A brief discussion on Geely SEA architecture

It is undeniable that the importance of a car-making platform to a car is akin to that of reinforced concrete to a skyscraper. Currently, the trend towards platformization is very evident, with car-making platforms almost determining the "foundation" of the car. As long as they have the capability, car companies will develop their own platforms. However, creating a car-making platform is a grand system engineering project and not something that can be accomplished simply because one wants to. For example, Volkswagen's MEB platform has been in operation for four or five years, but models have only begun to appear and diversify in the past two years. Therefore, developing a car-making platform is a long-term, complex, and costly endeavor, and car companies that can build platforms have significant expertise in this area.

On September 23, 2020, Geely Group unveiled the SEA vast architecture, which made a significant impact on the industry.

Firstly, the SEA vast architecture is Geely Auto’s first dedicated electric platform. However, it is not merely a car-making platform but a highly original, full-ecological architecture encompassing the hardware layer, system layer, and ecological layer. Secondly, many features of the SEA vast architecture are advanced and powerful.
 

Today, let's analyze whether the SEA vast architecture is truly as vast as its name suggests. Geely invested 18 billion yuan into the SEA architecture, and after four years of research and development, it has finally taken shape. Technically, this SEA architecture boasts outstanding innovations in space, three-electric systems (battery, motor, and controller), intelligence, autonomous driving, safety, and performance. In terms of space, Geely's SEA architecture offers the world’s largest bandwidth, enabling a wheelbase ranging from 1800mm to 3300mm. It can accommodate A-class to E-class vehicles, including sedans, SUVs, MPVs, sports cars, pickups, and other models. For the same body size, the SEA architecture can provide more interior space.
 

In terms of the three-electric system, Geely's SEA architecture redefines the concept by evolving from the traditional three-electric components of battery, motor, and electronic control into a new three-electric framework of electric drive, electric management, and electric ecology. Notably, the SEA architecture boasts a remarkable feature: it ensures no attenuation over 200,000 kilometers under NEDC conditions, with the power battery's lifespan extending up to 2 million kilometers. This effectively eliminates concerns about power battery degradation. Furthermore, this advanced three-electric system supports enhanced output, longer battery life, and faster charging rates. For instance, the NEDC range of the 110kWh module-free CTP integrated battery pack exceeds 700 kilometers, and a single motor can achieve a maximum power output of 475kW. With a two-speed electric drive gearbox, the maximum wheel-end torque can reach 8000N·m, and the 800V system supported by the SEA architecture allows for a performance of 120 kilometers of battery life after just five minutes of charging.
 

In terms of intelligence, Geely's SEA architecture incorporates the SEA OS vehicle intelligent development system. This system offers a comprehensive suite of application scenarios from hardware to software and cloud integration. It enables not only the development of the car’s own system but also the creation of a complete set of intelligent car systems with cloud support. This makes it one of the world's most efficient intelligent electric vehicle solutions. Utilizing the SEA vast architecture can cut software development time by more than half and facilitate full-scene and full-life cycle FOTA (Firmware Over-The-Air updates).
 

Regarding autonomous driving, the SEA architecture fully supports this technology. It follows a progressive technical route from advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to highly automated driving and ultimately to fully autonomous driving. Vehicles based on the SEA architecture are designed to achieve full automation. This process unfolds in three stages: first, highly automated driving on structured roads will be achieved by 2021; second, highly automated driving on open roads will be accomplished before 2023; and finally, fully autonomous driving on open roads will be realized before 2025.
 

In terms of safety, Geely's SEA architecture addresses four dimensions: life domain, health domain, property domain, and privacy domain, encompassing a total of nine systems to ensure comprehensive safety. This means that safety in the SEA architecture extends beyond traditional active and passive safety measures to include considerations for user health, property, and privacy. Additionally, there is no compromise in automated driving. The automated driving function module, built with dual redundancy standards, meets the highest international safety level certifications. The battery pack and module cell undergo over 200 safety tests, including side column collision tests that exceed international standards.
 

Regarding performance, Geely's SEA architecture features a chassis layout centered around the battery, resulting in a low center of gravity and a balanced 50:50 front and rear weight distribution. It can be equipped with a high-performance electric four-wheel-drive system, with power distribution reaching millisecond levels. The dual-motor four-wheel-drive system can achieve a maximum output of 600kW and accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in under 3 seconds, meeting the performance needs of most users. The SEA architecture's data is impressive, and its potential is substantial.
 

For instance, Geely's SEA architecture supports the development of vehicles from A-class to E-class, whereas Volkswagen's MEB can only support A-class to D-class vehicles. This indicates the SEA architecture's superior adaptability. Furthermore, the power battery's no-attenuation performance over 200,000 kilometers and its life guarantee of 2 million kilometers represent the current top level. The SEA architecture's openness to partners is also a notable advantage. However, while these features are promising, the true test will be how well the system performs in practice. The final product is the ultimate measure of the platform's effectiveness.
 

Given the limited number of models based on the SEA architecture available so far, it is difficult to make a definitive judgment about its performance. The true strength of the platform will be reflected in the quality and success of the models it supports.