Hyundai Motor Group has unveiled its first dedicated EV platform for its next generation of battery electric vehicles.
The new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) will serve as the core technology for Hyundai Motor Group’s all-electric revolution. E-GMP promises to be an outstanding platform as it will offer 800V charging capability as standard and will enable 400V charging, without the need for additional components or adapters.
Also, according to Hyundai, it will be capable of a maximum range of over 500km (WLTP) with a fully charged battery. It will be able to high-speed charge up to 80% in just 18 minutes and add up to 100km of driving range in just five minutes.
From 2021, the E-GMP will underpin a range of dedicated new BEVs, including Hyundai Motor Company’s IONIQ 5; Kia Motors Corporation’s first dedicated BEV to be revealed in 2021; and a series of other models.
Although, Hyundai already has other platforms, this is the first time that the company will have one that it is solely dedicated to electric vehicles. E-GMP allows the company to be flexible as it reduces complexity through modularisation and standardisation, allowing rapid and flexible development of products that can be used across most vehicle segments, such as saloons, SUVs and CUVs.
The company will also be able to use this platform for high-performance vehicles that will accelerate from zero to 100km/h in less than 3.5 seconds and achieve a maximum speed of 260km/h.
The company considers the platform a game changer for the all-electric future of Hyundai Motor Group, according to Fayez Abdul Rahman, Senior Vice President of Vehicle Architecture Development Center.
“E-GMP is the culmination of years of research and development and brings together our most cutting-edge technologies,” he said. “Our BEV line-up will evolve and be strengthened by this innovative new platform.”
The E-GMP is exceptionally designed as it is engineered to offer improved cornering performance and driving stability at high speed. This is due to optimal weight distribution between front and rear, a design that enables a low centre of gravity thanks to its low-mounted battery pack, and the adoption of electric motors located in the space previously occupied by an engine.
It will also be very safe as it will be equipped with a battery support structure made of ultra-high strength steel. Hot-stamped steel components surround this structure for additional rigidity. Collision energy can be absorbed efficiently thanks to energy-absorbent sections of the body and chassis, effective energy load paths, and a central section of the battery pack tightly bound to the vehicle body.
For this platform, the energy density is enhanced by around 10% compared to existing EV battery technology and since the battery packs are lighter, they can be mounted lower in the body and liberate more cabin space.
The E-GMP’s compact new Power Electric (PE) system consists of a powerful motor, EV transmission and inverter. These three components are integrated into a single compact module. This ensures powerful performance by raising the motor’s maximum speed by up to 70% compared to existing motors
The E-GMP will underpin Hyundai Motor Group’s plans to introduce a total of 23 BEV models including 11 dedicated BEV models, and sell more than 1 million BEVs worldwide by 2025. As part of its BEV vision, Hyundai Motor Company launched its dedicated ‘IONIQ’ BEV brand in August 2020, that includes three dedicated BEV models, the IONIQ 5, 6 and 7 by 2024.