400-miles range is the near future promise… Targeting competitors offerings available today appears ill-conceived. Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – August 4, 2020 Ultium Batteries and a Global EV platform. With years of tepid EV engineering mass produced products behind it, GM is again focusing its organization towards profitable EV releases within a mid-term strategy to grow the company’s electric vehicle market share. While the Volt achieved some early sales success before its demise and the Bolt is the GM go to for EV media attention, consumer affordability was never achieved. More importantly, Corporate profitability was always a question mark. With the #1 EV maker in the world, Tesla, now showing 4 continuous profitable quarters, almost guaranteed full fiscal year profits, and an eye-opening market cap of $277.60 billion USD revealing it to be the largest auto manufacturer in the world in terms of share value, GM with a market cap of $38.1 billion USD needs to move quickly into the EV space with profitability at the forefront. In other words, $45,000 Sonic chassis-based Bolts are not going to meet financial, sales, or other targets and thus GM is expanding its intermediate term EV lineup in order to meet goals with its own all-new modular EV platform. At the core of GM’s EV strategy is a third-generation modular EV platform powered by proprietary LG “Ultium” batteries. The platform and batteries should allow the company to compete for future Tesla customers although that in and of itself could prove to be a cliff too tough to climb. Considering a majority of Tesla customers are not fond of the General’s over 100-years of anti EV direction, there is no guarantee these customers will ever turn to a GM product to fulfill their personal transportation needs. Ultium Batteries and Propulsion System Highlights GM’s new Ultium batteries are pouch-style cells that can be stacked vertically or horizontally inside the battery pack. Ultium battery storage ranges from 50 to 200 kWh, which could enable a GM-estimated range up to 400 miles or more on a full charge with 0 to 60 mph acceleration as low as 3 seconds. Remember the byline about shooting behind a moving target? 2020 Tesla Model S Available today. The GM Motors will be designed in-house and can be configured as FWD, RWD, or AWD offerings. Most will have 400-volt battery packs and up to 200 kW fast-charging capability while the truck platform will have 800-volt battery packs and 350 kW fast-charging capability. GM’s joint venture with LG Chem has already driven battery cell costs below $100/kWh and future chemistry and manufacturing breakthroughs should drive costs even lower. GM also hopes to spend less to scale its EV business because it is able to leverage existing property, including land, buildings, tools and production equipment such as body shops and paint shops. Most importantly, the EV revolution promises far fewer part counts that are less complex than the vast majority of GM vehicles currently powered by internal combustion engines. GM also stated it is planning on 19 different battery and drive unit configurations compared with the 550 internal combustion powertrain combinations being sold today. Where rubber meets the road, GMs future EV program is being touted as immediately profitable with expected customer demand reaching more than 1 million sales globally by the mid-2020s. An aggressive timeline, an even more aggressive product sales forecast, and all-new first gen profitability promise will be very interesting to watch. Cadillac will be introducing its Lyriq CUV BEV to the public tomorrow. The next new Chevrolet EV will be a new version of the Bolt EV, launching in 2021 as a 2022 model.
