GM Expanding Scope of EV Development
General Motors is adjusting its strategy to offer EV technology beyond its own portfolio and automotive applications more broadly, the company announced.
“GM has an established strategy, network of integrators and co-development agreements to apply an extensive array of components and solutions to a broad range of customers and use cases,” says Travis Hester, GM vice president of Electric Vehicle Growth Operations. “As companies across many industries look to reduce their environmental impact, GM is uniquely positioned to serve as a leader not only through exciting new EVs across our brands, but through additional technology applications, and we look forward to bringing customers – existing and new – along with us on our zero-emissions journey.”
The company estimates that the total addressable market for electrification components could near $20 billion by 2030, as a growing number of industries introduce their own emissions reduction goals, the company said.
In addition to applications for the industrial, off-highway and marine markets, GM is aiming to introduce EV component sets for the automotive aftermarket.
The upcoming Electric Connect and Cruise eCrate Package represents an opportunity for GM to extend EV technology to the aftermarket, the company said, enabling customers to work with qualified installers through GM’s electric specialty vehicle modifier (eSVM) program who have been properly trained to replace a vehicle’s traditional internal combustion engine with a fully electric propulsion system. GM’s demonstrated electric conversion vehicles include the E-10 pickup, K-5 Blazer-E, eCOPO Camaro and Project X built in collaboration with Cagnazzi Racing’s eCrate Solutions Group. Now, an electrified 1972 El Camino SS, developed with Lingenfelter Performance Engineering in Brighton, Michigan, represents the first independent installation of the concept eCrate package, and ushers in the next generation of EV components from Chevrolet Performance as the program prepares to launch in 2022, the company said.
“Our customers will benefit from GM’s vast network of resources, support and experience as an innovator in the electrification space” Hester said. “As we advance our Ultium Platform and other zero-emissions technologies, we anticipate smaller, more affordable and more flexible components and offerings over time.”
Additional information and specific product applications for each opportunity will be disclosed at a later date, the company said.
