The 48 Volt Electrical Rumor and the Current Round of C8 Testing

[SheepDog]

GM is currently testing the C8 again after a lull. There is a rumor of an electrical problem that needs a fix. Assuming that the rumor is valid, then is GM currently testing the electrical fix? Would GM be testing before application of a provisional fix? If the fix[?] passes the current testing process, then what? What next? What else?

Coordination with parts suppliers?
What other technical step and or barrier, if any, is there to a public reveal of the "final" example?

The top rank Corvette engineers are participating in the current testing. is that fact informative?

[Frenzy36]

Well if the Top Rank Engineers are happy with the results then the next step is for them to take part in a couple day celebratory ceremony! What Else?
I would hope they would at least peel off a strip of camo so we could celebrate with them. H I N T. H I N T.

[John]

The top rank Corvette engineers are participating in the current testing. is that fact informative?

It is. The fact that Tadge, Harlan and Alex MacDonald (Chief Performance Engineer who replaced Jim Mero when Jim retired last year), were last week all on the same ME caravan testing six C8’s in California, is a sign of good testing milestones moving forward, just as in a similar time frame, for the C6, and later for the C7, top members of the Corvette team also did a caravan road testing event to test/confirm that progress.

However, we should not read into this that the testing/development is over, nor that the reveal is just around the corner. A positive step, but more testing/development will continue until Vehicle Launch Manager Josh Holden certifies it is “Production Certified.”

[meyerweb]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. There is zero actual evidence to support a 48 volt Corvette. There was a rumor that the Corvette was delayed because of an electrical issue. And people took that rumor and opined tat maybe GM was upgrading the C8 to a 48 volt system. That's quite a leap.

If the C8 were initially designed to be 12 volt, converting to 48 volt would, I think, require a redesign of virtually everything electronic in the car. Computers, stereo, GPS, Wiring, coils, dash, you name it. The test cars weren't off the road long enough to do that.

[John]

SheepDog, esponding to some other parts of your question, my guess (strictly no more than that), is that since we are seeing testing of a good sized fleet of C8’s 2,000 miles from their birthplace and since we also saw this week a C8 testing on the public roads of SE Michigan, I think that if there was an electrical system issue, that current testing indicates that they have at least found a path through to resolving that issue (but it could well have more steps until it is fully resolved). Once it were/is fully resolved, component suppliers would need time to produce the production certified parters/systems.

As to when the reveal will be happening, none of these things help us determine when that might be.

[John]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. There is zero actual evidence to support a 48 volt Corvette. There was a rumor that the Corvette was delayed because of an electrical issue. And people took that rumor and opined tat maybe GM was upgrading the C8 to a 48 volt system. That's quite a leap.

If the C8 were initially designed to be 12 volt, converting to 48 volt would, I think, require a redesign of virtually everything electronic in the car. Computers, stereo, GPS, Wiring, coils, dash, you name it. The test cars weren't off the road long enough to do that.

meyerweb, two things possibly could be wrong with your suppositions. First is that the original time we know for certain there was an electrical problem was June 10th, and we are more than the rumored six months needed past that time period to re-engineer/re-build the electrical system; second, most of a car’s dash, infotainment system, door switches, window switches, interior and exterior electrical lights, sensors and more, all remain 12V powered even in a 48V system.

[Fasttoys]

Great points John.

[meyerweb]

meyerweb, two things possibly could be wrong with your suppositions. First is that the original time we know for certain there was an electrical problem was June 10th, and we are more than the rumored six months needed past that time period to re-engineer/re-build the electrical system; second, most of a car’s dash, infotainment system, door switches, window switches, interior and exterior electrical lights, sensors and more, all remain 12V powered even in a 48V system.

But one of the major advantages of a 48 volt system, from the manufacturers perspective, is the ability to use much thinner wires, saving cost and weight. If all the accessories mentioned above are still 12 volt, you lose most of that advantage. And having circuitry to step down the voltage everywhere would cost even more.

I don't see it. Either it was 48 volt to start with, or it's still 12 volt. Switching in the middle of the development would be a major effort.

[SheepDog]

It is. The fact that Tadge, Harlan and Alex MacDonald (Chief Performance Engineer who replaced Jim Mero when Jim retired last year), were last week all on the same ME caravan testing six C8’s in California, is a sign of good testing milestones moving forward, just as in a similar time frame, for the C6, and later for the C7, top members of the Corvette team also did a caravan road testing event to test/confirm that progress.

However, we should not read into this that the testing/development is over, nor that the reveal is just around the corner. A positive step, but more testing/development will continue until Vehicle Launch Manager Josh Holden certifies it is “Production Certified.”

The rash of new videos has been silent for a day-or-three. Nothing is a source information now, but to observe the start and stop of the footwork and rhythym and guess, from that, the melody, lyrics and dance. Perhaps a release of a tentative timing projection would sell some of the accumulating stock, if that is desired. But one does not know what is not known in a novel undertaking. And silence is golden.

[Bikerjulio]

But one of the major advantages of a 48 volt system, from the manufacturers perspective, is the ability to use much thinner wires, saving cost and weight. If all the accessories mentioned above are still 12 volt, you lose most of that advantage. And having circuitry to step down the voltage everywhere would cost even more.

I don't see it. Either it was 48 volt to start with, or it's still 12 volt. Switching in the middle of the development would be a major effort.

John chose a bad example.

The advantage is in the lighter weight of the 48V motors that power all the more power using ancillaries. Water pumps. A/C compressors. Power steering. Oil pump. Hydraulic pump(s). Starter/generator. Fans. and so on.

Plus these things can be placed in the best locations, for weight distribution and packaging. Plus taking these loads off the engine means more power to the road for acceleration.

The 12V stuff is pretty light in comparison.

[bobbytinvab]

I'm not sure what to think about the electrical system fault/no fault "problem". If I was to bet (someone else's pay check), I'd bet/hope that the C8 was designed from the beginning to have the 48V system. It seems like a no brainier in view of all the evidence of it's virtues that have been put forth. I dunno!

[SheepDog]

I'm not sure what to think about the electrical system fault/no fault "problem". If I was to bet (someone else's pay check), I'd bet/hope that the C8 was designed from the beginning to have the 48V system. It seems like a no brainier in view of all the evidence of it's virtues that have been put forth. I dunno!

There are rumors about the C8. The rumors date from several years back up to this day. What specific rumors if any were validated in each meaningful category of a catagory structure that one might choose to create?
Leaked documents
personal observation claims
Confidential Insider Statements
Reveal Dates
Powertrain Configuration
etc.

10% percent validation? 5%, 20%

About the only seemingly valid and reliable info has come from Don Sherman. The rest appears to be unfounded speculation and if accurate, then so only by chance.

[John]

Here’s one more C8 rumor (or is it a fact???), that the current C8 IVERS California Caravan with Tadge, Harlan and Alex participating, just like similar C5, C6 and C7 IVERS caravans with top Corvette team members before they moved forward toward eventual production, is showing us that things are going better now than they were six months or a year ago.