3 ms·
> An automatic transmission is a non-trivial amount of weight--especially on the small cars present in the EU--and affects gas mileage tremendously. This is a
by outworlder 4y ago
> An automatic transmission is a non-trivial amount of weight--especially on the small cars present in the EU--and affects gas mileage tremendously.
This is a case of 'citation needed'. It's not like manual gearboxes are weightless. Then there the likes of CVT.
What do they add is to manufacturing costs. A simple manual transmission is, well, simple, and has looser tolerances (the driver compensates). Automatic transmissions require more exotic materials - in the past we had to use whale oil, which drove their costs to unsustainable prices in non-US markets.
- Animats 4y agoWhale oil? Not since GM Type A ATF fluid, 1949. The Buick Hydra-Matic of 1939 used some whale oil, but that was rapidly superseded.
- philliphaydon 4y agoProbably read from here: https://carfromjapan.com/article/industry-knowledge/percentage-of-manual-cars-in-europe/ https://carfromjapan.com/article/industry-knowledge/percenta... > Surprisingly, the fuel prices in Europe are quite exorbitant. The automatic cars tend to be heavier and can even lead to a loss in the drivetrain, thus more of fuel consumption. On the other hand, the manual is much more economical and affordable to drive. The technological advancements are making the automatic more fuel efficient though.