US automaker General Motors is evaluating the use of cylindrical batteries over the pouch batteries in its electric vehicles (EVs), according to a news report published by the Korean publication THE ELEC on 25 January 2023. The report cited anonymous sources aware of the new developments at GM. It added that GM’s new battery plans has brought about talks with LG Energy Solution (LGES) over the planned construction of the fourth battery plant by Ultium Cells, a JV between GM and LGES, to be ...

US automaker General Motors Company plans to invest USD918 million in four of its US-based manufacturing facilities, including USD854 million to prepare these facilities to produce its sixth-generation small block V-8 engine and an additional USD64 million in Rochester, New York, and Defiance, Ohio for castings and components to support electric vehicle (EV) production, the company announced on 20 January 2023. According to the company, with the fresh plant investment, GM’s cumulative manuf...

Altia has announced that General Motors has extended its partnership with the company under which the automaker will continue to leverage Altia’s human-machine interface (HMI) solutions for model year (MY) 2024 Chevy Silverado electric vehicle (EV), according to an official announcement on 28 November. “Altia is proud of our partnership with GM’s Design Team—and we’re excited to be a part of their evolution toward an all-electric fleet. General Motors is leveraging Altia�...

The US Department of Energy (DoE), through its Loan Programs Office (LPO), has loaned USD2.5 billion to Ultium Cells LLC to finance the company in constructing new lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facilities in Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan, DoE said on 12 December 2022. Ultium Cells, a joint venture between US carmaker General Motors and South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution, plans to expand electric vehicle (EV) battery production capacity to address the growth in demand amid ...

Leading electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator and smart charging solutions provider FLO announced on 7 December 2022 that the company has been selected by General Motors (GM) to supply Level 2 EV chargers for GM’s Dealer Community Charging Program. Under this program, FLO will install up to 40,000 public Level 2 EV chargers in local communities across North America, the company said, adding that the project is the single largest deployment of EV chargers across North Ame...

Ultium Cells LLC, the battery cell manufacturing joint venture (JV) of LG Energy Solution and General Motors (GM), plans to invest an additional USD275 million in its Ultium Cells Spring Hill plant in the United States to further expand the production output by more than 40%, the company announced on 2 December 2022. The planned capacity expansion will increase the plant’s current capacity from 35 gigawatt-hours (GWh) to 50 GWh once the facility becomes fully operational. The newl...

US carmaker General Motors Company estimates that its growing electric vehicle (EV) portfolio will become profitable in 2025 in North America as it will scale up its EV capacity in the region to more than 1 million units per annum, the company announced on 17 November 2022, on the sidelines of an investor meet in New York. GM said it plans to expand EV production capacity along with ramping up its software revenue opportunities while generating significant greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits and re...

General Motors (GM) plans to introduce its first Ultium-based electric vehicle (EV) in China under Buick brand later this year, according to a media note released by the carmaker on 23 November 2022. It added that the deliveries of the five-seat electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) developed on GM’s Ultium platform is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2023. The carmaker plans to launch its second Ultium-powered EV in the world’s largest EV market in 2023. “With the highly flexi...

General Motors has announced plans to roll out more than 15 Ultium-based models in mainland China by 2025 and added that it would focus on developing intelligent and connected electric vehicles, in a press release dated 22 November. “GM is accelerating the introduction of Ultium-empowered EVs in China to support the market’s move toward an all-electric future. Through global collaboration and local integration, we are unlocking a transformative experience with real-world benefits for our ...

US carmaker General Motors and Vale Canada Limited, a subsidiary of Vale S.A. announced on 17 November 2022 that the two companies have signed a term sheet for long-term supply of battery grade nickel sulfate from Vale's proposed plant at Bécancour, Québec, Canada. According to the official note from the carmaker, under the terms of the agreement, Vale will supply battery grade nickel sulfate, equivalent to 25,000 metric tons per year of contained nickel. The critical material will be used ...

