GM announces new power source for electric vehicles

MANILA: General Motors (GM) is investing heavily in electric vehicles with a modular propulsion system and a highly flexible, third-generation global EV platform powered by proprietary Ultium batteries.

“Our team accepted the challenge to transform product development at GM and position our company for an all-electric future. What we have done is build a multi-brand, multi-segment EV strategy with economies of scale that rival our full-size truck business with much less complexity and even more flexibility,” said GM chairman and CEO Mary Barra.

The new Ultium batteries use large-format, pouch-style cells that can be stacked vertically or horizontally inside the battery pack. This allows engineers to optimize battery energy storage and layout for each vehicle design. Energy options range from 50 to 200kWh, which could enable a GM-estimated range up to 400 miles or more on a full charge with zero-to-60mph acceleration in as little as three seconds. Motors designed in-house will support front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, and performance all-wheel drive applications. These batteries are designed for Level 2 and DC fast charging. Most will have 400-volt battery packs and up to 200 kW fast-charging capability while our truck platform will have 800-volt battery packs and 350 kW fast-charging capability.

GM’s third-generation global EV platform is flexible enough to build a wide range of trucks, SUVs, crossovers, cars, and commercial vehicles with outstanding design, performance, packaging, range and affordability. The vehicle and propulsion systems were designed together to minimize complexity and part counts beyond today’s EVs, which are less complex than conventional vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. For example, GM plans 19 different battery and drive unit configurations initially, compared with 550 internal combustion powertrain combinations available today.

“Thousands of GM scientists, engineers and designers are working to execute a historic reinvention of the company. They are on the cusp of delivering a profitable EV business that can satisfy millions of customers,” said GM president Mark Reuss.