General Motors engineers report EV driving lessons after 5,000-mile roadtrip.

General Motors engineers drove two pre-production EVs 5,000 miles to gather real-world data and traced a slow public fast-charger to a software typo that the operator fixed.

A team from General Motors completed a 5,000-mile road trip in two pre-production electric vehicles to collect real-world performance data. The trip tested hands-free driver assistance, EV charging behavior, and range prediction while towing. Engineers used advanced monitoring gear to observe interactions with charging infrastructure and vehicle systems. The work was framed as part of efforts to better understand real-world use and to identify issues that affect EV performance. Key findings: - The team drove a Cadillac OPTIQ luxury crossover and a GMC Sierra EV pickup in pre-production form during the 5,000-mile trip. - Three GM engineers gathered data on hands-free driver assistance (including Super Cruise behavior), EV charging, and real-time range prediction while towing a trailer. - Advanced monitoring equipment helped the team identify slow performance at a public fast-charging station. - The slow charger was reported as being slowed by a software typo in the charger’s code, and the charger operator fixed the issue after being contacted. - The article notes the U.S. Department of Energy’s view that EV driving can reduce fuel costs while initial vehicle costs may be higher. - The article mentions state incentives such as New Mexico’s $3,000 tax credit, and refers to providers named Qmerit (for Level 2 home charging estimates) and TCD’s Solar Explorer (noting potential savings cited in that resource). Summary: The road trip produced actionable data that led to a specific charger software fix and provided broader observations about driver assistance, charging, and range prediction under towing conditions. Wider implications for vehicle performance and infrastructure are undetermined at this time.