[taildragger]

What Rush doesn't get is this was Maximum Bob's swan song, it is not the note he wanted to go out on so it is personal...

Again my "gnome" notes his "gnomes" tell him the Volt is the real deal engineering wise, but price point, weight, marketability and market acceptance? It has fallen on it's face.

However, electrification of the drive-train vs. Plug-in is a completely different subject. Their maybe some real good reasons for the Series Hybrid type Volt drive-train with regeneration, but IMHO a 435 lb battery is a big problem.

Watch for the Electric Ford Focus with the gear-less electric motor that I think is playing with the sine wave to get varying torque so a CVT is not needed. I repeat a Transmission is not needed. IMHO this is a huge breakthrough that no one sees...

Imagine 2 of these electric motors/knuckles, one front, one rear, with a small pony motor mid engine. Poor Mans 4WD Lotus Elise Anyone?

I can dream can't I?

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/ford-focus-electric-motor-extracted-split-asunder-coppery-guts/

[MikeSteelBe]

I’d like to know what kind of CVT can transmit enough torque efficiently to move a production car heavy enough to pass the safety tests.

The ones I am familiar with use belts on cones or are hydrodynamic.

I’ve seen some new concepts but I wonder what type will be the first one commonly used in everyday cars?