General Motors Gears Up for EV Racing with Innovative ‘Endurance Mode’ Patent

General Motors is in the process of securing a patent for a feature termed "Endurance Mode," aimed at assisting electric race vehicles in achieving greater distances.

Don't mix it up with a notorious electric utility vehicle that didn't do so well, the Endurance Mode is all about maximizing distance rather than speed, as revealed in a patent request from GM that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) made public on August 22, after GM initially submitted it in early 2023.

A common phrase in the racing world goes "to be the winner, you must reach the end." General Motors describes in their submission that an electric vehicle might fail to cover the necessary laps in a race if it's running at top power. To tackle this, GM proposes a driving mode that restricts the power to ensure the car can maintain a consistent speed for more laps.

Prototype of an electric race car for NASCAR, image courtesy of Bcomp.

The onboard management systems are designed to track various conditions to maintain balance, with special attention given to the battery's thermal state as noted in the application. These systems would evaluate the external temperature and the cooling requirements necessary for the battery unit and the car's temperature regulation mechanism.

GM's submission hints at a potential Track Mode offering, which would incorporate an Endurance Mode for extended driving alongside a Qualifying Mode for brief bursts of maximum power. This concept mirrors features in existing electric vehicles such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Lucid Air Sapphire. The company has touched upon this idea previously in another patent document. Additionally, GM suggests that drivers might have the option to tailor their vehicle's settings to suit individual racing circuits.

Prototype of an electric race car for NASCAR – Image courtesy of Bcomp

Every invention that's patented doesn't always succeed in the market, and General Motors would need to take into account the regulations of particular racing competitions. In Formula E, for example, there's a cap on power usage, where drivers are permitted to access the total power only during the qualifying round before the race and under certain conditions throughout the contest. Furthermore, the regulations dictate a lower amount of energy to be carried in the vehicle than what is needed to complete the race at top speed, requiring drivers to strategically manage their energy reserves.

General Motors has yet to enter the realm of electric vehicle racing, yet it has a notable history in the racing industry. The ability to change driving settings might come in handy for potential developments like the electric NASCAR concept that was showcased earlier, or for the electric version of the Corvette, which the company has announced will go into production in 2022.

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