Abstract
Eco-friendly technologies, such as renewable energies, represent a positive current trend for the future. The field of automotive is moving in this direction as well, especially with the introduction of hybridisation with the goal to reduce fuel consumption. The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology able to optimise the ICE (internal combustion engine) efficiency with a new concept of continuously variable transmission. The starting point of this research is the investigation of fuel consumption of a representative powertrain in different driving cycles; numerical simulations will provide the reader with detailed information about fuel efficiency in the case of real and ideal engine working conditions (fixed or variable transmission). End scope of this paper is to explore the possible optimisation of the ICE consumptions, aiming at the achievement of a reduction of the pollutant emissions and an increase of its efficiency.