• General Motors’ Cold Weather Development Centre in Ontario celebrates 50 years under GM ownership this year.
• The facility in Kapuskasing first opened in 1941, and was used initially by GM to test military vehicles.
• Today, the facility is adapting to modern realities with additional tests designed for EVs.
Kapuskasing, ON - Today's vehicles start and run without too much trouble in the winter. Of course, regular maintenance is necessary to ensure efficiency over time, but it's a far cry from the difficulties that cold weather caused vehicles in the 1970s or 1980s.
It's not only the advances in technology that make vehicles more efficient today, but also the work done behind the scenes by all auto manufacturers who operate research and testing centres located in cold-temperature areas.
In the case of General Motors, that area is in Kapuskasing, Ontario. The company recently invited us to visit to see how its vehicles are teased in cold weather, including the all-electric models that represent both a new reality and the future for the American giant.
A rich history
It may come as a surprise to some, but 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of GM's presence in Northern Ontario. To put it in perspective, Kapuskasing is a two-hour drive north of Timmins and ten hours from Toronto. In reality, the distance is about the same from Montreal as it is from Rouyn-Noranda to Timmins.
The temperature, from December to March, is often frigid, to the tune of around -30 Celsius. During our visit on March 2nd, we were watched over by a higher force, because we only had to endure daytime highs of -12 C. In the early morning, however, we had -28 C to deal with.
Which is precisely why GM's cold weather testing facility is there, and has been for 50 years. The automaker’s connection with the place goes back even further, because in fact, the American giant has been testing there since 1941 when it was evaluating the performance of military vehicles for the army while war was on in Europe.
The centre has of course evolved over the decades, growing from 23 to 272 acres. In recent years, it has benefited from $16 million in investments to add more sophisticated equipment, especially in anticipation of the electrical shift.
Here’s a blow by blow of our tour of the place.
The cold cells
Quite frankly, I had a little trouble imagining in advance what was being done there. I pictured vehicles being started in frigid temperatures, data collection and lots of road testing. The reality is a bit more complex than that.
For example, recent investments have allowed the centre to add 30 cold cells where it is possible to recreate a -45 degree Celsius environment. Having already experienced this kind of freezing cold in Alaska, as well as in one of those cold rooms, I can confirm that there is nothing fun about it. It only takes thirty seconds to feel your nostrils stick.
Testers can place a vehicle in one of these rooms to simulate a night or even a day sitting idle in frigid temperatures, to evaluate its start in very cold weather. We would have loved to see such a test in action, or to be able to consult the kind of data collected with these tests, but no dice; we have to believe that GM wants to keep some secrets.
Strength and durability
A long building made up of two specially designed bays allows for testing vehicles moving back and forth at different speeds on various types of surfaces, presumable that are reflective of our beautiful Canadian roads. Among the elements looked at are noises from the vehicle body. And since it's often worse in cold weather, it's the perfect place to detect what could be manufacturing defects, for example.
It's also an ideal opportunity to measure the endurance and durability of vehicles.
Charging stations
We made a stop as well at the newest charging facility on site. We were surprised to find there a Level 3 charging station with a capacity of 400 kW. These are not yet “officially” on the market, but they will be soon. The company says that on such a station, an EV can recover 213 km of range in only 10 minutes. At GM’s facility, there are six Level 3 charging stations in all, in addition to 21 Level 2 stations.
Our hosts also showed us the test tracks of the centre. One of these is located on an old airport that has been transformed into a huge ice rink for more dynamic tests. A 3.6-km long circuit equipped with cameras and a Wi-Fi network is also used for cold weather driving simulations.
On that track, we were able to briefly drive the new Cadillac Lyriq, no less. An impressive model in every way. We'll have the opportunity to come back to it.
24/7
And since these tests must take place over a period of three or four months, there are no breaks. The vehicles (between 150 and 250 are tested each year) are tested 24 hours a day, which translates into the equivalent of two years of wear and tear on the road in winter conditions.
It's also worth noting that all General Motors models destined for the North American market must go through Kapuskasing to meet the durability requirements.
And yes, the automaker’s new electric model are subject to the same stringent testing. Of course, specific new parameters are closely monitored in their case, such as the work and efficiency of the heat pump when applicable, as well as the results on range of cold weather.
It would have been interesting to get some figures in regards to the EVs being tested here, but lips stayed tight on this subject during our visit. What we did learn, however, is that the official figures for the electric range of the company's vehicles are indeed calculated in Kapuskasing.
Er did try to pry out more information, but to no avail. We were told only that the company compiled data based on a number of parameters, from the outside temperature, to performance based on the number of systems turned on in the cabin.
The final word
The visit of the centre was certainly interesting, but frankly, we would have liked to leave the place with a little more “hot” info. At the same time, we have to grudgingly admit we understand the secret nature of the data that is collected there.
But it did mean we can't say that we learned anything earth-shattering at GM's cold weather testing facility. Although we did see first-hand how seriously the company prepares its vehicles so they can function properly in crazy-cold Canadian weather.