After a week of exciting announcements, General Motors is continuing the momentum by sharing details of the Ultra Cruise hands-free driving aid. Earlier this week, the automaker revealed that the Ultra Cruise promises to be a “proper Tesla full self-driving beta rival”, and will be able to tackle hands-free driving in 95 per cent of all scenarios. But perhaps even more exciting, is the promise of a cheaper electric Chevrolet SUV on its way.
According to today’s announcement, GM has lofty goals for the near future, including continued investment in electric cars and double revenues by 2030. The automaker also mentioned plans to bring a US$30,000 Chevrolet crossover to market, alongside a fleet of other highly anticipated EVs including a Buick SUV EV, and Chevy and GMC pickup EVs. These vehicles will use GM’s signature Ultium battery platform, which will play a pivotal role in the enhanced affordability of future EVs.
The new Chevy SUV could also potentially replace the Bolt EV and Bolt EUV, as both vehicles rely on an older battery platform. The best part? GM has revealed plans to introduce 30 new EVs to its roster – so clearly, this is just the beginning.
The Ultium platform is the foundation of GM’s EV strategy, including the battery cells, modules and pack, plus drive units containing electric motors and integrated power electronics. It underpins GM’s EV architecture and was developed with a common set of components, providing energy for nearly every segment on the road. Certain vehicles built from the platform will offer battery energy storage options from 50 to more than 200 kWh and driving range of up to 450 miles on a full charge[1].
