If you want to ask what are the most important components of a car, I believe most people will answer "the three big ones." Yes, as long as there are no problems with the engine, gearbox, and chassis, it will basically not affect the normal use of the vehicle.
In everyone’s inherent impression, the engine has the highest technical content among the “three major parts” of the car. It seems to have always occupied a dominant position. After all, many people mainly look at the engine when looking at a car. But having said that, during the process of buying a car, we discovered that most domestically produced cars have used self-developed engines, but the AT gearbox always has to rely on others (such as Aisin), or it may simply be equipped with the same engine. dual-clutch gearbox.
There is also a more direct question: AT gearboxes are so popular, why do domestic cars prefer dual-clutch gearboxes?
Engines are "proliferating everywhere"
Times have changed. Those independent brands that relied on Mitsubishi engines to survive now have their own "representatives", especially the 1.5T which has a wide range of applications. Mainly with 2.0T engines, first-tier independent brands have basically bid farewell to the "use doctrine".
It is not enough to have their own engines. Many independent brands also strive to achieve "excellent" level. After all, Geely, Great Wall, Changan, etc. have already pointed the finger at joint venture cars. Their list of competitors may There are already Toyota and Volkswagen, so engines are naturally not limited to “just what works”.
It is not an exaggeration to say that autonomous engines have entered a stage where a hundred flowers are blooming. Chery's 1.6T engine data is eye-catching, Changan's 1.5T and 2.0T Blue Whale Power hold high the banner of "quiet, powerful and clean", FAW's 2.0T and GAC's new 2.0T engines have eye-catching thermal efficiency, and Great Wall announced that the 2.0T+9DCT power system will soon Coming...
In terms of power parameters and fuel consumption, some independent engines are already comparable to joint venture rivals, which has created a prosperous scene for domestically produced cars. But on the other hand, everyone is Worried about gearbox issues.
The gearbox "stands out"
What contrasts with the independent engine is the gearbox, and the "standout" here is undoubtedly the dual-clutch (DCT) gearbox.
At present, most domestic car transmissions are mainly 6- and 7-speed dual-clutch, and the promotional rhetoric of car companies is usually "high transmission efficiency", "good sports performance" and "fast acceleration". "etc. But even if independent brands talk about how awesome the dual-clutch is, some people always want to ask: Why is there no AT gearbox?
In fact, it is not uncommon for domestically produced cars to use AT gearboxes. The independent champion and runner-up in the recent SUV sales list are Haval H6 and Changan CS75 PLUS. The former uses a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox, while the latter uses Aisin 6AT and Aisin 8AT gearboxes. To put it bluntly, if domestically produced cars want to use AT gearboxes, they usually have to rely on others.
Of course, domestic AT gearboxes are not completely absent. For example, the independently produced Shengrui 8AT gearbox (equipped with Pentium T99), which was rated as one of the "Top Ten Gearboxes in 2020", has a poor reputation. Compared with the products of major international manufacturers such as Aisin 8AT and ZF 8AT, it is naturally lacking.
The dilemma of manufacturing AT gearboxes
As for why independent brands cannot manufacture AT gearboxes, in fact, "historical reasons" account for more than half.
First of all, AT gearboxes are more complex than DCT and CVT, and are more difficult to develop. Secondly, international gearbox giants such as Aisin and ZF have already formed Without their own technical patent barriers, latecomers will certainly suffer losses. Of course, major manufacturers like General Motors and Honda will also have their own AT gearboxes, but that is another story, because in terms of situation at that time, domestically produced cars were "more urgent" than anyone else.
Just imagine, if we have to go all out and spend a lot of energy and time to develop an AT gearbox, let alone success or failure, if the quality is unstable and the market response is poor, wouldn’t it be worth the loss?
It just so happens that the structure of the dual-clutch gearbox is similar to that of a manual gearbox, and independent car companies happen to have the foundation to build manual gearboxes. As a result, BorgWarner and China Development Alliance Investment Co., Ltd. established a subsidiary in 2008. Geely, FAW, Dongfeng, Great Wall, Chery, JAC and other car companies participated. With the help of BorgWarner, they independently Brands have their own dual-clutch gearboxes.
Dual-clutch gearboxes may not be as good as AT and CVT gearboxes in terms of smoothness, but it is less difficult to develop and is similar to manual gearboxes. It has the advantage of high transmission efficiency and can achieve faster speeds. shift speed.
The most important thing is that ten years ago when autonomous gearboxes were scarce, the dual-clutch gearbox solved the urgent need for domestically produced cars. Whether it is excellent or not is another matter. At least there is no need to look at other people's faces or be controlled by others. . Suppose, if a certain hot-selling independent car depends on Aisin gearbox to survive, and Aisin tells you "insufficient production" one day, it will undoubtedly fall into a passive situation.
Autonomous AT gearbox has a long way to go
After seeing this, I believe everyone has deeply felt that if you want to develop your own AT gearbox, the road to be traveled is longer than building an engine. More bumpy. And with the maturity of dual-clutch gearbox technology, DCT models such as Haval H6, Geely Boyue, Roewe RX5, etc. are also selling well and recognized. Is it necessary to spend a lot of energy and cost on AT gearboxes at this time? Some insiders also said: "Even if there is an independent AT gearbox, compared with Aisin and ZF, will consumers recognize it?"
Having said that, once it reaches the mid-to-high-end car field, , everyone still prefers AT gearboxes. In some people’s impression, CVT and dual-clutch are exclusive to mid-to-low-end models (perhaps except for the Volkswagen series), and ATs are in line with high-end status. In recent years, independent brands have been impacting the high-end. The AT gearbox has become a hard nut to crack, but it seems that it has to be chewed.
In short, compared with the waves of independent engines that are stronger than the waves, there is still a long way to go to independently develop and produce AT gearboxes. What do you think about this?
This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.