Editing Continuously variable transmission (section)

== History ==
The idea for a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) originated with Leonardo da Vinci in 1490. While he didn't patent it or mass-produce it, his design was a concept for a step-less variable speed transmission.<ref>{{cite web |title=What Is a Continuously Variable Automatic Transmission (CVT)? |url=https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a30822055/what-is-a-cvt-transmission/ |website=caranddriver.com |date=February 2005 |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=en}}</ref>

Later, in 1879, [[Milton Reeves]] invented a CVT (then called a ''variable-speed transmission'') for use in sawmilling. In 1896, Reeves began fitting this transmission to his cars,<ref>{{cite web |title=A tale of two brothers |url=https://www.gasenginemagazine.com/gas-engines/a-tale-of-two-brothers |website=gasenginemagazine.com |date=January 2006 |access-date=19 July 2020 |language=en}}</ref> and the Reeves CVT was also used by several other manufacturers.

The 1911 [[Zenith Motorcycles#Models|Zenith Gradua 6HP]] motorcycle used a pulley-based ''Gradua'' CVT.<ref>{{cite web |title=Property of Pete Gagan, 1914 Zenith-JAP 8hp 'Gradua' Twin Frame no. 4499 Engine no. 46612 |url=https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/25383/lot/494/ |website=bonhams.com |access-date=19 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=How it works: CVT |url=https://classicsworld.co.uk/guides/how-it-works-cvt/ |website=classicsworld.co.uk |access-date=19 July 2020 |date=4 January 2019}}</ref> A year later, the [[Rudge-Whitworth#Rudge Multigear|Rudge-Whitworth Multigear]] was released with a similar but improved CVT. Other early cars to use a CVT were the 1913–1923 [[David (company)|David]] small three-wheeled cyclecars built in Spain,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.autopasion18.com/HISTORIA-DAVID.htm|title=DAVID HISTORIA |website=autopasion18.com}}</ref> the 1923 [[Clyno]] built in the U.K., and the 1926 [[Constantinesco (automobile)|Constantinesco Saloon]] built in the U.K.