Continental and Fallbrook Technologies Inc. to Collaborate on New Transmission Solutions for Urban Mobility

• Continental is set to develop continuously variable automatic transmissions for private urban transport incorporating Fallbrook Technologies’ NuVinci® technology

Regensburg / Nueremberg (Germany), Cedar Park, Texas (USA). November 19, 2015. The international automotive supplier Continental has entered into licensing and engineering services agreements with Fallbrook Technologies Inc. (Fallbrook).The central focus of the collaboration is the NuVinci® transmission technology developed by the U.S. firm. This innovative continuously variable planetary (CVP) is a new class of continuously variable transmission (CVT) utilizing rotating balls that allow the transmission ratio to change continuously. “This collaboration with Fallbrook will provide us with the opportunity to expand our business activities in the area of private urban mobility," said Rudolf Stark, Head of the Transmission Business Unit in the Powertrain Division. “The aim of the collaboration is to develop new electromechanical transmission solutions for urban transport on the basis of this continuously variable automatic transmission."

“We are looking forward to working with such a successful, large, and multi-dimensional company as Continental," said William G. Klehm III, Chairman and CEO of Fallbrook Technologies. “This collaboration is a major step towards our goal of disseminating NuVinci technology as widely as possible. We already have a strong position in the bicycle industry. Our influence is also growing in the automotive industry, where our licensees are making good progress in the development of market-ready products. And thanks to our collaboration with Continental, we will have even more opportunities to develop new, pioneering applications."

In the NuVinci transmission, Fallbrook is changing transmissions from “Gears to Spheres™" using rotating balls arranged in a circle, which are located between the input and output components of the transmission. Tilting the balls changes their contact diameter and therefore the transmission ratio. NuVinci transmissions can be configured to replace various types of planetary transmissions with a compact unit that can improve system efficiency.

The technology is versatile and can be used to develop customized products for a wide range of applications – from stationary devices and bicycles to vehicles.