GM Boosts Investment, Grows Electric Portfolio GM ups full-charge maximum range of Ultium-based EVs to 450 miles GM revealed that the company will offer 30 all-electric models globally by the mid-2020s accounting for up to 40 percent of the company’s U.S. entries. GM’s financial commitment to EVs will include up to $27 billion through 2025 – up from the $20 billion planned before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra: GM’s plans include the following: By 2025, GM will launch 30 EVs around the world, and more than two-thirds will be available in North America at all price points for work, adventure, performance and family use. Engineering advances have increased the previously stated GM-estimated maximum range of Ultium-based vehicles from 400 to up to 450 miles on a full charge GM’s Ultium platform provides the building blocks for everything, from mass market to high performance vehicles from a single, common cell More than half of GM’s capital spending and product development team will be devoted to EV and EV-AV programs GM’s 2nd gen Ultium chemistry is projected to deliver twice the energy density at less than half the cost of today’s chemistry! GM is currently prototype testing their next-generation cell technology Ultium technology is supported by hundreds of patents and pending patent applications and is expected to bring EVs closer to price parity with gas-powered vehicles The key attribute to the Ultium electrification program is that the traction battery pack costs nearly 40 percent less than those in the Chevrolet Bolt EV which was stated to be $130/kWh back in December of 2016 while paying LG $145/kWh just months prior. In 2017, GM Execs stated that their next batteries currently used in the Bolt would cost less than $100/kWh. Moving to the 1st generation Ultium with an announced 40 percent reduction from current GM pack prices would lead us to believe GM will be manufacturing cells for just $55 to $60/kWh. This 2nd gen Ultium Cell announcement that will be available/used in the mid-2020s will cost approximately $40/kWh to manufacture just eight months after the1st gen technology was first revealed. In addition, the 2nd gen Ultium will have twice the energy density they had previously expected possibly leading to lower mass as well. I said “possibly” as GM did not reveal anything about specific energy density although on the surface, this new 2nd gen announcement appears to offer a reduction in mass. GM could use this development to either increase total pack energy output in the same space and possibly mass – 100 kWh to 150 kWh for example or keep mass down for increased performance. The second-generation cells will allow EV costs to close in on parity with gas-powered engines due to the following: A cell design that enables higher energy density and uses less non-active material, making more room for the part of the battery that produces energy Better integration between vehicles and their packs, enabling fewer cells and modules Less expensive cathodes, reduced active material, novel electrolytes and the first use of lithium metal anodes GM has completed hundreds of test cycles on the multi-layer prototypes of this next-generation Ultium cell chemistry. The Ultium skateboard platform is flexible enough to accept new, future chemistry and cell types. Ultium batteries will be easy to service at the module level, which makes repair costs less expensive than having to replace the whole pack. GMs EV Rollout Sped Up The modular Ultium system, along with engineering advances in battery technology, the use of virtual development tools, will help GM bring EVs to market much faster than originally planned. GMC HUMMER and three other GMC Ultium variants, including an EV pickup Four Chevrolet EVs, including a pickup and compact crossover Four Cadillacs Buick’s EV lineup will include two Ultium-based EVs After the GMC HUMMER EV, the next EV to launch will be the LYRIQ, Cadillac’s first all-electric vehicle, which will arrive in the first quarter of 2022, nine months ahead of schedule. Killer announcement imho. Wayne
Technically, no, it isn't the same company GM didn't throw away all the knowledge they had gained from the EV1. It went into their fuel cell and hybrid programs(there was a EV1 hybrid prototype), and now this.
Hi Edwin: I think this may help explain GMs change of heart. Tesla market cap: $658 billion USD Toyota market cap: $250 billion USD GM market cap: $58.7 billion USD Ford market cap: $35 billion USD Which of these company's do we all wish we invested in 10 years ago? 10+ year - Tesla Stock Price History I was very pleased to hear GM may ben able to reach an economy of scale OEM price of less than $50/kWh. A 100 kWh pack is just $5k at that point, a lot less than the $15,000 like numbers most OEM are having to shell out today for small volume compliance vehicles. Wayne
