Renault will use the electrical actuator from Vitesco Technology to take control of the gear changes in the automatic technology transmission. This will be integrated into cars like Clio, Megane, Arkana and Captur, that are sold in the international markets.
Vitesco Technologies is a leading international manufacturer of powertrain and drivetrain technologies. It is based out in Regensburg, Germany and employs around 40,000 people spread across 50 locations worldwide. In 2019, Vitesco Technologies recorded sales of EUR 7.8 million and plans to improve the figure in the near future. It has been developing automatic transmission for quite some time now and also plays an important role in the manufacturing of transmission control units.
the Clio E-Tech makes use of two electric motors that are rated at 100W of power which shifts the gear in and does not feature a friction clutch engaging the gears using a claw coupling which results in improved efficiency of the drive. The electric motors in the actuator module work precisely at such a speed that the shifts happen in less than 150 milliseconds and this eliminates the noticeable lag which is also known as the rubber band effect. The use of front-transverse installation will help to implement the system even in small cars as it is more compact and lightweight.
The automatic transmission for the full hybrid Clio E-Tech is one of the early dedicated hybrid transmissions used by Renault in Europe. There are claims that this mechanically simplified transmission will help the hybrid vehicles to compete with their diesel counterparts in terms of pricing which will help to offer customers with an option for a hybrid vehicle that will cut the CO2 emission as well as keep track of the carbon footprint.
The main aim of Vitesco Technologies is to be a major contributor in making affordable hybrid vehicles and regulate climate change by reducing the CO2 emission. This electrification of the powertrains also helps in controlling the CO2 emission in an internal combustion engine by enabling hybrid drive trains. This order by Renault is worth a three-digit million Euro for an entire term and this will put both the companies as a front runner in the hybrid drivetrain sector.
