The Ultimate Ultium! General Motors Fast Tracks the EV Era With Its Versatile Ultium Platform for All Electric Vehicles!

2023-10-23

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General Motors showcased its technological leadership and vision of future mobility at the 2023 Daegu International Future Auto & Mobility Expo (DIFA), which ran from Oct. 19-21. The automaker outlined its roadmap to realize its triple zero vision (zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion) for the future of mobility. It underscored GM’s technological leadership that transcends physical boundaries into the realm of virtual engineering.

DIFA is an industry exhibition focused on future mobility, including eco-friendly vehicles, autonomous driving, Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and future automotive components. GM's participation was focused on the GM Engineering Center in Korea under the theme of “Virtual Engineering Future Forward!” At the exhibition, GM highlighted its virtual EV engineering technology and future electric vehicles built on the Ultium platform that are set for release in Korea. It informed visitors about GM's direction and vision for shaping the future of mobility.

GM also participated in the 2023 Korea International Future Auto & Mobility Forum jointly hosted by the City of Daegu; the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. GM Engineering Center in Korea President Brian McMurray and Director Yeong-woo Yoo, and GM International Engineering Technical Leader Andy Oury shared their insights on GM's all-electric strategy for the future mobility era and the technical features of the Ultium EV platform.

“There is a need for a transportation revolution,” said Brian McMurray. “While much of the world still depends on vehicles powered by petroleum, we’re starting to see a shift propelled by new technologies, the evolving demands of our customers’ lives and government policies. Our current strategy involves phasing out cars and trucks with traditional internal combustion engines and selling only vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions in the near future.

“Many consumers are concerned about the availability of charging points, EV range and length of charge, and safety. The Ultium battery pack can provide up to 720 km of range on a single charge, with production cost of under US$100 per kWh.”

Subsequently, with the company’s central focus on Ultium, Yoo and Oury explained GM's strategy for electric vehicle development, technical features and forthcoming initiatives.

"GM's Ultium architecture, a foundational platform for realizing GM's fully electric future, stands out for its exceptional energy efficiency thanks to its ingenious design,” said Yeong-woo Yoo. “Its innovative layout accommodates diverse vehicle drive configurations, including front-wheel, rear-wheel and all-wheel drive. It offers unparalleled flexibility and the Ultium platform's battery cells offer a unique advantage in optimizing space within the battery pack, allowing for versatile arrangements horizontally or vertically.

"GM's technological advancements enabled by the Ultium platform have resulted in outstanding spatial and electrical efficiencies. These innovations serve as the cornerstone for crafting vehicles that are precisely customized to meet customer demands. Furthermore, the Ultium platform isn't just an added component in the vehicle; it's seamlessly integrated with the vehicle's structure, contributing to its overall structure."

Andy Oury added, “We engineered the platform with GM’s global team, so it has global appeal. Ultium’s flexibility will allow it to power electric vehicles across a wide range of segments, from performance vehicles to trucks and midsize SUVs.

“GM holds more than 2,000 patents on EV battery and cell technology. We will continue to enhance our modules and battery packs, swiftly and extensively integrating them into all-electric vehicle models. The versatile and modular Ultium platform will be a pivotal driver in the era of electric vehicle proliferation led by GM.

“Korea is both an important market and a hub of innovation,” Oury continued, “as many of our partners on this journey are based here. As a result, Korean engineers are playing a vital role in shaping GM's electrification strategy.”

GM introduced the Cadillac LYRIQ, GMC HUMMER EV, Chevrolet Blazer EV and Silverado EV, and BrightDrop's ZEVO 600, all built on the innovative Ultium platform. Looking ahead, the automaker committed to launching EVs tailored for diverse price points and purposes worldwide. They include the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Cadillac Escalade IQ and CELESTIQ, and GMC Sierra EV. The company said this strategic approach will enable it to establish a comprehensive electric vehicle portfolio, fast-tracking its transformation from a traditional automaker to a platform innovator.

Korea has GM's second-largest engineering center in the world. Equipped with facilities capable of complete vehicle development, from initial design to final vehicle verification and production technology, the GM Engineering Center in Korea is playing a crucial role in global engineering to support GM's all-electric future and lead the development of future mobility technologies.

ABOUT GENERAL MOTORS

General Motors is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which powers everything from mass-market to high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at www.gm.com.

GM operates production and sales operations and an engineering center in Korea, which were established in 2002 and 2019, respectively. GM’s Korean Operations have about 12,000 employees. In 2022, GM’s Korean Operations sold 37,237 units in Korea and exported 227,638 finished vehicles around the world.

CONTACTS

General Motors Media Communications

Byeongsoo Kim byeongsoo.kim@gm.com (010-3283-8617)

Seungyoon Ryu seungyoon.ryu@gm.com (010-5428-8493)

Sooyoung Kim  sooyoung.kim@gm.com (010-5138-8535)

NPR Intercommunications

Youngseok Park yspark@nprcom.co.kr (010-8510-1206)

Eunseok Jang     esjang@nprcom.co.kr (010-9687-9105)

Jongseok Kim    jskim@nprcom.co.kr (010-3927-1021)

WEBSITE

https://media.gm.com/media/kr/ko/chevrolet/home.html