If you’re looking for a plug-and-play option to electrify your vehicle, Chevrolet Performance offers the Ultium eCrate package. It includes everything you need to convert over your ICE car to electric.
The package begins with a 400-volt motor–good for 200 horsepower and 266 lb.-ft. of torque–that can be mounted to a GM transmission.
“An exciting aspect of Chevrolet Performance’s upcoming retail offering is …
There wasn't much context, but I recently saw a video of an electrified, convertible Lincoln Continental.
It certainly makes me want to EV swap whatever lead sled I can get my hands on.
...only through Chevrolet Performance-approved installers in limited quantities...
This tracks with what they told me last year. You have to get approved and trained to be allowed to buy these, and if your name isn't something like Hennessey it's hard to get their attention.
Also, transmission? Sheesh. They didn't even use a transmission on their demo vehicle at SEMA last year, that yellow '57 Chevy from Hot Rod.
This would totally be suitable for something like my old Cadillacs. They were effectively going for electric propulsion characteristics.
As good as this looks, I think they'll have trouble moving units with the single crank arm steering wheel.
More seriously, depending on pricing, this could be a really good package for modernizing old iron. I wonder what the motor weighs and how much of that 947 pound battery would be offset by a lighter motor and loss of gas tank.
I know it's going to be too rich for my blood, in addition to being unobtaium at the DIY and grassroots level, but I'm super excited to finally see visible progress on this resuming.
This isn't the end goal, just a step in the right direction.
Only about 200hp? Likely expensive?
If it were more like 400hp, I'd bet there would be much more traffic
Interesting.
In reply to Apexcarver :
They had the system in a COPO body Camaro at SEMA in 2018. That car could supposedly run 10s in the quarter.
So I think 200hp is an initial offering, and bit of re-flashy-flashy to the motor control unit could unlock a significant amount of power.
Though this really isn't a performance thing. The battery is too heavy. But if you're doing a resto on a cruiser 200hp and 255lb-ft available at 0 rpm while being completely silent is an appealing proposition.
200hp? Nearly a 1000 lb battery?
I'd be a lot more impressed if it was a 200 lb battery and nearly 1000 hp.
It's basically a Bolt powertrain... Think 'adequate performance' rather than 'high perofrmance' applications.
Yeah, it's definitely a Bolt battery pack and the motor specs match what's in the Bolt too. Same is probably true for most of the other "modules" included I bet. Mostly off the shelf Bolt stuff.
The trans adapter and controller are likely the stuff that required the majority of the engineering here.
The big question in my mind, is will this setup cost more than a new Bolt does?
Isnt there already grassroots electrification going on? Years ago i was reading about forklift motors, controllers and batteries was the only expensive part.
I get the benefit of going through GM, ive just been surprised about how expensive the offers coming out lately are.
I understand they are shooting for the crate motor market but bolting an electric motor to a transmission is a terrible thing in regards to efficiency and regeneration capability.
The three EV engineers I know (Ex-Rivian/Tesla/Arcimoto) get red in the face angry every time someone points to one of these kits and asks why they don't do it that way.
I'm going with either, That's Awesome!, or What a Joke.
The choice is going to depend on the price. I'm betting the $ per HP isn't very good and having to go through an installer moves it toward the joke side right off the bat.
In reply to Trent :
Unless those engineers are involved with making a competing kit that is comparable or superior, their rage doesn't hold much water.
Re: transmission
"....for compatibility..."
Is it too hard to make an aluminum housing to replace the trans? No guts except for a straight shaft, bearings, yoke?
Obvious weight saving and friction loss...
Will the Chinese EV makers start selling retrofit kits for FWD cars ,
Most of the Chinese cars are based on Japanese or Korean cars so the Chinese EV motor & "gearbox" would be the right size.
BimmerMaven said:Re: transmission
"....for compatibility..."
Is it too hard to make an aluminum housing to replace the trans? No guts except for a straight shaft, bearings, yoke?
Obvious weight saving and friction loss...
It might also be due to cost, as they want to keep the price down of this package. Chevrolet hasn't released prices yet for the Ultium eCrate, but I wouldn't expect it to be around the price of a 604 or 602 Chevrolet Performance crate engine.
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