Filed under: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM, AutoblogGreen Exclusive
General Motors is proud of its battery lab in Warren, MI, where a lot of work was done to bring the lithium-ion Chevy Volt pack to life. The crazy (and crazy expensive) Voltec development rush from years past may be over, but the lab is still cranking out technology for GM’s electrified vehicle programs. In fact, GM announced today a massive expansion as it gets ready for the Cadillac ELR, the next-gen Volt and other, unnamed vehicles (something along the lines of the cancelled Voltec CUV, perhaps?). As a strong supporter of that particular field (she introduced the Battery Innovation Act, for example), Senator Debbie Stabenow was on hand this morning in Detroit and said “Michigan is setting the pace” when it comes to advanced batteries.
By the numbers, the lab has grown from 50,000 square feet to 85,000. The extra space means there is now room for 112 pack-level test channels (up from 64) and the number of cell-level test channels has increased from 96 to 120. It also means that the Global Battery Systems Laboratory, its official name, remains “the largest battery lab in North America owned and operated by a major auto manufacturer.”
What will GM do with all this extra space. For one thing, the company continues to test Volt batteries there, not only to get a better handle on fast charging and longevity for the packs in the cars today, but also to make packs for the next-gen vehicles more power dense and to lower cost. This is done by improving the software algorithms involved, stressing the batteries in shakers and simulating extreme conditions (between -40 and +185 degrees Fahrenheit, and between zero and 100 percent humidity) while cycling electrons in and out.
“There is nothing in the Tesla battery that we don’t know.” - Doug Parks, GM VP
Perhaps more interesting is the benchmarking area, where batteries from seven different manufacturers are being tested, including packs from Nissan, Hyundai, Toyota (variants of the Prius battery) and Ford. Notably missing were any packs from Tesla, but GM representatives did say there are Tesla vehicles on the grounds that have been tested and taken apart. “There is nothing in the Tesla battery that we don’t know,” said Doug Parks, GM vice president, global product programs. He added that Tesla’s strategy is “very intriguing” and that GM is taking a close look at it, but that simply “matching what Tesla did is not that exciting.” He added, “The real trick will be, who can build a 200-mile car at the prices I’m taking about $25-40,000].” This is something that GM is working on, but it also means future ELRs will not have a 250-mile EV option. Instead, the ELR’s powertrain is “not dramatically different” than what’s in the Volt, Parks said, just the way the car rides and handles. As for another higher-end plug-in competitor vehicle that is coming out soon, Parks said that the BMW i vehicles “are not integrated the way we integrated [the Volt]” powertrain.
Parks also told AutoblogGreen that GM is not just trying to reduce costs in the expanded lab, but is actually trying to get more performance and longer range along with the lower cost. Even though Tesla is seen by many as the EV leader (sorry, VW), Parks said he is not worried. “This is a long race,” he said.Continue reading GM expands Warren battery lab to better test ELR, next-gen Volt packs
GM expands Warren battery lab to better test ELR, next-gen Volt packs originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 16 Sep 2013 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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