Assessment of Manual, Automatic and Continuously Variable Transmission Powertrains for Gasoline Engine Powered Midsize Saloon Vehicle

Modern integrated powertrains allow great scope for improvements in driveability, emissions and fuel consumption by optimizing the engine speed and load selection to deliver the demanded power. The aim of this study is to assess the exhaust emissions, road performance, road acceleration and fuel consumption of gasoline engine powered vehicle. The proposed emission index and fuel consumption rate are verified through chassis dynamometer tests using the urban part of European drive cycle (ECE-15). A midsize saloon vehicle equipped with an integrated gasoline engine with manual transmission (MT), automatic transmission (AT) and continuously variable transmission (CVT) powertrains. The results indicate that most of the carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and unburned hydrocarbons emission, driveability and fuel consumption rate were improved for the CVT powertrains.