (Source: Green Car Congress)Transmission design is up to 95% efficient
One of the key technologies that are keeping electric vehicles and hybrids from being adopted by more users is the current battery technology. The battery packs have to become more efficient, provide a longer driving range, and become much cheaper before many consumers will consider them. Improvements in battery packs can increase driving range but improvements in other vehicles systems can also extend the driving range on electric power as well.
One key area that can help improve battery powered driving range in an EV is improvements in efficiency of the transmission. A company called Zeroshift in the UK has announced that it is working on a new transmission for use in EVs that needs no clutch. The elimination of the clutch allows the transmission to be much more efficient, can allow for an extended driving range, and can extend the life of the batteries as well.
The Zeroshift transmission uses a damper inside the gear hub and an electronic control for the motor to make seamless gear changes without interrupting the torque produced by the electric motors. Traditional transmissions in EVs today are one-speed units that keep the battery packs outside of their optimum operating range at times.
The Zeroshift transmission also uses a passive damper system within the hub to dampen vibrations and it can be tweaked to serve various performance needs. Zeroshift managing director Bill Martin said, "By varying parameters such as fluid properties, peak pressures and end-of-travel speeds, we can tune the damper’s performance to suit different applications"
According to Zeroshift, the new transmission lets the electric motor run at higher efficiency and might increase the driving range and battery life by up to 10 percent. The peak efficiency of the transmission can be more than 95 percent. GM has boasted that its Volt battery pack is good for 100,000 miles or up to 8-years; increasing the mileage rating by up to 10 percent would be impressive by changing the transmission alone.
Alternatively, the makers of EV could take the new transmission and use the 10 percent gain in battery life to reduce the size of existing battery packs, making them cheaper and smaller. Less weight in an EV equates to a longer driving range.
Martin added, "The benefits of Zeroshift’s transmission would be greatest for electric delivery vehicles where the compromises in efficiency are greatest. To be able to pull away fully laden on hills requires low gearing, but the motor then runs too fast and too inefficiently on the highway."
One of the key technologies that are keeping electric vehicles and hybrids from being adopted by more users is the current battery technology. The battery packs have to become more efficient, provide a longer driving range, and become much cheaper before many consumers will consider them. Improvements in battery packs can increase driving range but improvements in other vehicles systems can also extend the driving range on electric power as well.
One key area that can help improve battery powered driving range in an EV is improvements in efficiency of the transmission. A company called Zeroshift in the UK has announced that it is working on a new transmission for use in EVs that needs no clutch. The elimination of the clutch allows the transmission to be much more efficient, can allow for an extended driving range, and can extend the life of the batteries as well.
The Zeroshift transmission uses a damper inside the gear hub and an electronic control for the motor to make seamless gear changes without interrupting the torque produced by the electric motors. Traditional transmissions in EVs today are one-speed units that keep the battery packs outside of their optimum operating range at times.
The Zeroshift transmission also uses a passive damper system within the hub to dampen vibrations and it can be tweaked to serve various performance needs. Zeroshift managing director Bill Martin said, "By varying parameters such as fluid properties, peak pressures and end-of-travel speeds, we can tune the damper’s performance to suit different applications"
According to Zeroshift, the new transmission lets the electric motor run at higher efficiency and might increase the driving range and battery life by up to 10 percent. The peak efficiency of the transmission can be more than 95 percent. GM has boasted that its Volt battery pack is good for 100,000 miles or up to 8-years; increasing the mileage rating by up to 10 percent would be impressive by changing the transmission alone.
Alternatively, the makers of EV could take the new transmission and use the 10 percent gain in battery life to reduce the size of existing battery packs, making them cheaper and smaller. Less weight in an EV equates to a longer driving range.
Martin added, "The benefits of Zeroshift’s transmission would be greatest for electric delivery vehicles where the compromises in efficiency are greatest. To be able to pull away fully laden on hills requires low gearing, but the motor then runs too fast and too inefficiently on the highway."
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Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Sterling Heights, MI
Here it is. https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/sho...ight=Zeroshift
Apparently Zeroshift "works" on a lot of things but I don't see many prototypes or production products.
Apparently Zeroshift "works" on a lot of things but I don't see many prototypes or production products.
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Joined: Sep 1998
Posts: 4,320
From: Memphis
So far the only thing I've seen extended by Zeroshift is their ability to put out dramatic press releases that lead to nothing.
That last thread we had I got ragged on by the zeroshift rep and some other well known members of this forum for saying CVT had more of a future than zeroshift. I think I even was told I was drinking 'the kool aid'.
Zeroshift's website stated in February 2004 that it was reasonable to expect all cars sold in 10 years to come equipped with their transmission. They also poo-poo'd CVT. Last I checked the tally is up to somewhere well around 100 models sold with CVT (world wide) to zerocars with zeroshift.
That last thread we had I got ragged on by the zeroshift rep and some other well known members of this forum for saying CVT had more of a future than zeroshift. I think I even was told I was drinking 'the kool aid'.
Zeroshift's website stated in February 2004 that it was reasonable to expect all cars sold in 10 years to come equipped with their transmission. They also poo-poo'd CVT. Last I checked the tally is up to somewhere well around 100 models sold with CVT (world wide) to zerocars with zeroshift.
Last edited by Threxx; Aug 20, 2010 at 03:06 PM.
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