What do MT and CVT mean in cars?

[DeMarley]

MT stands for manual transmission, and CVT stands for continuously variable transmission, a type of automatic transmission. 1. Meaning of MT: Manual transmission, also known as mechanical transmission, requires the driver to manually shift the gear lever (commonly referred to as the "gear stick") to change the gear engagement inside the transmission, altering the gear ratio to achieve speed variation. Most passenger car manual transmissions are six-speed or five-speed gear transmissions with synchronizers, making shifting convenient and reducing noise. When operating a manual transmission, the clutch must be depressed to shift the gear lever. 2. Meaning of CVT: The CVT eliminates the complex and bulky gear combination for speed variation, using only two sets of pulleys for transmission. It changes speed by altering the contact radius of the drive belt between the driving and driven pulleys. Since CVT can achieve continuous changes in gear ratio, it provides the best match between the transmission system and engine conditions. Unlike traditional transmissions with gear structures, CVT uses two adjustable-diameter pulleys connected by a belt. The basic principle involves wrapping the belt around two conical pulleys, with the pulley diameter adjusted via hydraulic pressure for continuous variation. At startup, the driving pulley has the smallest diameter, while the driven pulley has the largest, achieving a high gear ratio. As speed increases and sensor signals change, the computer control system adjusts the hydraulic pressure to continuously vary the pulley diameters, enabling seamless speed variation throughout the driving process.