A recent GM patent filing shows what looks like an all-electric Chevy Silverado packing two high-speed CCS charging ports!
The battery pack at the core of the GM Ultium skateboard really is a different breed of platform than everybody else’s. That’s because its battery packs are arranged in two layers— two layers that, if a recently uncovered patent filing is to be believed— could charge at the same time, for ultra-super-lickety quick charging on the road!
The proposed setup relies on a series of controllers and switches, in addition to the GM pack’s baked-in ability to operate as two different packs in series or in parallel, according to Bengt Halvorson over at Green Car Reports. That ability to switch between a “two” or “one” battery architecture could allow the top and bottom layers to act, temporarily, like they’re wired “in series,” which would allow for 800-volt charging to utilize 350-kw DC fast-charging hardware.
It’s a bit easier to see than to explain (even if Bengt did a great job), but take a look at the patent drawing for yourself and see if you don’t immediately get the whole, “more plugs = more electricity” concept at work here.
Another interesting capability here is ability to keep the second port open and provide what GM seems to be calling “an accessory load at 400V.” We don’t know of too many 400V bandsaws or tailgating mini-fridges, but we do know of at least one Silverado accessory that’s 400V: the Chevy Bolt EUV.
Could this mean that the upcoming Chevy Silverado EV will be able to provide emergency charging to other, smaller EVs that might be stranded on the side of the road? If that’s what this is (and it probably is), Chevrolet may have just cornered the electric tow truck market … especially if they have a patent on the idea.
What do you guys think— are we reading too much into things, or is GM taking the threat of a sold-out Ford F-150 Lightning very, very seriously? Scroll on down to the comments and let us know!
SOURCE | IMAGES: GREEN CAR REPORTS.