Hi All: A more concise release although I am still perplexed as to how they are going to sell $120k+ Hummer EVs to anyone? Another typical GM move that will not go over well short intermediate, or longer term. The good news is they are targeting truly affordable pack costs with numbers at less than $50/kWh. That is the real breakthrough and the standardized cell can be packaged in any way GM sees fit to match a given models performance and range needs. In addition, developing the Ultium and second gen Ultium cell chemistry mostly in house. I am not sure where LG Chem fits in as they have invested a small fortune in plants to produce their cells as well? A secondary partner with far fewer GM Cell responsibilities going forward? GM Boosts Investment, Grows Electric Portfolio As posted previously, GM revealed that the company will offer 30 all-electric models globally by the middle of this decade. Forty percent of the company’s U.S. entries will be BEVs by the end of 2025. GM’s financial commitment to EVs and AVs will balloon to to $27 billion through 2025 – up from the $20 billion planned previously. Tesla has scared the hell out of them for sure. GM 5-year EV/AV plan By 2025, GM will launch 30 EVs around the world, and more than two-thirds will be available in North America. Cadillac, GMC, Chevrolet and Buick will all be represented, with EVs at all price points for work, adventure, performance and family use. Engineering advances have increased the previously stated GM-estimated maximum range of Ultium-based vehicles from 400. GM’s second-generation Ultium chemistry is projected to deliver twice the energy density at less than half the cost of today’s chemistry. GM is already prototype testing this next-generation technology, which is expected to be available mid-decade. Ultium technology, supported by hundreds of granted patents and pending patent applications, is expected to bring EVs closer to price parity with gas-powered vehicles. Both the GMC HUMMER EV and Cadillac LYRIQ programs were accelerated, along with other vehicles to be revealed at a later date. GM is hiring 3,000 electrical system, infotainment software and controls engineers, plus developers for Java, Android, iOS and other platforms. GM, in collaboration with its dealers, will leverage its sales and service capabilities and software-powered innovations to deliver an exceptional customer experience for EV loyalists and new EV customers alike. GMs Ultium battery cell represents a milestone achievement in electrification, with battery pack costs nearly 40 percent lower than those in the Chevrolet Bolt EV. Now, just eight months after the technology was first revealed, GM is projecting that second-generation Ultium packs, expected by mid-decade, will cost 60 percent less than the batteries in use today with twice the energy density expected. These second-generation cells will get closer to cost parity with gas-powered engines due to: Cell design that enables higher energy density and uses less non-active material, making more room for the part of the battery that produces energy Manufacturing efficiencies through GM’s Ultium Cells LLC joint venture with LG Chem Better integration between vehicles and their battery packs, enabling fewer cells and modules Less expensive cathodes, reduced active material, novel electrolytes and the first use of lithium metal anodes in a GM battery GM has completed hundreds of test cycles on the multi-layer prototypes of this next-generation Ultium cell chemistry. Production cells are expected by mid-decade. The Ultium platform is flexible enough to accept new chemistry and even cell types, without redesigns to its architecture. Ultium batteries will be easy to service at the module level, which makes repair costs less expensive than having to replace the whole pack. GM is doing most of the development work on these cells internally at its Chemical and Materials Systems Lab, located at the Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan. This facility features a fabrication line with polymer mixing, slurries, a coating machine and a cell assembly room. Next year, GM will break ground on an all-new Battery Innovation Lab and Manufacturing Technology Center to develop the next-generation Ultium battery chemistry. The modular and highly flexible qualities of the Ultium system, along with engineering advances in battery technology, the use of virtual development tools and lessons learned during the HUMMER EV development process <-- Again, who the F cares about the over priced and all but useless Hummer EV platform??? -- have enabled GM to bring EVs to market much faster than originally planned. The 2022 GMC HUMMER EV’s development time of 26 months – down from about 50 months – is now the benchmark. The development schedules for 12 vehicle programs have been moved up, including: After the GMC HUMMER EV, the next EV to launch will be the LYRIQ, Cadillac’s first all-electric vehicle, which will arrive in the first quarter of 2022, nine months ahead of schedule. Wayne
Cells LLC and Li-Cycle Collaborate to Expand Recycling in North America Recycled materials will be fed back into the raw materials market Ultium Cells LLC, the joint venture between gm and LG Energy Solution, announced an agreement today with Li-Cycle to recycle up to 100 percent of the material scrap from battery cell manufacturing. The new recycling process will allow Ultium Cells to recycle battery materials, including cobalt, nickel, lithium, graphite, copper, manganese and aluminum. Ninety-five percent of these materials can be used in the production of new batteries or for adjacent industries. The hydrometallurgical process through which these battery materials will be recycled emits 30 percent less greenhouse gas than traditional processes, helping to minimize environmental impact. Since 2013, GM has recycled or reused 100 percent of the battery packs received from customers, including any packs replaced through warranty service. Most current GM EVs are repaired with refurbished packs. Ultium batteries will feature a modular design, also making them easy to reuse or recycle. Ultium Cells LLC and Li-Cycle will begin the new scrap recycling process later this year.
