GM showcases new motors to power the future of pure electric

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General Motors CEO Mark Reuss unveiled three new GM motors at the 2021 Mackinac policy conference (Mackinac Policy Conference) on Sept. 21, which will power its (EV), an electric vehicle based on the Ultium Orlando platform.

The Ultium Drive Orlando drive system is designed by general purpose, including 180kW front drive motor, 255kW front and rear drive motor and 62kW all-wheel drive auxiliary motor. All three motors are internally calibrated to ensure the highest level of performance of electric vehicles based on the Orlando platform. These motors can be extended to share design principles and similar tools and manufacturing strategies.

"Electric drive systems have been developed for 20 years, and for more than 100 years, a lot of automotive engineering has been helping GM move rapidly from conventional cars to electric vehicles," Reuss said. Our vertical integration in this area, including hardware and software, can give GM a significant competitive advantage. "

The 180kW and 255kW components are permanent magnet motors designed to minimize dependence on heavy rare earth materials, while the 62kW components are induction motors. All of the above motors are expected to provide excellent torque and power density to power all vehicles such as high-performance cars and work trucks.

A maximum of three motors can be used in an electric car. The new GMC 2022 Hummer (HUMMER) EV will be equipped with three independent 255kW motors, with GM's estimated output power of 1000hp.

Ultium Drive can drive software development

GM engineers have also developed software for Ultium Drive's motor controllers, which are critical to meeting the propulsion needs of various models with a minimum of components. GM's product development team has nearly 11000 software developers. The engineers responsible for the project are GM Global Technology Center (Global Technical Center) in Warren, Mich., and Global Propulsion system (Global Propulsion Systems), in Pontiac, Michigan, and (Milford Proving Ground) at Milford proving ground. The number of people is expected to continue to grow as software becomes a key pillar of GM's vision for a pure electric future.

The team uses computer-aided and virtual engineering to move quickly and safely in a cost-effective manner, while improving vehicle control. Artificial intelligence and machine learning help determine the most effective way to distribute torque in a three-motor system such as the GMC Hummer EV, allowing this highly off-road vehicle to drive comfortably on the street on the ground.

GM EV motor software can also be reused in many applications. Because of the versatility of the motor, it can provide power demand for the complete vehicle lineup, thus speeding up time to market and providing the foundation for future EV expansion.

GM has also designed software for key power electronic components, such as power inverter modules or inverters, to convert the DC voltage of the battery into AC voltage to power the motor. GMC estimates the Hummer's EV time of zero to 60 mph at 3 seconds, which the company says is achievable, thanks to the truck's Watt-to-Free (Watts to Freedom) start-up controlled driving mode. The above excellent performance benefits from GM's expertise in power drive software and its key capabilities in motor control, power electronics, motor design and development.

Inverters and other power electronic devices, such as accessory power modules and on-board charging modules, are located outside the drive units of GM's existing electric vehicles. In Orteergy-based vehicles, they will be integrated directly into the Ultium Drive unit, thereby reducing cost and manufacturing complexity. Compared with current GM products, the mass and volume of some power electronic devices will be reduced by 50%, while the performance can be improved by 25%.