GM To Manufacture Electric Motors; First GM Motors Will Go Into Next-Gen Two-Mode Hybrid in 2013

Noting that power electronics and electric machine technology as well as battery technology will be core to General Motors in its multiple paths to vehicle electrification, Tom Stephens, GM Vice Chairman, Global Product Operations announced that the company will expand its in-house electric vehicle development capabilities by becoming the first major US automaker to design and manufacture electric motors.

By doing so, Stephens said, GM will lower cost and improve performance, quality, reliability and manufacturability of electric motors by controlling design, materials selection and production processes. The first GM-designed and built electric motors are scheduled to debut in 2013 in next-generation, rear-wheel-drive two-mode hybrid technology.

The expected improvement in power density in the GM-designed and built motors for the longitudinal application of the two-mode hybrid—on a per motor basis, these machines are about 25% smaller, output is about 20% higher, and efficiency is up—will allow its application in a range of vehicles smaller than the full-size trucks and SUVs in which it is applied today, including cars.

GM will invest some $246 million in the next-generation hybrid system and a manufacturing site for the motors, and will announce the new site and specifics later this week.

In the future, electric motors might become as important to GM as engines are now. By designing and manufacturing electric motors in-house, we can more efficiently use energy from batteries as they evolve, potentially reducing cost and weight—two significant challenges facing batteries today.

—Tom Stephens

Green Car Congress

=> GM To Manufacture Electric Motors; First GM Motors Will Go Into Next-Gen Two-Mode Hybrid in 2013.

Kemplemine akuhinna ümber

Analüütikute, uurijate ja autotootjate hinnangud liitium-ioon akude hindade osas erinevad kordades.

Carnegie Mellon (CMU) tuli hiljuti välja üldisema uurimusega e-autode teemal, mis muuhulgas sedastas, et EV-d ei ole hinnas konkurentsivõimelised. Aluseks võtsid nad hinnataseme 1000$/kWh kohta.

Ei läinudki kaua, kui GM teatas, et nende kogemused Volti akut ehitades räägivad midagi muud. Täna on nende aku hind “sadu” dollareid alla CMU pakutud taseme. II põlvkonna aku hinnatase peaks aga jääma nende arvates 250$/kWh juurde.

Analüütikud firmast Frost & Sullivan väidavad, et tänane hinnatase võiks olla pigem alla 500$/kWh kohta ja suundumus on aastaks 2011 200$ juurde.

Raske on selles diskussioonis mingi kindlam seisukoht võtta enne, kui reaalselt e-autod on letimüügis.

GM Voltec platvorm

Ampera ametlikud pildid

Kuna Ampera salapildid on juba netti lekkinud, ei näinud Opel ilmsesti rohkem põhjust oma Amperat katte alla peita ja tuli ametlike piltidega lagedale, vahendas Autobloggreen.

Opel Ampera

Tegu, siis GMi Voltec’i platvormile ehitatava EREV-iga, mida akude tühjenedes veab edasi sisepõlemismootor, lubades nii sõidukaugust kuni 500km.

Fotogalerii

Opel Amperat märgati Saksamaal

Genfi autoshow’ks valmistuv GM plaanib seal esitleda Volti põhjale ehitatavat Opel Amperat. Autobloggreeni allikad leidsid aga auto juba tänavalt. 

 

Autobloggreen: Opel Ampera caught undisguised in Germany

NAIAS 2009 – Cadillac Converj

Veel üks kontseptsioon Detroidi autoshowlt: Cadillac Converj. Sarnaselt Voltiga, on tegu nö EREV’iga (extended range electric vehicle), mis aku tühjenedes veereb edasi tavalise kütuse abil.