The new E GMP platform can spawn a variety of body styles in the future, thanks to it modular genes!
Hyundai Motor Group has upped the ante for their future EV offerings by introducing an all new dedicated EV architecture. Of course, the Korean bigshot has a number of all-electric offerings under its various sub-brands, the much popular Hyundai Kona, Kia Ray EV and Kia Soul EV to name a few. But the new platform is destined to revolutionize their future EV array completely.
All of Hyundai Motor Group’s present BEV models have been built on architectures that had primarily been designed for IC engine offerings. Dubbed the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E GPM), the new architecture strikes a sharp contrast to this, as it has solely been designed for electric vehicles. It is any day obvious that a dedicated EV platform would offer more development flexibility, efficiency, and performance than an altered IC engine arc.
Also to be noted is the fact that the E GMP platform would have the RWD bias, unlike any other present-day FWD EVs from the manufacturer. These would thus be, more fun to drive than most present-day EVs. However, Hyundai has also hinted that the models that this architecture spawns could also have All Wheel Drive systems as well.
The modular nature of this new chassis would essentially mean that a number of body styles would be built on this in the years to come- sedans, hatchbacks, SUV, CUV and what not!
Well in keeping with the diversity in body styles, the future EV lineup from the marque would also be quite diverse on the performance fronts as well. There would of course be the regular ‘less exciting’ EVs and those capable of doing the 100 kph sprint in under 3.5 seconds, both built on this architecture. Such high is the development flexibility and versatility of this platform.
The E GMP provides for improved performance figures and driving dynamics, thanks be to the optimal weight distribution between the front and rear axles,. and the low center of gravity set by the floor-mounted battery pack.
The battery pack is mounted between the front and rear axles and is the most power-dense system from the marque yet. It has a separate cooling block which provides for a further compact structure to the unit and improved cooling performance as well. The battery module consists of a number of pouch-type standard cells, packed in different quantities, depending on the vehicle model. This further adds to the flexibility of this platform.
The E-GMP gets an all new Power Electric system that is compact, yet more efficient in nature. Comprising a powerful electric motor, EV transmission and inverter, this system is very well engineered and safety incorporated into the chassis in the form of a single compact module.
The electric motor on the E-GMP is smaller than most motors in business today and yet more powerful! It spins upto 70% faster than the competition, providing for a decent bump in the net output. Both these aspects combined, give it an upper hand in both space and weight! On this novel EV architecture, the motor sits in where the IC engine used to be housed on regular cars. This further adds up to space on the inside.
The inverter module does job in enhancing the range and efficiency of the vehicle by a fair bit. The E-GMP also stands out from the rest for offering unmatched ride quality stability, thanks be to the five-link suspension setup at the rear and the world’s first mass-produced Integrated Drive Axle (IDA), which uses wheel bearings with the driveshaft to transfer power to the wheels, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency.
Charging is another area where these EVs will stand out from the crowd. You and I are familiar with the existing DC fast charging systems for EVs. Well, in case you aren’t, they use a 400V system providing 50-150kW for ‘fast-charging’ most EVs today. As obvious, a 800V system putting out upto 350kW would allow even ‘Faster-charging’, and experts in many parts of the globe are but developing the same.
We are expecting this system to officially hit the markets in the coming years and the E-GMP comes prepped for the same! Yes, it can charge on both 400V and 800V fast chargers alike! The 800V charging comes standard on this. Thus, if you connect it to a 400V point, the vehicle would use the in-built inverter to amplify the signals and carry out charging without having to use any additional components or adapters.
Another exciting thing about Hyundai’s new dedicated EV platform is that the vehicles built on this can be used as dedicated power sources! This is not a quality that you get to see on most EVs. Usually electric vehicles use battery technologies that allow unidirectional flow of power. This architecture, in contrast, provides for omnidirectional flow of power. This essentially means that you can use the vehicle to power external electric equipment such as an air conditioner or a television, or in a more advanced case, use it to charge another EV as such ! Dubbed the Vehicle-To-Load (V2L) function, this has been achieved by using a newly developed Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU).
Hyundai Motor Group has plans of bringing out a range of BEVs in the days to come under its various subsidiaries. Hyundai has already announced the IONIQ range, of which the IONIQ 5 would be the first to surface. Kia Motors is hoped to reveal its first BEV sometime in 2021. All these offerings would be built on this new modular platform and thus have ranges of over 500 kilometers along with other technical prowesses!
So, are you waiting for these? Let us know in the comments…
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