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General Motors has
unveiled a glimpse at the potential of electric propulsion in the form of luxury transportation, with the Cadillac Converj
Concept.
The
four-passenger Converj concept is intended to show how GM’s
revolutionary electric propulsion technology – called Voltec – can power
a luxury coupe with a typically Cadillac “no compromises” design. The
technology enables up to 40 miles of gas- and emissions-free electric
driving with extended-range capability of hundreds of miles.
Bob Lutz, GM's
vice chairman of Global Product Development, said the Converj concept
has production substance. “It’s a logical extension of our plan to
reinvent the automobile,” he said. “It clearly shows what a Cadillac
electric vehicle could look like, and clearly indicates that global
luxury customers can have a car that has both strong design and electric
propulsion with a total range of hundreds of anxiety-free miles.”
The Cadillac
Converj’s Voltec electric propulsion system is made up of a 16-kWh,
T-shaped battery, an electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder
engine-generator. It uses electricity as its primary source to drive the
car.
A thermally
managed battery pack contains more than 220 lithium-ion cells that
provide the primary power to drive the Converj electrically up to 40
miles without using fuel or producing tailpipe emissions. The battery is
integrated into the Converj’s chassis and stores electricity from the
grid when the vehicle is plugged in. It takes less than three hours to
recharge the battery at 240V, or about eight hours from a 120V outlet.
When the
battery’s energy is low, the Converj seamlessly switches to
extended-range mode. During this secondary level of operation,
electricity needed to power the vehicle is created on-board by a
flex-fuel-powered engine that operates much like a home generator to
create electricity. The engine-generator ensures a constant supply of
power for hundreds of miles until the car is refuelled or plugged in to
recharge the battery. This extended-range mode eliminates the range
anxiety that comes with driving pure electric vehicles that offer no
backup power when the battery charge is low.
Whether in
electric or extended-range mode, the Converj is propelled all the time
by an electric drive unit. It converts electrical energy from the
battery or the engine-generator into mechanical energy to drive the
front wheels. It also delivers 273 lb.-ft. (370 Nm) of instant torque,
for a quick launch, and 120 kW of power. The top speed is 100 mph. |