GM and LG Energy Solution Investing $2.3 Billion in 2nd Ultium Manufacturing Plant Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture of LG Energy Solution and GM, announced a more than $2.3 billion investment to build its second battery cell manufacturing plant in the United States. The facility will be located in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Ultium Cells will build the new plant on land leased from GM while creating 1,300 new jobs. The plant is scheduled to open in late 2023. Once operational, the facility will supply battery cells to GM’s Spring Hill assembly plant. The state-of-the-art Spring Hill plant will use the most advanced and efficient battery cell manufacturing processes. The plant will be extremely flexible and able to adapt to ongoing advances in technology and materials. GM’s proprietary Ultium battery technology is at the heart of the company’s strategy to compete for nearly every EV customer in the marketplace, whether they are looking for affordable transportation, luxury vehicles, work trucks, commercial trucks or high-performance machines. Ultium batteries are unique in the industry because the large-format, pouch-style cells 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 200 kWh, which could enable a GM-estimated range up to 450 miles or more on a full charge with 0-60 mph acceleration in 3 seconds. GM’s future Ultium-powered EVs are designed for Level 2 and DC fast charging. Most will have 400V battery packs and up to 200 kW fast charging capability while GM's truck platform will have 800V battery packs and 350 kW fast charging capability. LG Energy Solution built its first U.S battery plant in Holland, Michigan. Through Ultium Cells, LG Energy Solution and GM will merge their advanced technologies and capabilities to help accelerate automotive electrification. GM has made several announcements in the last 18 months that underscore its commitment to an all-electric, zero-emissions future, including: GM committed more than $27 billion to EV and AV product development, including $7 billion in 2021, and plans to launch 30 EVs globally by the end of 2025, with more than two-thirds available in North America. Cadillac, GMC, Chevrolet and Buick will all be represented, with EVs at all price points for work, adventure, performance and family use In January 2021, GM unveiled BrightDrop, a new business that aims to electrify and improve the delivery of goods and services by offering an ecosystem of electric first-to-last-mile products, software and services to help empower delivery and logistics companies to move goods more efficiently In October 2020, GM announced it would invest $2 billion in its Spring Hill, Tennessee assembly plant to begin the transition to become the company’s third vehicle manufacturing site to produce electric vehicles, joining Factory ZERO in Detroit and Hamtramck, Michigan, and Orion Assembly in Orion Township, Michigan In January 2020, GM announced it was investing more than $2 billion in its Factory ZERO, formerly the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant. Factory ZERO will be GM’s first plant that is 100 percent devoted to electric vehicles. Factory ZERO will also build the Chevrolet Silverado electric pickup truck In 2019, GM announced the formation of Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture with LG Energy Solution, to mass-produce battery cells in Lordstown, Ohio, for future battery-electric vehicles. Construction of the $2.3 billion facility is well underway.
