(For 2.0- to 3.5-liter engine vehicles)

The new generation Xtronic CVT was introduced for North America in 2012. Vehicles equipped with the 3.5-liter V6 like the 290 hp Maxima set the benchmark for the most powerful engine mated to a CVT. Since they were designed with quite a bit of power, utilizing the new CVT helped keep them fuel-friendly. The new generation CVT exhibits even more of a difference, notably under acceleration. The objective of this CVT is to have the transmission make most of the adjustments necessary to maintain different road speeds while letting the engine turn at a fairly constant speed. Achieving this also helps the new Xtronic CVT with an improvement in fuel economy of up to 10% (compared to previous CVTs for comparable vehicles). Under moderate throttle applications from a stop, a CVT maximizes engine power by letting the engine quickly rev up to where it makes more power and then holds it there while the transmission adjusts to the car’s increasing road speed. This means the engine is held at a steady, high-revving speed. The new transmission design provides a ratio coverage of 7.0 and friction reduction of up to 40%. With a new and stronger belt and a thinner pulley axle combined with Adaptive Shift Control, the new generation Xtronic CVT helped deliver responsive and powerful acceleration. What‘s more, they help keep the engine from revving too fast at high speeds which helps minimize noise.

HOW THE NEW GENERATION CVT ACHIEVES RATIO COVERAGE OF 7.0

By combining smaller shaft-diameter pulleys with a new chain drive belt, the range of ratios between the two pulleys was expanded by only minimally increasing axial distance. Through the narrower pulley axle and newly developed belt, the new generation Xtronic CVT expanded the transmission gear ratio from 6.0 to a ratio coverage of 7.0, which set a new benchmark for CVTs for 2.0-liter-plus vehicles around the world.

REDUCTION OF FRICTION UP TO 40%

The new generation Xtronic CVT utilizes a more compact oil pump that helped increase the interface between the pulleys and the belt, which helps reduce oil agitation and resistance and the required oil pressure. This, plus the adoption of specially formulated low viscosity oil, also helped reduce friction. Also approximately 60% of the component parts were modified to reduce friction. The adoption of the trochoidal oil pump with a flow control valve actuated directly by the engine enables the sufficient discharge from an oil pump in the low-RPM range and the adequate discharge adjustments in the high-RPM range.

ADAPTIVE SHIFT CONTROL (ASC)

The new generation CVT was also characterized by its Adaptive Shift Control. ASC interprets each driver’s intentions through the way he or she accelerates and the choices made in handling and speed. Based on these preferences, ASC adapts shifting patterns by selecting a gear ratio optimal to the specific conditions and the driver’s intention. To select the gear ratio that can give the driving force to meet the driver’s intent or vehicle situation, the vehicle driving condition such as vehicle speed or accelerator pedal position is detected. This information is outputted to the primary pressure solenoid valve and secondary pressure solenoid valve to control the line pressure inputted/outputted to the pulley to determine the pulley (movable pulley) position and to control the gear position. ASC’s linear shift control function coordinates between the engine speed (RPM) and the transmission to help deliver optimal low-fuel consumption with vehicle speed as the car accelerates.

The 2012 Murano and 2012 Altima feature the Advanced CVT.

The 2013 Altima features the New Advanced Xtronic CVT.