Cat 966K XE Delivers Fuel Efficiency: Caterpillar combines transmission types to save fuel and fine-tune machine operation

摘要

According to Caterpillar, the new 966K XE with an "advanced powertrain" is the company's answer to wheel loader users looking for more fuel-efficient equipment that does not sacrifice power. The company has published fuel-efficiency gains (material moved per unit of fuel) of up to 25 percent for the 966K XE, compared with its conventional counterpart. The 966K XE delivers this boost in fuel efficiency, says Caterpillar, via a powertrain that incorporates what the company calls "a continuously variable transmission with parallel path technology." The technology, as we understand it, puts engine power to the wheels via a system that combines a mechanical transmission with a "variator," essentially a hydrostatic transmission using a variable hydraulic pump and a fixed hydraulic motor to take the place of the torque converter.