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General Motors' Chevrolet Volt is an Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV). This car has aggressive targets for all electric range with engine off and fuel economy with the engine on. The Voltec 4ET50 transaxle has gears, clutches, and shafts and controls that execute two kinematic modes for engine off operation or Electric Vehicle (EV) operation, and two additional kinematic modes for extended range (ER) operation. The Voltec electric transaxle also has two electric motors, two inverters, and specialized motor controls to motivate to execute each of those four driving modes. Collectively these are known as the Voltec Electric drive. This paper will present the design and performance details of the Chevrolet Voltec electric drive. Both the machines of the Voltec electric drive system are permanent magnet AC synchronous machines with the magnets buried inside the rotor. The motor has distributed windings.

As the automotive industry quickly moves towards hybridized and electrified vehicles, the optimal integration of power electronics in these vehicles will have a significant impact not only on the cost, performance, reliability, and durability; but ultimately on customer acceptance and market success of these technologies. If properly executed with the right cost, performance, reliability and durability, then both the industry and the consumer will benefit. It is because of these interdependencies that the pace and scale of success, will hinge on effective collaboration. This collaboration will be built around the convergence of automotive and industrial technology. Where real time embedded controls mixes with high power and voltage levels. The industry has already seen several successful collaborations adapting power electronics to the automotive space in target vehicles.

General Motors has developed a portfolio of advanced propulsion vehicles that has set the standard for optimal fuel economy in full-size utility vehicles. An overview of power electronics used in this portfolio, already available in the market, is presented. These components are key enablers for the strategic products in portfolio. Block diagrams for various configurations are also described to show common power electronics components used in traction and auxiliary systems. Briefly real wheel drive (RWD) and front wheel drive (FWD) vehicle applications are described. Specific analysis and test results are presented from development of Traction Power Inverter used in RWD vehicles. Vehicle-based durability profiles are used in analysis to predict IGBT power modules thermal performance. Using key metrics for volume and mass, benchmarking data is also presented.