Nearly 14% of New Car Sales have Continuously Variable Transmissions
March 19, 2012
Continuously variable transmissions (CVT) offer an infinite number of gear ratios that allow the engine to operate near peak efficiency throughout a wide range of vehicle speeds which improves fuel efficiency. The sales of vehicles with CVTs began slowly and have climbed to 13.8% of car and 5.3% of light truck market share. With CVT making up a relatively small percentage of all transmissions, changes to model offerings with CVTs can have a pronounced effect on the year to year percentages shown in the graphs below.
Market Share of New Cars with CVT, Model Year 2001-2010
Market Share of New Light Trucks with CVT, Model Year 2001-2010
Market Share of CVTs, Model Year 2001-2010
| Model Year | Cars | Light Trucks |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | 1.0% |
| 2005 | 2.6% | 2.1% |
| 2006 | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| 2007 | 10.4% | 3.8% |
| 2008 | 11.5% | 4.0% |
| 2009 | 10.3% | 7.4% |
| 2010 | 13.8% | 5.3% |
Source
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 2011 Vehicle Technologies Market Report, Oak Ridge, TN, ORNL-TM-2011/016, February 2012.