General Motors (GM) says it virtually tested more than 300,000 electric vehicle battery designs before building a physical prototype, helping the US automaker move from its first battery-pack concept to formal program approval in just one month.
The achievement is part of GM’s development of its fourth-generation EV platform, which aims to deliver longer driving ranges, lower manufacturing costs and simpler vehicle designs.
The company is using computer simulations and a new engineering approach that allows design, manufacturing and engineering teams to work simultaneously rather than completing their tasks one after another.
GM expects the approach to cut its traditional five-year vehicle development timeline in half.
Testing 300,000 battery designs
At the center of the new platform is lithium manganese-rich (LMR) battery technology, which GM is developing for its high-volume electric vehicles.
Instead of manufacturing and physically testing hundreds of battery designs, engineers used computer models to evaluate more than 300,000 possible configurations before producing a prototype.
According to GM, this helped its engineering team move from an initial LMR battery-pack concept to formal program approval in just one month.
The batteries will use prismatic cells manufactured by Ultium Cells, GM’s joint venture with LG Energy Solution, in Spring Hill, Tennessee.
GM says its LMR chemistry is designed to deliver 33% greater energy density than lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, a widely used lower-cost alternative.
Higher energy density could allow automakers to achieve longer driving ranges without increasing battery size or weight.
GM estimates that its fourth-generation EV platform, combining LMR batteries with improved electric motors and aerodynamics, could deliver roughly 20% more driving range per kilowatt-hour of energy than its current vehicles.
These improvements remain targets for the upcoming platform rather than independently verified performance figures.
Simplifying future electric vehicles
Beyond batteries, GM is redesigning the motors, electronics and electrical systems used in its next generation of EVs.
The company says its new electric drive units contain 40% fewer parts, making them smaller and lighter while potentially reducing manufacturing costs.
Its updated electrical architecture also uses 30% less wiring and fewer control modules than current GM electric vehicles.
A centralized computing system is designed to provide 40 times more processing power, supporting software updates, energy management, and driver-assistance features such as Super Cruise.
GM is also extending digital simulations into vehicle manufacturing.
Engineers can use virtual models to examine assembly procedures, equipment placement and potential safety issues before installing production machinery.
Once manufacturing begins, GM’s PlantBrAIn system will combine factory-floor information with computer models to identify ways to improve production.
The automaker says similar methods have already helped its battery-pack assembly facilities process battery packs 30% faster.
Future vehicles will also be able to check their electrical connections during assembly, potentially eliminating a final electrical validation step.
GM has not specified when its fourth-generation EV platform will enter production. The company says the changes are intended to make electric vehicles more affordable while accelerating development and manufacturing.