ome NewsElectric Cars2014 Cadillac ELR Software Gives Hints Of Future Voltec Uses 2014 Cadillac ELR Software Gives Hints Of Future Voltec Uses

General Motors' Voltec drivetrain, the range-extended plug-in setup used on the Chevrolet Volt and the new 2014 Cadillac ELR, is among the most advanced drivetrains on the roads.

That's not to say there isn't room for greater improvement though, and that's exactly what GM is doing.

In fact, as Charged EVs reports, there are far more differences between the drivetrain used in the Volt and the newer ELR than the on-paper figures give them credit for--and developments found in the ELR are only likely to make future Volts and other Voltec vehicles even more efficient.

Befitting Cadillac's more upmarket image, GM engineers have endowed it with a little more power and a few extra features over the Volt on which it's based--including a paddle system on the steering wheel for increasing or reducing braking regeneration.

But under the skin, it's advancements in the electric motor, the control systems and software that really separate the two vehicles.

According to Tim Grewe, Cadillac ELR powertrain Chief Engineer, GM upgraded "everything" in the ELR, compared to the Volt. The drivetrain layout and hardware are largely the same, but detail changes to the control systems are where the real work has taken place.

For example, engineers have found a way of using the harmonic oscillation of electrical pulses from the inverter to boost the motor's capabilities.

Grewe describes it as "third harmonic injection", though it's also known as pulse width modulation, and allows GM to push the electric motor harder without unwanted noises and vibrations.

Precise control of the magnets in the motor has also allowed the team to liberate more performance and efficiency without generating unwanted heat. more