Detroit-based automotive supplier American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) plans to supply axles to General Motors for the carmaker’s next generation midsize pickup trucks, AAM announced on 4 November 2022. The new GM pickup trucks with AAM axles are expected to debut for model year 2023. "AAM is pleased to expand our partnership with GM as the new supplier of axles for GM's next generation mid-size pickup trucks. We look forward to providing our latest and most efficient driveline techno...

Buick has launched all new model year (MY) 2023 Century MPV with improved and intuitive in-vehicle features, the automaker said in a press release on 3 November. Cesar Toledo, general director of Buick Sales and Marketing at SAIC-GM, said, “Buick is the pioneer and ongoing leader in the luxury MPV segment in China. Our successful GL8 family has continued to raise the bar over the years.” Significance: The MY 2023 Century features in-vehicle partition wall with an integrated 32” slidi...

US carmaker General Motors (GM) and battery maker Microvast plan to work together to develop specialized electric vehicle (EV) battery separator technology and build a new separator plant in the US, according to an announcement by GM on 2 November 2022. According to GM, the planned battery separator plant is expected to create hundreds of new jobs in the US. The two companies also announced that the project will be supported by a USD200 million grant from the US Department of Energy's (DoE) B...

Gentherm has announced via a press release on 18 October that it supplied its in-cabin ClimateSense technology for Cadillac’s all-new Celestiq. Phil Eyler, Gentherm’s president and CEO, said, “We are honored that the Cadillac Celestiq will feature the industry’s first deployment of our ClimateSense system that offers advanced cabin climate technologies, electronics, and software algorithms that help deliver luxurious, efficient, and personalized comfort for every occupant. The Climate...

Cadillac has announced that its CELESTIQ sedan will feature a pillar-to-pillar, 55-inch-diagonal advanced HD display, in a press release dated 17 October. At the driver’s side, the display’s pixel density is comparable to an 8K screen. It shows the driver and shared vehicle information, while the passenger side allows the occupants to play media, use the internet capability, connect their smartphones, among others. Digital Blinds Active Privacy technology used in the car separates the dri...

General Motors’ Cadillac has launched its flagship all-electric Celestiq model highlighting modular interior and interactive lighting features, the automaker said in a press release on 17 October. Tristan Murphy, interior design manager, Celestiq, said, “The interior is defined by long uninterrupted surfaces and theme lines; the sense of movement is all around you. With such a clean design, it allowed the details to shine, emphasizing precision in even the smallest of areas, truly highlig...

Biotechnology startup MycoWorks has announced that it received an investment from General Motors’ investment arm GM Ventures, it said in a press release on 18 October. Wade Sheffer, managing director of GM Ventures, said, “Our strategic investment in MycoWorks aims to advance the development of sustainable automotive materials. This collaboration will help facilitate research and development (R&D) efforts and build more sustainable alternatives for our designers.” According to pr...

Detroit automaker General Motors (GM) announced via press release on 11 October that it had entered into a USD69 million investment and battery materials offtake agreement with Australian mining and refining company Queensland Pacific Metals (QPR). According to the press release, GM will purchase nickel and cobalt products processed from QPR’s Townsville Energy Chemicals Hub (TECH) project in Northern Australia. The TECH project will refine high-grade nickel laterite ore sourced from New Ca...

Japanese carmaker Honda revealed the first look of the exterior and interior styling of its all-electric Prologue battery-electric vehicle (BEV), which is slated for commercial launch in the North American markets in 2024, the company said on 6 October 2022. The electric SUV is the first EV that Honda has developed using General Motors’ (GM's) Ultium platform, which includes powertrain and the battery architecture developed by the largest US automaker. This also means that the Honda Prologue w...

US automaker General Motors plans to ramp up the production volumes of its electric cars, including the Chevrolet Bolt EV and other models, according to a news report published by Reuters on 3 October 2022. The news report cited GM as the original source of the information. The Detroit-based carmaker plans to boost the production of Bolt EVs for global markets to more than 70,000 units in 2023 from about 44,000 units in 2022, the report said, citing a note issued by GM on Monday. In 2021, the...

US carmaker General Motors (GM) and OneD Battery Sciences plan to collaborate on a joint research development agreement focused on the potential use of OneD’s silicon nanotechnology in GM’s Ultium battery cells to drive significant increases in energy density for longer range and reduced cost, according to a media note issued by OneD Battery Sciences on 29 September 2022. The collaboration comes on the back of the carmaker’s venture capital arm GM Ventures participating in the battery t...

General Motors (GM) plans to invest USD760 million at its Toledo, Ohio propulsion manufacturing operations to prepare the plant for production of electric vehicle (EV) drive units, the company announced on 23 September 2022. The American carmaker said that the drive units produced at its Ohio Propulsion Plant will be used in future Ultium platform-based battery electric trucks, including the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV and GMC Hummer EVs. Notably, the Toledo Propulsion Systems will ...

Detroit automaker General Motors (GM) announced via a press release on 22 September that its investment arm GM Ventures had invested in Canadian recycling startup Lithion’s Series A funding round to support a future circular battery ecosystem partnership between the two companies. According to the press release, the two companies plan to: Validate Lithion’s recycling technology by testing the application of the recycled battery materials in new cell production Discuss the potentia...

Ushr has announced via press release on 13 September that it expanded its HD map database for General Motors to cover for Super Cruise hands-free automated driving assisted system. Chris Thibodeau, CEO of Ushr, said, “When ADAS is done right, it’s safe for everyone on the road. For many drivers, this is their introduction to hands-free driving and it’s important to present it to the public in a deliberate way. The industry needs to get it right.” Significance: The HD mapping compan...

It has been almost a month since the Democrats in the US Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA 2022), which became legislation on 16 August 2022 after the US President Joe Biden signed the act. While carmakers and their suppliers across the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain have been scrambling to decode the new mandates, auto industry lobbies from Europe, South Korea, and Japan have already expressed deep concerns about the ability of global carmakers to meet the requi...

Chevrolet has unveiled a new sport utility vehicle (SUV) named Seeker in mainland China with multiple connected features, it said in a press release on 19 September. The Seeker comes standard with the all-new Xiaoxue operation system (OS) and OnStar connectivity system. It supports remote over-the-air (OTA) updates. It features Baidu smart online navigation system, wireless Apple CarPlay, as well as multiple apps, such as iQIYI, KuWo Music, and Ximalaya Kids. Significance: The Seeker is SA...

Chevrolet has unveiled model year (MY) 2024 all-electric Equinox (EV) SUV with enhanced interior and lighting features, according to a press release published by Chevrolet on 8 September. Mary Barra, Chair and CEO of General Motors, said, “We are at a turning point where EVs will be the mainstream choice for the next generation of customers and Equinox EV will lead this charge for us. With the flexibility of GM’s Ultium Platform, we are bringing to market vehicles at nearly every price po...

Detroit automaker General Motors announced via press release on 15 September that it will be investing USD491 million in its metal stamping plant in Marion, Indiana, to install new equipment necessary for the production of electric vehicle (EV) body panels. According to the press release, the investment will be used to install two new press lines, to install new press and die upgrades, to renovate the plant, and to construct a 6,000-square-foot addition at the plant. Steel and aluminum stampe...

Chevrolet has unveiled Monza sedan in mainland China with upgraded connectivity, a company press release on 13 September. The vehicle features a floating dual 10.25-inch layered screen, a full-color LCD instrument panel which is on the left side with intelligent driving information. The screen on the right is tilted 9 degrees toward the driver's side. The Monza comes standard with rear air vents and a rear center headrest. Significance: The new model features fifty-three practical configurati...

General Motors has revealed its all-new 2024 Equinox electric vehicle (EV) on 8 September 2022. The electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) will be positioned as an affordable EV developed to help in the mass adoption of EVs across the US, the company said in its statement Thursday. GM has unveiled the 2024 Equinox EV shortly after introducing the Chevrolet Silverado EV and Blazer EV models earlier this year. The EV will be offered in five variants with a starting price tag of around USD30,000 (...

