How bad are automatic transmissions?

[cfg83]

omgwtfbyobbq -

Originally Posted by omgwtfbyobbq

Manufacturers moved away from M/Ts because they can beat up the batt pack depending on how the owner drives. Iirc the M/T Insight has the highest percentage of pack replacements...

Bummer. Is the 1st Gen Civic Hybrid the second highest? Now I really hope Altair-Nano succeeds, because that could help the MT return to hybrids (but then again probably not for UMC reasons).

CarloSW2

[omgwtfbyobbq]

I don't even think they need Altair-Nano, just current li-ion packs. I'm guessing the higher mileage of the new Prius is because Toyota doesn't have to run the engine at a higher rpm to provide acceptable passing power, now they can literally have it idle down the road with high efficiency/low pumping losses and when the driver wants power, pull almost all of it from the batt pack until the engine revs up. I mean, who needs a pack that lasts three million miles anyway?

[cfg83]

Hello -

What do you think of this "IVT" as a an alternative to automatic or CVT transmissions :

Concept: A Cam-Based Infinitely Variable Transmission
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006...t_a_camba.html

It's only at the prototype level, so it isn't in the real world.

CarloSW2