On June 24th, I was invited to attend a technical sharing session at SAIC Group, where the advantages of the Nebula Platform and how SAIC Innovation and Development Institute empowers SAIC’s Roewe, MG, RisingAuto, and ZhiJI car brands to create products were clearly listed.
Amidst the vigorous electrification movement, SAIC Group has also established its own transformation goal: “We want to transform from a traditional OEM to a user-oriented high-tech company.”
At the sharing session, as the driving force behind SAIC, the Executive Vice President of SAIC Innovation and Development Institute, Lu Yong, and Vice President Kang Huaping, elaborated extensively on the Nebula platform, as well as the specific progress in various cutting-edge technologies.
What is the Nebula Platform?
“Nebula” is SAIC’s exclusive systematic platform for pure electric vehicles, belonging to the three major vehicle technology bases. The other two, “Supernova,” refers to SAIC’s mechatronics integrated architecture, while “Star River” refers to SAIC’s hydrogen energy exclusive architecture.
In addition to the three major vehicle technology bases, there are also four key system technology bases, namely the Silver Galaxy’s full-stack intelligent car solution, including the blue chip powertrain system (fuel), platform cube battery system (battery), and green core electric drive system (electric drive). These four key system technology bases constitute SAIC’s “Seven Technological Bases.”
Here, we mainly introduce the pure electric exclusive systematic platform, the Nebula.
The English name of Nebula is MSP module scalable platform. SAIC’s official definition of Nebula is: China’s first pure electric exclusive systematic platform, which is a gradient super platform that is constantly iterated and upgraded. The characteristics are reflected in the ultra-thin flat battery module, long wheelbase, and front and rear drive. The development concept of the Nebula platform is a gradient, scalable, and iteratively upgraded platform.
The Nebula Platform has the following features:
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The wheelbase bandwidth is from 2,690 to 3,100 mm, and the front and rear suspensions can be compressed to within 800 mm;
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It can be equipped with a battery up to 2,023 mm in length, thus achieving an almost 1,000 km ultra-long range. 2023 is also the time point when SAIC plans to mass-produce this concept;
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The 800 V platform’s fast charging can guarantee a range of 200 km in 5 minutes, and can charge up to 80% in 15 minutes; the 400 V platform’s fast charging can extend the range for 100 km in 5 minutes and can charge up to 80% in 30 minutes.- The electric drive module is the “Green Core” system, which has two voltage platforms. On the 400 V platform, there are three electric axes: ABC, with powers of 150, 180, and 250 kW, which can be combined and used individually. On the 800 V platform, the power outputs of the three electric axes reach 200, 350, and 400 kW respectively. In other words, the power bandwidth of the two-wheel-drive model is 150-400 kW, and that of the four-wheel-drive model is 330-600 kW.
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The “Rampage Mode” of the four-wheel-drive model can reach 3 seconds, and the “Dash Mode” of the two-wheel-drive model can reach 5 seconds.
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Supports continuous and smooth customization of driving modes from eco mode to rampage mode, allowing you to find the “gentle mode” that suits you.
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The chassis supports vehicles ranging from grade A to grade D. It can be divided into two categories according to the front suspension, MacPherson strut and double wishbone, and supports air spring and CTC; the rear suspension module is a five-link design, which can adapt to air spring and rear wheel steering. There are two types of subframes: steel and aluminum, and two sets of steering modules can be selected. The BD is for large vehicles, and the DP is for large and medium-sized vehicles.
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Under the Star Cloud platform, the steering ratio ranges from 13.6 to 14.7 (Volkswagen MEB is approximately 14.7), and the lateral acceleration can reach close to one G.
About Safety
Safety includes battery safety, structural safety, network design safety, and intelligent active safety.
Battery:
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The Magic Cube battery has a l0-level heat-resistant construction technology, which has been patented in China and is also in the process of being patented overseas.
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The Magic Cube battery module did not undergo thermal runaway in a high temperature puncture test at 50 degrees Celsius.
Structural safety
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There is a threshold made of 1,500 Megapascal heat-formed steel on both sides of the structure, filled with honeycomb-shaped high-strength extruded aluminum.
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Starry Nebula Global has an excellent global new five-star IHS index and has been developed with a fully developed development mechanism. MG EZS is the first Chinese brand electric vehicle to receive a European five-star rating; MARVEL X is also one of the first electric vehicles in CNCP to receive a five-star rating.
Network security
Regarding network data security, SAIC aims to construct a one-body defense system integrating software and hardware on four levels: cloud, management, edge, and end. Following international and United Nations regulations on network security, SAIC has improved the trusted chip at the second level of national encryption certification and is compliant with international and United Nations 2156 regulations for airborne upgrades, supporting secure refresh and national encryption SMR signatures. We meet national standards and GDPR data security requirements and support SM3 and SM4 memory encryption.
Advanced driving assistance
Regarding advanced driving assistance, this presentation did not go into depth and only listed three levels:- Advanced Driver Assistance: It focuses on user safety and provides assistance for driving on the same lane under good road conditions, ensuring driving safety (referring to L2).
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Advanced Intelligent Driving: It mainly improves the customer experience and requires powerful chips and AI. It can automatically accelerate or decelerate, change lanes, and enter the ramp with navigation (referring to an ADAS system with navigation).
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Super Intelligent Driving: It is based on deep collaboration and data application, aiming to deal with complex and changing real-life situations (referring to L4).
Where is the Xingyu Intelligent Vehicle Platform heading? (Technical Exploration)
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We have already entered the project phase of integrated technology.
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CTB has launched an application research project. In Kanghua Ping’s words, our “battery module is transforming from a contributor to the structure from a cute baby panda.”
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CTC prototype will be displayed in two months but is not part of the Xingyu platform.
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Line-controlled chassis is in the development stage, jointly developed with Lianchuang.
In conclusion
After roughly sorting out the layouts on the SAIC Group level and its Xingyu platform, we can easily find the word “gradient” everywhere. Battery swapping, different battery modules, diverse electric drive layouts, all create differentiated demands for different brands and types of cars.
Actually, in recent years, we have become accustomed to the marketing concept of platforms. Everyone emphasizes the features of their pure electric platform, as if only “exclusive pure electric platforms” can sell cars. However, companies like BMW insist on producing different powertrain models through flexible architectures.
SAIC’s official answer is very intriguing and can be summarized into three points:
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The electric platform has better compatibility, enabling flexible layouts of front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, and four-wheel drive.
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The three-electric technology already meets the requirements of platformization, for example, the magic cube battery satisfies SAIC’s need for ultra-thin and flat batteries.
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The platform can improve the system’s safety, reliability, and development efficiency, such as unified platform battery testing that is faster than testing for a single model.
Of course, the most crucial aspect is the rapid increase in pure electric market penetration rates domestically and globally, leading to a significant rise in demand for high-quality EVs.
SAIC’s current focus is on battery swapping but still plans for higher power supercharging, 800V electrical platforms, and even CTC technology. As Kanghua Ping said, “The world is so big, and there is not one technical solution that can cover all situations, right?”
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.