In addition to the fuel economy and emissions benefits, described in the benefits page in this section, the IVT provides the following benefits for passenger cars.
Refined drive
The Torotrak IVT delivers power smoothly from rest through to cruising at high overdrive, meeting the driver's expectations for speed, controllability and driving comfort. The powertrain responds immediately to the driver’s demand for acceleration and when the pressure on the throttle is reduced, the engine speed reduces to an economical level until increased power is required again. The Torotrak Ford Expedition demonstrator fitted with an IVT will cruise at 74mph on a flat road with an engine speed in the region of 1,000rpm. In comparison, a standard Expedition's engine speed, under these conditions, is in the region of 2,500rpm.
Improved performance
It has been verified that the IVT improves vehicle performance. Analysis by one of the world's leading transmission suppliers shows that 4 seconds, after a wide open throttle launch from rest, an IVT vehicle has 2 metre advantage over a typical 6-speed automatic. This is a major attraction to manufacturers of high performance vehicles.
Added features
The unique way in which the IVT operates via software control lends itself to the incorporation of added features at no extra cost in terms of hardware or components.
Features developed to date include:
Cruise Control
The functionality is provided via the IVT and electronic throttle rather than via a separate system and is controlled by the IVT hence eliminating the traditional cruise control 'fussiness' where the transmission hunts for the correct gear to match the desired speed.
Total Off Road Control - TORC™
An exciting feature made possible by the unique way the IVT controls the powertrain is Total Off Road Control TORC™. This new feature changes the way in which 4x4 vehicles can be driven off-road by providing the following functionality.
- Total Control on steep gradients.
- Centimetre by centimetre vehicle position control.
- Anti-roll back.
More details on TORC™ can be found here
Details on how the IVT can be applied to different types of passenger cars can be found in the following pages:
