Engineering Services: GM Impact Electric Car

AV provided systems engineering, powertrain, mechanical design, thermal control and fabrication for the world’s first practical electric car, the GM Impact. With an urban driving range of more than 100 miles and a top speed of 110 mph, the Impact accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in just 8.0 seconds with a total output of 110 hp. Its drag coefficient of 0.19 is roughly half that of current production automobiles. GM launched production and marketing of the Impact under the name EV-1.

AV also designed and constructed the two AC induction motors for the Impact; one for each front wheel. The motors, which feature an integral single speed planetary gear reduction, operate at efficiencies of 90 to 95 percent over most operating speeds and torques encountered in an automobile. At the Impact’s governor-limited top speed of 110 mph, the motor turns at 11,900 rpm. The motor and electronics system of the Impact also provide regenerative braking to improve urban driving cycle range.