GM developing Endurance Mode for EV racing

General Motors has filed a patent application for an “Endurance Mode” to help stretch range of an electric vehicle during races.

Published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Aug. 22, and originally filed by GM in early 2023, the patent filing discusses configuring onboard controllers to emphasize the completion of a certain number of laps at a given pace without losing performance or running out of charge over outright speed.

Controllers could analyze a number of factors, including the layout of the track and the driver’s control inputs, according to the application, to predict at what point the battery pack and other components will become too hot to achieve maximum performance. To keep temperatures within tolerances, the controllers could preemptively limit power output, GM suggests in the application.

Alternatively, GM notes that EVs could be equipped with a qualifying mode that allows for maximum power during short stints. That’s something GM also discussed in a previous patent application published by the USPTO in April. If it keeps developing these ideas, it could apply them to future performance EVs—like the electric Corvette mentioned by GM president Mark Reuss in a 2022 interview.

Certain electric road cars already feature something similar to what GM is proposing. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N has Endurance and Sprint settings within its track-focused N Race mode, while the Lucid Air Sapphire lets drivers choose between Drag Strip, Endurance, and Hot Lap settings within its equivalent Track mode.

Formula E electric race cars also limit output most of the time, but, by design, also carry less energy than it takes to finish a full race at full tilt, forcing teams to incorporate energy conservation into their strategies.