General Motors Front Wheel Drive Two-Mode Hybrid Transmission 2009-01-0508

General Motors has developed a two-mode hybrid transmission for transverse front wheel drive vehicles. Mechanical components for this system were packaged into the basic space constraints of a conventional automatic transmission by using a space-saving arrangement of two planetary gear sets and four clutches extending through two electric motors with large internal diameters. This full-function hybrid system delivers electric propulsion for low-speed urban driving, regenerative braking, electric acceleration assist, two continuously variable engine-to-wheels speed ranges, and four fixed gear ratios. This electrically-variable transmission is based on a scalable architecture for applications ranging from small vehicles and engines to full-size vehicles with large engines and towing capacity.