GM adds heat pump to its Ultium-powered EVs to boost mileage
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Heat pump technology isn't new to electric vehicles, but it's a great way to increase range by improving vehicle efficiency. GM will now include this pump in its Ultium-powered electric models such as the Lyriq and Hummer EV.
General Motors has made a lot of noise about its Ultium battery technology, which makes sense given that it will underpin many new models from the GM galaxy of brands for years to come. Now, according to a statement made by GM on Monday, the Ultium gets a little better with the addition of a heat pump.
What is a heat pump and why is it needed?
A working battery in an electric vehicle generates a fair amount of heat during charging and discharging. Getting heat out of the package is the job of an electric car's cooling system, but instead of wasting that heat, a heat pump can use it to heat the car's interior instead of using battery power to power a heating element.
What other functions can a heat pump have in an electric car
A heat pump can help in other ways as well. For example, the energy generated by the phase change of your coolant can be used to precondition a battery in extremely cold conditions, or even power some low-level vehicle functions. The overall benefit to a car's range can be as high as 10%, and guys, that's not exactly a small number.
The heat pump will be used in vehicles with an Ultium engine
GM is far from the first electric vehicle manufacturer to use this technology (Tesla has been using heat pumps for several years, for example), but it's a good sign that General engineers are thinking ahead and finding ways to make GM cars as good as cars. they can be. The heat pump will be standard on all Ultium powered vehicles, including models and .
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