Hi All: GM recently introduced the Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center, an all-new facility that will significantly expand the company's battery technology operations and accelerate development and commercialization of longer range, more affordable EV batteries. The Wallace Center will be located on the campus of GM's Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan. The facility will play a pivotal role in advancing GM’s vision of an all-electric future and help pave the way to widespread adoption of EVs, building on more than a decade of advanced battery development at GM Research and Development. GM will also use the facility to integrate the work of GM-affiliated battery innovators, helping the company to reach its stated goal of at least 60 percent lower battery costs with the next generation of Ultium. The Wallace Center is currently under construction and will be completed in mid-2022. Designed for expansion, the facility is projected to grow up to at least three times its initial footprint, with room for additional investments, as demand for EVs increases. The facility is expected to build its first prototype cells in the fourth quarter of 2022. The Wallace Center will allow GM to accelerate new technologies like lithium-metal, silicon and solid-state batteries, along with production methods that can quickly be deployed at battery cell manufacturing plants, including GM's joint ventures with LG Energy Solution in Lordstown, Ohio, and Spring Hill, Tennessee, and other undisclosed locations in the U.S. The facility will connect GM's network of battery development sites located on its Global Technical Center campus. These sites include GM's Research and Development Chemical and Materials' Subsystems Lab that currently leads the company's battery development, including its pioneering work on lithium-metal anodes, and the Estes Battery Systems Lab, the largest battery validation lab in North America at more than 100,000 square feet. The Estes Lab enables GM to perform major battery durability tests in-house at the cell, module and pack levels. The Wallace Center will be capable of building large-format, prototype lithium-metal battery cells for vehicle usage beyond the small-scale lithium-metal cells typically used in handheld devices or research applications. These cells could be as large as 1,000 mm, nearly twice the size of the initial Ultium pouch cells and will be based on GM’s proprietary formula. Wayne
GM Accelerates its EV Industry Expansion with $7 Billion Investment in Michigan, Creating 4,000 New Jobs and Retaining 1,000 GM announced an investment of more than $7 billion in four Michigan manufacturing sites, creating 4,000 new jobs and retaining 1,000, and significantly increasing battery cell and electric truck manufacturing capacity. This is the single largest investment announcement in GM history. The investment includes construction of a new Ultium Cells battery cell plant in Lansing and the conversion of GM’s assembly plant in Orion Township, Michigan for production of the Chevrolet Silverado EV and the electric GMC Sierra, GM's second assembly plant scheduled to build full-size electric pickups. These investments are the latest step toward accelerating GM's drive to become the EV market leader in North America by 2025. < -- Wishful thinking… The Orion and Ultium Cells Lansing investments announced today will support an increase in total full-size electric truck production capacity to 600,000 trucks when both Factory ZERO and Orion facilities are fully ramped. GM has been the leader in U.S. full-size truck deliveries over the past two years. In addition, the company is investing in its two Lansing-area vehicle assembly plants for near-term product enhancements. As previously announced, GM will continue to strategically manage the conversion of its North American manufacturing footprint through unprecedented speed, flexibility and precision. Through site conversion and new facilities, GM is uniquely positioned to stay ahead of the growing demand for electric vehicles while balancing the need to aggressively compete to win in today’s market with strong products. Today's announcements include investments in the following locations: Orion Assembly for production of Chevrolet Silverado EV and electric GMC Sierra — GM is investing $4 billion to convert the facility to produce electric trucks using the GM-developed Ultium Platform, which gives the company the flexibility to build vehicles for every customer and segment. This investment is expected to create more than 2,350 new jobs at Orion and retain approximately 1,000 current jobs when the plant is fully operational. GM estimates the new jobs at Orion will be filled by a combination of GM transferees and new hires. Electric truck production, including the Chevrolet Silverado EV and electric GMC Sierra, will begin at Orion in 2024. The Orion investment will drive significant facility and capacity expansion at the site, including new body and paint shops and new general assembly and battery pack assembly areas. Production of the Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV will continue during the plant’s conversion. Site work begins immediately. New Ultium