GM unveils EV platform with 20% less battery capacity — InsideEVs
US company General Motors unveiled a fourth-generation platform for electric vehicles at the GM Forward event in New York, USA. According to the automaker, the new architecture will make it possible to reduce vehicle weight by 15%, increase energy efficiency by 20%, and use 20% less total battery capacity.
As InsideEVs reports, the platform is planned for use in GM's highest-volume electric vehicles, primarily in the crossover segment. GM President Mark Reuss said that it is intended for vehicles in several segments and is expected to appear soon, but the company did not name specific models or exact launch dates.
New batteries and aerodynamics
The platform is to be based on lithium-manganese batteries with a high manganese content, or LMR batteries. GM says this chemistry is cheaper than high-nickel batteries and has 33% higher energy density than lithium iron phosphate, or LFP, batteries.
The company also announced a 25% improvement in aerodynamic performance. Prismatic battery cells are planned to be structurally integrated into the vehicles. According to GM's director of global EV architecture, Zach Walker, this should improve battery packaging, including making vehicles lower and more aerodynamic.
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GM has also redesigned its drive modules and power electronics. The company said it had managed to reduce the number of parts inside each electric motor by 40%.
Central computing unit
The new electrical and computing architecture provides for one central computing unit in the front of the vehicle. It will be responsible for perception systems, propulsion, safety, and chassis control. GM said this foundation will provide the computing power for the simultaneous operation of advanced artificial intelligence systems in the cabin and autonomous driving.
According to GM, the new system will have 30% less wiring, 40 times more computing power, and 50% faster cellular connectivity. The computing architecture will debut in the 2028 model-year Cadillac Escalade IQ and is expected to be important for GM's first driving system that will not require the driver to continuously watch the road.
