PRESS RELEASES & NEWS

Fuji, Shizuoka – JATCO Ltd has developed a new continuously variable transmission (CVT) for small to medium FWD vehicles, the “Jatco CVT-XS” (hereinafter CVT-XS), and production has begun for this unit at JATCO MEXICO S.A. DE C.V. (Aguascalientes, Mexico).

JATCO has shipped over 125 million AT/CVT units since the establishment in 1970 of Japan Automatic Transmission Co., Ltd., one of our predecessor companies. In particular, as a CVT pioneer, we have cumulatively produced over 57 million CVT units. Currently, we are developing electrified powertrains for electrified vehicles, while continuing to improve our CVTs, which we are proud to hold the top share of globally (as of 2022, according to internal research).

The newly developed CVT-XS is an evolution of our Jatco CVT-X, which boasts 90% transmission efficiency. We have improved not only fuel economy, but also drivability through excellent responsiveness and a driver-focused sense of acceleration. Furthermore, our layout adjustments have lowered the overall height of the unit, contributing to greater safety for the small vehicles it is installed in.

The letter “S” in its name includes the meanings of “smooth,” “small,” “safety,” and “supreme.”

Production of the CVT-XS will take place in Mexico. Our products are supplied with the same consistent high quality globally in accordance with our global shared production system, JEPS (JATCO Excellent Production System).

Main features of the CVT-XS

• Improved fuel economy
  By downsizing the mechanical oil pump, mechanical losses were reduced and fuel economy was improved. The greenhouse gas/corporate average fuel economy (GHG/CAFE) standards for the United States of America have also been met.

• Excellent drivability
  By using a multi-plate clutch and 3-way linear solenoid, engine revving when accelerating can be suppressed, and the driver can gain an intentional sense of acceleration. In addition, excellent responsiveness was realized through the use of a twin oil pump.

• Contribution to vehicle safety
  By changing the orientation of the control valves from horizontal to vertical, the overall height of the unit was reduced. Doing so allowed us to have 280 Nm of output potential while meeting crash requirements for the small vehicles it is installed in, contributing to increased vehicle safety. The vehicles equipped with this unit have a 5-star NCAP* rating in pedestrian protection.

(Installed in the Nissan Sentra being sold in North America)

*NCAP: New Car Assessment Program, a US vehicle safety rating program

About JATCO Ltd
Headquartered in Fuji, Shizuoka, Japan, JATCO is a leading automotive transmission and electric vehicle powertrain manufacturer, specialized in the design, development, and manufacture of automatic transmissions and CVTs. In addition to plants in Japan, JATCO has production facilities in Mexico, China, and Thailand.