Chevrolet will recall over 120,000 model year (MY) 2013–15 Spark and Spark EV hatchbacks due to faulty hoods, Consumer Reports reported on 31 August. The hoods could open while the car is in motion, obstructing the driver’s view. The report states that Chevrolet is aware of 276 instances of the hood latch failing, including 22 crashes and one minor injury. Significance: The secondary hood latch may corrode prematurely and not engage. Incase of failure, the hood could open and block the dr...

Ultium Cells, the battery joint venture (JV) between US vehicle manufacturer General Motors (GM) and South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution (LGES), has started the production of battery cells at its Ohio, US plant, it said on 31 August 2022. The company said that as it continues to ramp up production volumes, it is focusing on providing training to the manpower at the plant, which is expected to create 1,300 new high-tech jobs at peak capacity. The Ultium Cells Ohio plant is ...

South Korean chemical company POSCO announced via press release on 28 July that it had signed a USD10-billion deal for the supply of battery cathode material with US automaker General Motors (GM). According to the press release, POSCO will supply high-nickel cathode active material from its Gwangyang facility in South Korea to GM’s battery cell plants (operated as a joint venture with LG Energy) in Warren, Ohio, Spring Hill, Tennessee, and Lansing, Michigan between 2023 and 2025. Signifi...

Buick has announced the launch of its new Envista SUV with latest Buick eConnect system, featuring an enhanced user interface design, voice recognition, smart navigation, and multimedia application, according to a company press release on 26 August. The vehicle features an integrated dual 10.25-inch HD touchscreen, an optimized UI design with customized card-style interface, an all-new Baidu intelligent voice command system supporting voice interruption and multi-round interaction, multimedia...

Cadillac has introduced its enhanced Super Cruise driver assistance technology on the CT5 sedan in mainland China, it said in a press release on 5 August. The enhanced Super Cruise system includes lane change on demand and automatic lane changing. The service can be used on over 320,000 km of expressways and nearly all urban elevated roads connected to expressways in the country. The enhanced Super Cruise system offers better driver monitoring. It tracks the driver’s vision and issues signa...

The EV battery joint venture of General Motors and the South Korea’s LG Energy Solution (LGES) is evaluating a potential site in Indiana, US to build the fourth battery manufacturing facility, a Reuters news report published on 18 August 2022 said, citing a spokeswoman from Ultium Cells LLC. “Ultium Cells is developing a competitive business case for a potential large investment that could be located in New Carlisle, Indiana," the news report said, quoting the spokeswoman. It also added t...

General Motors (GM) is set to recall more than 484,000 SUVs in the US over an issue, which could cause the third-row seat belts to malfunction, CBS News reported on 16 August. Models affected include MY 2021 and MY 2022 Chevrolet Suburbans and Tahoes, Cadillac Escalades, and GMC Yukons. Owners will be notified from 26 September. The automaker has said that it is not aware of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem. Significance: If required, dealers will replace buckle assemblies a...

Inrix has announced that cloud-based road safety application developed in partnership with General Motors (GM) is now available, according to a 2 August press release. Safety View by GM Future Roads & INRIX is a cloud-based application featuring critical insights using crash, vehicle, vulnerable road user (VRU), and US Census data. Significance: The partnership was first announced in May. The key benefits of Safety View include access to critical safety and demographic datasets in on...

Cadillac unveiled the CELESTIQ show car with a 55-inch-diagonal advanced LED display, in a company press release on 22 July. It also features a variable-transmission Smart Glass Roof and Ultra Cruise hands-free driver assistance technology. The 55-inch-diagonal advanced LED display features electronic digital blinds, an active privacy technology, which allows passengers to watch videos privately, without distracting the driver. Significance: The smart glass roof comes with suspended particle ...

