An electronic control unit engages two of friction engagement elements provided in an automatic transmission in a neutral range. The electronic control unit disengages one of the two friction engagement elements engaged in the neutral range at the time of starting gear stage switching of an auxiliary transmission from a low-speed gear stage to a high-speed gear stage in the neutral range, and re-engages the friction engagement element that has been disengaged when determining that the gear stage switching has been completed.

A transfer includes: an input shaft; a motor; first and second output shafts; first and second planetary gear devices; an input switching unit; a transmission switching unit; and a distribution switching unit. Further, connection states of the input shaft, the first and the second planetary gear devices, the first and the second output shafts can be switched to a plurality of modes including first, second, and third modes by the input switching unit, the transmission switching unit, and the distribution switching unit.

A multi-speed transfer case equipped with a planetary reduction gearset and a range clutch disposed between an input shaft and an output shaft. A clutch actuation mechanism controls actuation of the range clutch to establish distinct ratio drive connections between the input shaft and the output shaft.

Provided are a speed changer device, a forward/reverse switchover device for converting output of the speed changer device into forward traveling power and reverse traveling power, a rear wheel differential mechanism for inputting output of the forward/reverse switchover device and transmitting it to rear wheels, and a gear transmission mechanism for transmitting power of an output shaft of the forward/reverse switchover device to an input shaft of the rear wheel differential mechanism. A transmission case is separable into a front case portion accommodating the speed changer device and a rear case portion accommodating the forward/reverse switchover device, the rear wheel differential mechanism and the gear transmission mechanism. The gear transmission mechanism is detachably provided at a portion of the inside of the transmission case which portion corresponds to a front end portion of the rear case portion.

In a transmission apparatus for a saddle-type vehicle, dowels on first transmission gears are engageable in and disengageable from dowel holes in adjacent second transmission gears to shift gear positions. The first transmission gears are slidable in response to angular movement of a shift spindle caused by operating a shift pedal. Invalid engagement time, during which the dowels and dowel columns are in sliding abutment, at an idling engine rotational speed is in the range from 0 msec. to 40 msec., providing an enhanced feeling for gear shifting operations and reduce hammering noise.

A transfer case having, a transmission mount, an input shaft received through the transmission mount, an electric propulsion motor, a transfer case portion and a transmission portion. The transfer case portion has a transfer case portion input, a first transfer case portion output, a second transfer case portion output, and a power transfer mechanism, the first transfer case portion output being drivingly coupled to the transfer case input portion, the power transfer mechanism drivingly coupling the second transfer case portion output to the first transfer case output portion. the transmission portion has a first coupling, which is selectively operable for drivingly connecting the input shaft to the transfer case portion input, and a second coupling that is selectively operable for drivingly connecting a rotor of the electric propulsion motor to the transfer case portion input.

A front wheel drive based four wheel drive powertrain includes range gearing, bevel gearing, final drive gearing, and a differential. The range gearing, final drive gearing, and differential are on the same axis. The bevel gearing, which transfers power to a rear drive unit, is upstream of the final drive gearing in the power flow. Consequently, no step-down ratio is required to provide a suitable driveshaft speed.

A control system for a four-wheel drive vehicle configured to improve energy efficiency by avoiding selection of a four-wheel drive mode more than necessary. The control system comprises a controller that shifts an operating mode between a two-wheel drive mode and a four-wheel drive mode. When a control of the prime mover is terminated, the controller detects the operating mode selected by a switch before restarting the control of the prime mover. If the two-wheel drive mode or the four-wheel drive mode was selected by the switch before restarting the control of the prime mover, the controller selects the two-wheel drive mode when restarting the control of the prime mover.

A four-speed transaxle for an electric vehicle comprises four planetary gear sets that is operatively connected to an electric motor, four electric caliper brake systems and one stage gears. The four-speed transaxle produces its first speed ratio when a first and third electric caliper brake systems are disengaged and a second and fourth electric caliper brake systems are engaged. Second speed ratio results when the first and fourth electric caliper brake systems are engaged and the second and third electric caliper brake systems are disengaged. Third speed ratio results when the second and third electric caliper brake systems are engaged and the first and fourth electric caliper brake systems are disengaged. Fourth speed ratio is produced when the first and third electric caliper brake systems are engaged and the second and fourth electric caliper brake systems are disengaged.

A control system for a four-wheel drive vehicle configured to improve energy efficiency by avoiding selection of a four-wheel drive mode more than necessary. The control system comprises a controller that shifts an operating mode between a two-wheel drive mode and a four-wheel drive mode. When a control of the prime mover is terminated, the controller detects the operating mode selected by a switch before restarting the control of the prime mover. If the two-wheel drive mode or the four-wheel drive mode was selected by the switch before restarting the control of the prime mover, the controller selects the two-wheel drive mode when restarting the control of the prime mover.