GM's EV Platform

[ultimatebob]

I'm curious what you guys think of GM's new Ultium EV platform:

Site Maintenance

While having all of their new electric cars share similar underpinnings seems like a good idea in theory, this IS GM we're talking about. I can't want to see the news story a few years down the road where they have to recall millions of cars and SUV's because someone finds a dangerous fault in a charging circuit that impacts the entire brand.

Also, I wonder how long it's going to take for someone to hack the wireless battery management system and remotely disable cars on the road.

 

[Micrornd]

Also, I wonder how long it's going to take for someone to hack the wireless battery management system and remotely disable cars on the road.

You mean like OnStar

 

[ultimatebob]

You mean like OnStar

Yeah, that press blurb has them bragging that the battery packs communicate wirelessly and no longer need a wired connection for monitoring. It sounds like another point of failure to me, especially in areas that use a lot of salt on the roads in winter.

Seriously, it seems that GM products in general are designed to self destruct after five years.

 

[drnickriviera]

If they can make that wireless bms communication reliable, that isn't a bad idea. For current EVs with 400ish volt packs, you are talking about around 100 wires that need to come out of the battery to the bms. Double that for 800v packs. They are small gauge wire and don't have to do much, but it's still a mess of wires

 

[Torn Mind]

Probably should be the most reliable cars GM will have ever made.

Might still be a pain to unscrew certain things.

And yeah, some bean counter culture could cause another killer fault somewhere.

 

[herm0016]

the volt and bolt have been extremely reliable and have had very little battery degradation over time. unlike the leaf, the prius prime, etc.

the whole hummer thing is a little crazy, but I bet they will be reliable and well built. Gm is back to putting engineers in top positions and has improved a great deal in quality.

 

[boomhower]

Im pretty impressed actually. It looks like there battery tech is going to be an advantage is packaging options. Next 6-12 months will be pretty interesting as the "skateboards" of the various manufactures come out. The cars themselves aren't nearly as interesting to me as the underpinnings right now, and the impact of screwing it up is huge. They won't ruin a single car but many if they make a big error in the skateboard.