Two-wheeler maker TVS Motor Company has developed a new technology, automatic transmission, to deliver a compact engine layout that could be commonly used across product forms such as motorcycles, scooters and step-through bikes.
Claimed to be a breakthrough initiative achieved through five-to-six years of intense research and collaboration with leading institutions within and outside the country, the new technology is expected to drive fuel efficiency by as much as 20 per cent when compared to the conventional technology in place today.
Low carbon emission
The new technology employs automatic transmission in place of the conventional variable transmission technology. It facilitates easy and effortless change of gears. This is done through electronic control, which picks the gear ratio in line with the driving condition. As a consequence, the engine runs most efficiently and, hence, obviates the need for a clutch.
“This technology also delivers the lowest CO2 (carbon dioxide) in scooters while providing for low floor board and space for luggage,'' said Harne Vinay Chandrakant, President, New Product Development, TVS Motors.
The company has developed the technology on a highly innovative vehicle layout with compact packaging and light weight construction presently with a 110 cc four-stroke engine with two independent, high precision actuators for the clutch and gear shift operations, mounted directly on the engine itself. “The technology can be applied to make engines with higher cubic capacity, say up to 250 cc,'' Mr. Chandrakant told a news conference here on Wednesday.
Files for patent
To a question, he said the new technology effort would cause minimal changes in the engine production line. He, however, would not hazard any guess on the cost benefit to the company arising out of the new technology-led movement toward a common engine platform. He said TVS Motors had filed patent for the technology in India and abroad. TVS Motors would be looking at launching a scooter with the new engine first and other models later.
Fielding a range of questions, he said, “We will deploy the new technology in all our new product launches in 2013.'' The new engine with the new technology would be lighter by 5 kg compared to the existing one, paving way for lighter vehicles which translated into lower emissions.
