Transmission specialist Oerlikon Graziano, part of Oerlikon?s Drive System Segment, with its Business Unit Performance Automotive, focusing on high performance automotive and electric vehicle applications, has developed a new electric transmission, the 4 Speed Electric Drive (4SED). This new compact, lightweight transmission boasts increased efficiency, seamlessly smooth shifting and a scalable design, making it suitable for a wide range of vehicle types.

Oerlikon Graziano?s four-speed seamless shift electric transmission - called 4SED - has a very simple design. By using two small electric motors instead of a single large unit, and by providing four ratios, the motors run close to their peak efficiency for more of the time, and shifts are accomplished without interrupting the drive. Overall energy consumption is reduced by up to 15 per cent compared to a single-speed transmission, which translates into increased range or improved performance. The technology is scalable to suit a wide range of different vehicle types, urban electric cars, high performance cars, hybrid 4WD applications, electric city buses and trucks. It is suitable also for applications with 48V motors, allowing significant cost savings and reducing risks of high voltage.