If you thought Mazda hadn’t started its EV development, think again. At the 2019 Mazda3 AWD launch, two engineers from Japan, including the creator of Mazda’s G-Vectoring Control Plus (GVC+) vehicle dynamics control feature, revealed the company is now testing the system in electric vehicles. Development of GVC+ took almost a decade and we now know why; it was future-proofed for use in conventional gas vehicles, hybrids, and EVs. Integrating GVC+ into EVs is a no-brainer because it’s much easier to calibrate electric motors and they respond quicker, allowing for better control of vehicle behavior.
As part of its Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030 plan, Mazda will collaborate with Toyota and Denso in developing EVs, investing 5 percent in a joint venture. The partnership includes developing powertrains and platforms for their EVs. The rotary engine will return as a generator in EV applications, and is expected to arrive sometime in 2020.
In its current application, GVC+ varies engine torque to transfer weight for better turn-in. The brakes are also utilized to improve cornering and overall vehicle handling and stability. On the 2019 Mazda3, GVC+ works with the all-wheel-drive system to send power to where it’s needed and keep the car from getting unwieldy in poor road conditions. The driver also makes less steering inputs on cars equipped with GVC+ because the system is able to improve turn-in and help it rotate better through corners, especially when equipped with all-wheel drive.
For EVs, GVC+ will likely be used to control vehicle behavior using electric motors and brakes, overdriving or slowing down the wheels as needed. One of the engineers mentioned that the system will allow for “seamless torque control” in EVs, which should enable the car to put power down more efficiently. Other automakers, Tesla included, are already using similar tactics with electric motors, as we observed in the Model 3 Performance with track mode, which can tweak power output to the rear wheels to allow the car to rotate better.
Mazda hasn’t said when its electrified models will arrive in the U.S., but expect all of them to feature GVC+. In the current lineup, the MX-5 Miata is the only model without it; the CX-3, CX-9, and Mazda6 all use G-Vectoring Control (GVC) while the 2019 Mazda3 and CX-5 use GVC+, which adds the braking aspect for improved cornering, torque vectoring, and better stability. Expect GVC+ in future vehicles like the upcoming CX-30 that recently debuted at the 2019 Geneva motor show.
With GVC+ playing an integral role in keeping Mazda vehicles fun-to-drive regardless of what’s powering them, we expect the system to continue evolving. GVC+ previews the future of Mazda’s drivetrain technology; its capabilities in gas-and diesel-powered vehicles are only a sampling of what it can do when you bring electric motors, regenerative braking, and instant power delivery into the mix.
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