GM's New EVs Will Use A Cloud Based Battery Management System

GM's journey towards turning into an electric car brand is taking off quite rapidly. It has developed its own Ultium batteries and also a new motor which is also under the Ultium brand. Now, it is pushing the envelope again with battery management software. It has worked with Boston-based Analog Devices which has created a wireless battery management system for its Ultium batteries. Unlike most systems where the controlling computer is on the car itself, GM's solution will work over the cloud, presumably over a 5G or 4G network where the interaction between the car and the computer and management software happens wirelessly.

GM is saying that it reduces the wiring in the pack by almost 90 percent which helps increase range and allows for easier scalability and reuse of batteries. But this also means these batteries can't be reused in other cars. GM's system works as its cars support over the air updates which have become quite standard across the industry. The obvious weakness of this system is if there is a severance of connectivity then the battery management GM's New EVs Will Use A Cloud Based Battery Management System

GM has designed its own battery architecture called Ultium

GM is saying that it reduces the wiring in the pack by almost 90 percent which helps increase range and allows for easier scalability and reuse of batteries. But this also means these batteries can't be reused in other cars. GM's system works as its cars support over the air updates which have become quite standard across the industry.

"Scalability and complexity reduction are a theme with our Ultium batteries-the wireless battery management system is the critical enabler of this amazing flexibility," said GM EV boss Kent Helfrich in a statement.

"The wireless system represents the epitome of Ultium's configurability and should help GM build profitable EVs at scale," he added.

GM has a number of EVs in the pipeline with the most notable ones being the new Hummer EV and its pick-up variant alongside the Cadillac Lyriq. Most of the GM branded vehicles are also going the EV so its new generation of Ultium batteries is going to be critical for its success.
the system may not work.