LG Electronics and LG Energy Solutions (LGES) reached a final agreement on Monday to equally split the global recall–related costs of the General Motors’ Chevrolet Bolt EV, a report filed by ET Auto said on 25 July 2022, citing the regulatory filing by the South Korean companies at the Korea Stock Exchange headquarters. Citing the agreement between LG Electronics and General Motors, the report said that the share ratio is calculated according to the results of a review and analysis by a n...

US automaker General Motors (GM) announced via press release on 26 July that it had signed a binding agreement with Korean battery materials manufacturer LG Chem for the supply of cathode active material (CAM) necessary for the manufacturing of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. According to the agreement, LG Chem will supply more than 950,000 tons of CAM to GM from the second half of 2022 through 2030 The amount of CAM supplied will be sufficient for the manufacturing of 5 million GM E...

US automaker General Motors (GM) announced via press release on 26 July that it had entered into a long-term sourcing agreement for battery-grade lithium hydroxide with American chemical manufacturing company Livent. According to the agreement: Livent will supply GM with lithium hydroxide manufactured at its US facilities over a six-year duration from 2025 to 2030 100% of the lithium hydroxide supplied will be used in GM’s North American electric vehicle (EV) fleet equipped with Ult...

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened five investigations into more than 1.8 million vehicles manufactured by Stellantis, Ford Motor, and General Motors over stalling and other issues, Reuters reported on 26 July. The auto safety agency is investigating more than 21,000 model year (MY) 2019–21 Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid vehicles over allegations of incidents of loss of power potentially due to transmission malfunction. The NHTSA is probing into 1.34 mil...

General Motor’s (GM's) Cadillac has revealed interior details of its all-electric flagship CELESTIQ concept car, the automaker announced in a press release on 22 July. Laetitia Lopez, creative designer, Cadillac Color and Trim, said, “We’ve combined the beauty of function with the beauty of form. We had to reconsider all aspects to immerse the customer, all of their senses, and create a connection with the vehicle through the finest genuine materials, exceptional detailing, and advanced...

General Motors (GM) has announced that OnStar will feature a simpler design while expanding its safety services to motorcycle riders and into homes through Amazon Alexa integration, the company said in a press release on 21 July. “OnStar’s new identity and logo kicks off a new era for the brand and how we are innovating to make our promise of safety and security available to more people. These latest expansions, as well as our work with the public safety community to advance new tech...

General Motors (GM) and Pilot Company, one of the leading suppliers of fuel and travel operator in the United States, plan to collaborate on a national DC fast charging network that will be installed, operated, and maintained by EVgo through its eXtend offering, GM announced on 14 July 2022. The project is aimed at accelerating the widespread adoption of EVs, enabling long-distance driving across the US. The two companies plan to set up a network of 2,000 EV charging stations, co-branded ‘P...

General Motors will shut down its Factory Zero in Detroit for four weeks, starting 27 June, as it plans to expand the capacity to produce more battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), a report published by news publication The Detroit Bureau on 23 June 2022 said. GM’s Factory Zero currently produces the electric Hummer pickup truck. “GM will expand production capacity at Factory Zero sooner than originally planned by pulling forward the installation of tooling, machinery, and equipment. These up...

General Motors will expand its collaboration with EVgo to add a new Plug and Charge service to the Ultium Charge 360 ecosystem, the automaker said in a press release on 23 June. Plug and Charge will be available at nearly all EVgo DC fast-charging stations. GM plans to include all compatible DC fast-charging stations across the Ultium Charge 360 network. “We want to be the company that makes the EV experience seamless and convenient for everyone. Our collaboration with EVgo on Plug and Char...

US carmaker General Motors plans to invest more than USD81 million at its Michigan-based Global Technical Center to prepare the facility to build Cadillac’s flagship luxury electric vehicle (EV) CELESTIQ, the company said on 15 June 2022. GM said that the investment will be used to purchase and install necessary equipment to hand-build the CELESTIQ EV as part of the facility upgrade program. Meanwhile, campus renovation has already begun, it added. The Cadillac’s luxury EV CELESTIQ w...