General Motors Unveils Ultium Electric Drive Units

Today General Motors unveiled its Ultium electric drive units that will be responsible for powering its next-gen EVs.

The automaker has gradually released information about the drive train since introducing it earlier this year. The first to use the new Ultium modular battery platform will be the Cadillac Lyric and the Hummer EV.

Today, we learn even more about the drive units powering the Ultium system “General Motors’ next-generation EVs are expected to be powered by a family of five interchangeable drive units and three motors, known collectively as “Ultium Drive.” Ultium Drive will help the company transition its current portfolio to a fully electric lineup, providing significant advantages over GM’s previous EVs in performance, scale, speed to market and manufacturing efficiencies.”

In addition to the statement, GM released a few renders of the the drive units:

GM vice president, Ken Morris, said about the Ultium system “GM has built transmissions for many notable automakers. Making motors, transmissions, driveline components and systems are among GM’s best-known competencies, and our manufacturing expertise is proving not only transferable but advantageous as we make the transition to EVs.”

The drive units will power the entire lineup of GM’s next-generation electric vehicles. It will enable “front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive propulsion combinations, including high-performance and off-road capabilities.”

GM executive chief engineer of Global Electrical Propulsion, Adam Kwiatkowski, stated “As with other propulsion systems that are complex, capital intensive and contain a great deal of intellectual property, we’re always better off making them ourselves. GM’s full lineup of EVs should benefit from the simultaneous engineering of Ultium Drive. Our commitment to increased vertical integration is expected to bring additional cost efficiency to the performance equation.”

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