General Motors Chair and CEO Mary Barra outlined the waves of change that are coming as society moves toward the mass adoption of electric vehicles at the ongoing CES 2022 in Las Vegas. The Ultium Effect experience begins with GM’s introduction of the Ultium EV platform in early 2020. Ultium, which was recently recognized among Fast Company’s “Next Big Things in Tech 2021” underpins vehicles including the GMC HUMMER EV Edition 1 Pickup and the BrightDrop EV600, which were delivered to initial customers late last year, as well as the Cadillac LYRIQ when deliveries begin later this year.
At the virtual keynote, Marry Barra revealed the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV. As per reports, the Silverado EV will be available in two configurations, an RST First Edition and a fleet-oriented WT model. It has also been confirmed that it would offer an estimated 400-mile range on a full charge along with 10.2kW of offboard power, available four-wheel steering, fixed-glass roof, Multi-Flex Midgate with a load floor of up to 10 feet, 10 inches when combined with the Multi-Flex Tailgate, a large, 17-inch-diagonal LCD freeform infotainment screen, and the latest vehicle technologies that can evolve over time.
GM has also confirmed plans for Chevrolet Equinox EV SUV with an estimated MSRP starting around $30,000 in the U.S. as well as a larger Chevrolet Blazer EV SUV. Both Equinox EV and Blazer EV will be available in 2023. These three products will place Chevrolet EVs in the industry’s two largest segments and one of the fastest-growing segments in the U.S.
Moving ahead with partnerships
GM is working to build an EV movement beyond its retail business through the BrightDrop ecosystem, the Chevrolet Silverado EV Work Truck, and even component sales for commercial and recreational vehicles. Customers planning to place fleet orders include FedEx and Walmart (BrightDrop EV600) as well as Enterprise and Quanta (Chevrolet Silverado EV).
As per reports, GM and Cruise are pursuing a comprehensive path to autonomous mobility with the aim to deliver the first personal autonomous vehicle from General Motors as soon as mid-decade. The partnership focuses on creating economies of scale that lower costs and increase the quality of Cruise’s rideshare and delivery networks while bringing the positive impacts of autonomous vehicles to a larger audience. GM claims that it will be the first company to use Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Ride™ Platform for advanced driver assistance technology, defined by software developed in-house by GM. Co-developed by GM and Qualcomm for Ultra Cruise, the new compute architecture will have the processing capability of several hundred personal computers but is only about the size of two laptops placed on top of one another.
Cadillac’s Halo Concept Portfolio with the InnerSpace and OpenSpace autonomous vehicles builds on the PersonalSpace vertical takeoff and landing vehicle and the SocialSpace personal autonomous vehicle introduced at CES last year. When combined, the four illustrate a potential future for multimodal luxury travel when GM’s Ultium EV and Ultifi software platforms are fused with autonomous driving technology.
Deborah Wahl, GM global chief marketing officer, GM, said, “GM is redefining how people and goods are moved. Our commitment to a vision of a world with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion has positioned us to lead. As we implement our growth strategy, we have an opportunity and, frankly, an obligation to create a better future for generations to come. That’s the Ultium Effect. With that capability comes the responsibility to use it. GM’s Ultium Platform means we no longer need to imagine a zero-emissions future; we can start building it.”
