GM Developing Endurance Mode for EV Racing

General Motors has filed a patent application for an “Endurance Mode” to extend the range of electric vehicles during races.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published the application on August 22, originally filed by GM in early 2023. The patent application discusses configuring the on-board controller to emphasize more than simple speed in completing a certain number of laps at a given pace without degrading performance or running out of charge.

The controller, according to the application, can analyze a number of factors, including the layout of the track and the driver's control inputs, to predict at what point the battery pack and other components will become too hot to achieve maximum performance. To keep temperatures within acceptable limits, the controller can preemptively limit output, GM suggests in the application.

Alternatively, GM notes that EVs can be equipped with a qualifying mode that allows maximum power output during short stints. This is something GM discussed in an earlier patent application published by the USPTO in April; if GM continues to develop these ideas, they could be applied to future performance EVs, such as the electric Corvette mentioned by GM President Mark Reuss in a 2022 interview. [...] [...] [...] [...]