Automotive

GM reveals underpinnings of electric Hummer and future 400-mile EVs

GM reveals underpinnings of electric Hummer and future 400-mile EVs
General Motors reveals its all-new modular platform and battery system
General Motors reveals its all-new modular platform and battery system
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Mary Barra, General Motors chairman and CEO, talks about GM's electric vehicle plans
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Mary Barra, General Motors chairman and CEO, talks about GM's electric vehicle plans
General Motors reveals its all-new modular platform and battery system
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General Motors reveals its all-new modular platform and battery system
GM says the new platform will support battery capacities between 50- and 200-kWh and all styles of drive layout (RWD, FWD, AWD)
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GM says the new platform will support battery capacities between 50- and 200-kWh and all styles of drive layout (RWD, FWD, AWD)
The next electric vehicle that GM will reveal will be the Cadillac Lyriq SUV
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The next electric vehicle that GM will reveal will be the Cadillac Lyriq SUV
GM teases some of the upcoming vehicles that will be part of its EV family
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GM teases some of the upcoming vehicles that will be part of its EV family
GM's electric platform will underpin the full spectrum of vehicles, from trucks to small commuter cars
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GM's electric platform will underpin the full spectrum of vehicles, from trucks to small commuter cars
This one looks like a coupe-style crossover to go directly after the Ford Mustang Mach-E
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This one looks like a coupe-style crossover to go directly after the Ford Mustang Mach-E
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General Motors is about to get very serious about electric vehicles. It's hosting an EV event this week to preview some of the new electric vehicles it has planned and the technologies making them possible. The all-new modular electric platform and Ultium batteries will spawn a variety of vehicles in the coming years, including the all-electric Hummer redux and a new Cadillac SUV. Those vehicles will start showing their battery-illuminated faces in just a few weeks' time.

"Our team accepted the challenge to transform product development at GM and position our company for an all-electric future," says Mary Barra, GM chairman and CEO. "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."

Mary Barra, General Motors chairman and CEO, talks about GM's electric vehicle plans
Mary Barra, General Motors chairman and CEO, talks about GM's electric vehicle plans

That multipronged strategy all begins with GM's flexible third-generation global EV platform based around proprietary Ultium batteries. Developed in collaboration with LG Chem, the battery cells can stack vertically or horizontally, giving GM full freedom in designing packs around the energy and packaging requirements of individual vehicles. The packs will offer capacities between 50- and 200-kWh, leading to estimated ranges of 400 miles (644 km) or more and 0-60 mph (96.5 km/h) times as low as three seconds. Most EVs will have 400-V battery packs with 200-kW fast-charging capability, while trucks will have 800-V packs with 350-kW fast-charging.

Couple those batteries with modular propulsion, and the new electric architecture will pave the way for a healthy family of SUVs, crossovers, affordable cars, sedans, trucks and commercial vehicles across the GM auto brand portfolio. GM will tailor output and driving capabilities to specific vehicles by configuring the in-house-developed e-motors in front-wheel, rear-wheel, all-wheel and performance all-wheel drives.

This one looks like a coupe-style crossover to go directly after the Ford Mustang Mach-E
This one looks like a coupe-style crossover to go directly after the Ford Mustang Mach-E

If battery and chassis reveals don't spike your blood pressure, the first vehicles of this new Ultium-powered EV era might do a better job piquing your interest. Technically things already got underway in January, when the first Ultium-powered vehicle debuted in the form of the Cruise Origin autonomous pod. April will bring the debut of the Cadillac Lyriq SUV, and the much-anticipated GMC-badged electric Hummer pickup truck will follow on May 20.

GM's first new electric vehicles coming to market will be a new version of the Chevrolet Bolt later this year, followed by a Bolt EUV in mid 2021. The EUV will become the first vehicle outside the Cadillac family to include the Super Cruise hands-free automated driving system, a feature that will extend to 22 vehicles by 2023.

Reports from those attending GM's event this week, such as Car and Driver, reveal other EVs in GM's pipeline include a GMC Hummer SUV with removable hard-top and a flagship Cadillac called the Celestiq.

Source: General Motors

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6 comments
6 comments
dugnology
Can you guys make a thing that looks like a battery pack and two electric motors. Oh, and I'm going to need four wheels too. It's for a display.
myale
So let me check a few things - lithium batteries tends to get very messy when pierced
So this design is taken straight from road cars and placing the battery at the bottom.
4 wheel drives when driven off road tend to take a whole lot of hits to the under gear - at least when I have driven them over rocks
So I am hoping they have one heck of an underguarding on those batteries as one spiky rock in the wrong place and its gonna get hot in them hummers
ChairmanLMAO
They're like, see, we can both live in the future with electric drivetrains and live in the past with hybrid charging systems. The old guard, oil based economy will never die with this kind of attitude.
Eddy
We generally keep our 4X4's many years because the styling does not change much and they are built for a particular job like off roading so we don't have to worry about the new shape of headlights or fins on the latest update. With that in mind I guess we will then have to save our normal instead of reduced fuel bill money for the hefty and no doubt priceless battery replacement.
Tom Brown
Let’s wear lots of leather whilst promoting our eco-friendly upcoming electric vehicles! Sigh.
Paul55
Great news GM join the revolution.. again. No crushing this time.