Vehicle Electrification - November 4, 2010 - 3

On the critical path
When veteran General Motors engineer Jon Lauckner sketched out his idea for a new type of electrified propulsion system for his boss, Bob Lutz, in 2006, he reckoned there were two major hurdles in the way of the idea actually reaching production. The first hurdle was simply getting the idea for an “extended range” electric vehicle approved. But Lutz, then GM’s Vice Chairman for Product Development, was immediately convinced this was something the automaker had to do. The second hurdle was far more daunting. For Lauckner’s idea to work as conceived, it needed a high-power/high-energy automotive battery that did not exist. Lutz likened the program to a “moon shot,” because of the high level of invention and critical-path engineering required to meet the aggressive 2010 production target. Lauckner remained confident that the issue of developing a suitable battery would be solved. “We have the best technical organization in the industry,” he told me about a year into the Volt’s development. “We’re going to execute this program and deliver an exceptional new vehicle as planned.” With volume production of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt now under way, the development team and its strategic suppliers have delivered on Lauckner’s promises. Volt’s overall performance, battery range, NVH attenuation, driver interfaces, and build quality exceeded my high expectations during recent drives. Currently the car has no peer in its approach to “green” mobility.

Foreward
Competitors will find many things of interest when they tear down this vehicle for analysis. Among them are the liquid-cooled Li-ion battery pack; smart-phone driver interface for remote cabin conditioning and batterycharge control; a SAE J1772 charge coupler; and a novel “chiller” heat exchanger that uses both A/C refrigerant and glycol to help cool the battery in extreme operating conditions. The various patents GM has netted in this program will prove useful as more competitors enter the electrified-vehicle space. Particularly vital is the intellectual property related to power controls and the new 4ET50 electrified transaxle. My four years of reporting on this milestone vehicle inspired this special SAE International digital publication. My key takeaway about Volt is it represents the advent of the industry’s turn toward vehicles that are primarily electronics platforms, rather than mechanical ones. As of early October, the car had undergone 20 major vehicle control software calibrations (known as VESCOMs), plus many more v.1, v.2, etc., iterations. No wonder GM is investing so heavily in new resources in the rapidly growing electrical/electronics engineering arena. But the highlight of covering Volt for me has been getting to know the high-caliber people that made it happen. Its execution reflects the dedication and focus of everyone involved.

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SAE Vehicle Electrification™, November 4, 2010, Volume 1, Number 1, is published 4 times a year by SAE International. SAE is not responsible for the accuracy of information in the editorial, articles, and advertising sections of this publication. Readers should independently evaluate the accuracy of any statement in the editorial, articles, and advertising sections of this publication that are important to him/her and rely on his/her independent evaluation. For permission to use content in other media, contact copyright@ sae.org. To purchase reprints, contact advertising@sae.org. Copyright © 2010 by SAE International®. The SAE Vehicle Electrification title is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

SAE Senior Editor Lindsay Brooke Chevrolet Volt Special Edition

SAE Vehicle Electrification evsae.com

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Vehicle Electrification - November 4, 2010

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