After 4 years of research and development VMT Technologies has announced its new green transmission for hybrid SUVs, light and heavy trucks plus electric cars and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

VMT Technologies says its new "Universal Transmission" saves 30-percent in fuel costs over standard transmission and will also outperform CVT transmissions as well. According to the company, "the Universal Transmission is the first and only to function as a positively engaged, infinitely variable transmission with an engaged neutral. In addition, it eliminates the need for a clutch or torque converter."

Now, since electric cars and hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, thought to be the future of the automotive industry run on electric motors and not transmissions, VMT Technologies intends on competing in these sectors as well.

There are two technologies surrounding hydrogen. One is called a "hydrogen converter" which uses DC voltage to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. These gases are used as the fuel in internal combustion engines and many other energy applications.

The other hydrogen technology is called the; "hydrogen fuel cell". This uses hydrogen gas to produce electrons. Batteries also produce electrons. The use of electrons is described basically in two ways. The force pushing the electron "Volts" and how many electrons are passing a particular point "amps". If we compared electricity to water the volts would be pressure and the amps would be flow.

Like hydrogen cells, batteries produce electrons to use instead of gasoline or diesel. Electrons from "plug-in electricity" must be stored and then drawn as acceleration is required. Just like water in a tank there are only so many electrons available to take with you. That's why the number of electrons (amps) you use is so important. It's all a trade off.

One battery will provide enough voltage and amps to move a midsize car, just not very far. The further you want to go the more electron storage (batteries) you need to take with you. A good analogy would be; a battery is equal to a gallon of gas. The tradeoffs are; Cost (for the batteries or hydrogen tanks), Weight and range. Everyone wants low cost and weight and long range.

"An object at rest tends to stay at rest" and "an object in motion tends to stay in motion". The fact is, it takes more energy to get something moving than it does to keep it moving. Similarly, it takes more electrons (amps) for an electric motor to accelerate a car than it does to keep it going. Amps (number of electrons) melt things, explode things and kill people. To control this, a "controller" is needed.

The controller in the hybrid or the electric car has to manage the amps when a lot of them are needed. Therefore it has to be very robust to keep from melting and that becomes expensive.

VMT is advocating that it would be better to conserve the precious electron energy by using the mechanical advantage of VMT's IVT, especially when the transmission costs less than the controller. Another benefit comes from not needing as many amps; you don't need as many volts. A lower voltage battery is safer and less expensive.

So, the question comes: do you need both a controller and a transmission - no. As noted battery expert John Wyall notes, "As far as the difference between using a controller and using and IVT is concerned, the IVT is cheaper and safer than the controller. The IVT allows you to use fewer cells, thus making the battery a manageable system, and with lower voltage, a safer system. The controller-electric motor and gear box system has about the same overall efficiency as a controller-less electric drive with an IVT."