Cells battery cell plant at Lansing site — GM and LG Energy Solution, via their Ultium Cells joint venture, are investing $2.6 billion to build Ultium Cells' third U.S. battery cell manufacturing plant. This investment is expected to create more than 1,700 new Ultium Cells jobs when the plant is fully operational. Site preparations will begin this summer and battery cell production is scheduled to begin in late 2024. Ultium Cells Lansing will supply battery cells to Orion Assembly and other GM assembly plants. Orion Assembly will become GM's third U.S. assembly plant being transformed for production of Ultium-powered EVs. GM assembly plants in North America currently building, or being converted to build EVs, include Factory ZERO in Detroit and Hamtramck, Michigan; Spring Hill Assembly in Spring Hill, Tennessee; CAMI in Ingersoll, Ontario and Ramos Arizpe Assembly in Mexico. By the end of 2025, GM will have more than 1 million units of electric vehicle capacity in North America to respond to growing electric vehicle demand. The Ultium Cells Lansing site represents GM's third Ultium Cells battery cell manufacturing site in the U.S., following two Ultium Cells battery cell manufacturing plants being constructed in Ohio and Tennessee. In addition to the EV-related investments in Michigan, GM is investing more than $510 million in its two Lansing-area vehicle assembly plants to upgrade their production capabilities for near-term products: Lansing Delta Township Assembly — Investment is for production of the next-generation Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave. Lansing Grand River Assembly — Investment is for plant upgrades. Vertically integrating battery assembly and converting existing assembly plants are at the core of GM’s strategy for scaling EV production in North America. GM projects it will convert 50 percent of its North American assembly capacity to EV production by 2030. In addition to strategically adding battery cell and electric vehicle assembly capacity, GM is working to build a new supply chain via strategic supplier agreements for batteries and EV components, one that is expected to be scalable, more resilient, more sustainable, and more North American-focused. These strategic supplier agreements include: MP Materials to scale rare earth magnet sourcing and production in the U.S. VAC to build a new magnet factory in the U.S. to support EV growth. POSCO to build a new North America plant to process Cathode Active Material. GE Renewable Energy to serve as a source of rare earth and other materials. Wolfspeed to develop and provide silicon carbide power device solutions. Controlled Thermal Resources to develop a source of U.S.-based lithium through a closed-loop process with lower carbon emissions when compared to traditional processes. For a company that has shown mediocre performance with every electrified launch from the EV1 to the Bolt, these investments are huge gambles that will have to be made. Let us hope for there sake it works out as competitors are building or planning to build BEVs of every size and shape. Tesla, Ford, Rivian, Volvo’s Poelstar, and Lucid are already doing that today. Wayne
Ultium Energy Recovery Can Help GM EVs Charge and Accelerate Faster and Drive Farther GM developed a patented heat pump that recovers energy from the battery to power heating and propulsion while also helping to conserve range 2024 Chevroelt Silverdo EV GM announced a feature standard in its Ultium-based EVs that captures and repurposes waste energy from the battery. Through the Ultium Platform’s energy recovery system, this waste energy can increase a vehicle’s range, reduce battery energy needed for heating, increase charging speed and even enable sportier driving. EV batteries, power electronics and other propulsion components produce heat. The Ultium Platform can recover and store this waste heat from the Ultium propulsion system. Further, it can also capture and use humidity from both inside and outside the vehicle, including body heat from passengers. The Ultium Platform can then deploy energy stored through the recovery process to heat the cabin more quickly in cold weather than comparable systems found in vehicles with an internal combustion engine. Ultium’s energy recovery capabilities reduce the need to power heating and other functions from energy stored in the battery, which provides GM’s EVs with as much as 10% more range1, potentially allowing more power and range than vehicles with similarly sized batteries without energy recovery capabilities. With its active heating capabilities, Ultium vehicles can also potentially charge more efficiently by warming up the batteries before charging2. Ultium’s energy recovery even enables GMC HUMMER EV’s available Watts to Freedom feature. Energy recovery precools the propulsion system to help the all-electric supertruck accelerate from 0-60 mph in approximately 3 seconds3. Covered by 11 patents and four publications, the development of Ultium energy recovery traces its inception back to GM’s first EV, the EV1, in the late 1990s, when GM engineers first developed an EV heat pump. Ultium energy recovery is available on all current Ultium vehicles and planned for future Ultium vehicles.
