Why aren't consumers asking the right questions at the dealership? We've said it before - the most efficient and usable vehicle, car or truck is a Diesel engined vehicle with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). Here is yet another explanation for why switching to Diesel CVT benefits you - and society - directly.

A poll went around the office this week asking " What type of car would you prefer to Drive?" The options were "Gasoline, Electric, Hybrid, Gas, Diesel, Vegetable Oil, Other."

The questionaire alarmed me deeply - so I got back onto my favourite blog right away and sent off this explanation...

A CVT (Continuously Variable) transmission powered mid-sized car with a modern diesel motor will get 70 mpg+; and a VW Rabbit (small car) 100 mpg. Adding battery-hybrid on top of this would improve city mileage - but not enough to offset the additional cost and complexity - as battery systems just aren't good enough, cheap enough; nor environmentally friendly enough - yet. 

Modern CVT transmissions are based on 1940 technology patents, and even DaVinci drawings, and are sold worldwide by Toyota, Nissan, and others. Diesel engines are around since the 1890's and are commonly used in the EU and sold by Volkswagon, Chrysler,Audi, GM, and many others. CVTs are smaller, lighter - and have far fewer moving parts to break down.

Diesel fuel is cheaper to manufacture than gasoline; CVT is cheaper to make than a conventional transmission; and modern diesel engines are about 40% more efficient, with 30% more power, and have none of the rattle and emissions that motors 10 years ago offered.

WHAT IS A CVT? Here is one example - the Continuously Variable Planetary Transimission - designed by Leonardo DiVinci.

The technology is proven; the challenge is that CVT & Diesel patents are owned by oil concerns - and are only sold at ridiculous premiums of $6,000 US per component. Diesel fuel too - is more expensive these past 10 years - despite its lower cost of production. I suspect that 10 years ago corresponds to when these companies realized that improvements in consumer-level Diesel engines could adversely impact their sales & profitability.

The question asked by the poll I mentioned above - and by many fleet managers - is "Which car is better?" That's the easy question to answer. The much harder question to answer, however, is "How to force law makers to dismantle patent-protected monopolies that would half society's dependence on fossil fuels?".

Its hard to take these polls like this one seriously once you realize that Law Makers could simply pass a law - and reduce global vehicle fuel comsumption by as much as 50% in just a few short years - relying on Diesel CVT until a clean, cheap substitute (Hydrogen for example) can be rolled out 25 years from now.

So much for all the Green propoganda - powers that be are clearly just there to keep the bucks flowing status-quo folks.

This is even more difficult for those of us who have driven the Diesel CVT and loved the feel and performance. Great fuel efficiency, responding well to changing conditions, accelerating smoothly and keeping the engine in its optimum operating range.

As always, your constructive, affirming and also desenting, opinions to this topic are always welcome here ... What's your opinion?

Here are more descriptions of CVT; how it looks; and how it works...

The Nissan CVT Transmission - Nissan sold almost 1.1 million of these units in 2007...

Mercedes and most other CVTs - change from low gear (left) to high gear (right) by hydraulically adjusting the width between opposing pullies.

The traditional rubber CVT belt is replaced in modern CVTs by all metal belt designed to last the lifetime of the vehicle. The B-200 CVT belt, shown below, has 412 steel thrust links and 24 stainless steel bands

The conventional transmission vs CVT

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