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CAR Magazine has a decent explanation of this new transmission -- I featured it on the homepage, but thought it would be a good idea to quote the most important passage here directly:
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-ne.../2016/lexus-lc500h-at-2016-geneva-motor-show/
Don’t tell me Lexus has finally binned off the CVT?
Not entirely – the 3.5-litre V6 under the bonnet is still bolted to a pair of electric motors with a continuously variable transmission sandwiched between them. But plugged into the back of this 354bhp combination is an additional four-speed automatic gearbox that’s intended to ‘reconnect’ the driver to the driving experience by more closely aligning the engine speed to the sense of acceleration.
So – in theory at least – the LC500h should no longer be hampered by that traditional Lexus hybrid ‘rubber band’ power delivery. To balance the weight of the additional transmission, Lexus has also switched to a lithium ion battery pack; not only is this smaller and lighter than the equivalent nickel metal hydride set up, it delivers its power more fiercely, allowing for a smaller electric drive motor, too.
Four speeds? Doesn’t the non-hybrid LC500 V8 have a 10-speed transmission?
It does. But when you switch the hybrid over to Manual mode, it’ll act like it’s got 10 gears, too. The electric motor and CVT partnership is able to multiply each of the first three gears in the automatic transmission three times – turning three real ratios into nine virtual ones; the fourth physical ratio acts as an overdrive, enabling the V6 to turn over at much lower rpm when cruising.
Chief engineer Koji Sato reckons the difference between the real gears and the virtual ones is barely perceptible. In fact, the system is said to be so sophisticated that the only reason you’ll feel it change gear at all is because the engineers have told it make the process obvious, in order to give keen drivers a more satisfying experience.
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-ne.../2016/lexus-lc500h-at-2016-geneva-motor-show/