Automotive Trucks information on net.

Torvec, Inc., based in Rochester, New York, a developer of advanced automotive technologies, said that it allocated $500,000 in new funds toward completing pre-production prototypes of a transmission that significantly reduces diesel soot emissions and fuel consumption in heavy-duty trucks. When production is completed, Torvec said it will send a diesel truck with the new transmission to the Environmental protection agency for emissions and fuel testing.

Keith Gleasman, President of Torvec, said, "We expect diesel trucks with our transmission will meet the EPA's aggressive and healthy goals for lower soot emissions. Commercial quantities of the Torvec transmission could be produced quickly and inexpensively because it has about 300 parts, compared to 600 in today's transmissions. It also weighs less, which further reduces manufacturing costs."

Torvec was founded by the same team that invented and commercialized the Torsen differential, which improves the handling of high-performance vehicles made by General Motors, Toyota, Audi, Porsche, Hummer, Mazda and Volkswagen and in Formula 1 and Indy race cars.

Torvec claims its transmission will reduce trucks' diesel emissions to a level that meets or beats the EPA's proposed goals for soot of 0.01 grams per brake-horsepower-hour by 2007. This is a 90 percent reduction from current standards of 0.1 grams per bhp-hr, the company said.

Torvec's patented infinitely variable transmission, which the company believes is the only one with enough torque for heavy trucks, allow engines to run at a steady speed, their "sweet spot" for fuel efficiency.