GM reportedly ditching Ultium EV branding on batteries and tech

Common Motors is making ready to tug the plug on the Ultium branding for its EV batteries and associated elements, studies CNBC.

The elements themselves will stay the identical, however the Ultium identify will disappear apart from for manufacturing operations such because the Ultium Cells LLC battery three way partnership with LG, based on the report, which cited statements from the automaker forward of a Tuesday investor convention the place the rebranding was anticipated to be made official.

“As GM continues to increase its EV enterprise, the corporate is not branding its electrical car structure, battery cells, or EV elements with the Ultium identify, beginning in North America,” the automaker mentioned in a press release to CNBC.

GM introduced Ultium in 2020, aiming to realize economies of scale for all kinds of EV fashions by utilizing frequent motor and battery households. Whereas this calls for related car architectures to accommodate the elements, the battery cells and motors are the actual level of commonality, differing considerably from the standard platform-focused method that makes use of fundamental components of the chassis as a place to begin for various fashions.

2025 Cadillac Lyriq

GM has since applied the Ultium technique with EVs for 3 out of 4 of its U.S. manufacturers, plus the BrightDrop electrical vans (now a part of Chevrolet). The odd man out, Buick, is anticipated to get its personal Ultium-based fashions quickly as nicely. Ultium elements have been additionally for use for the cancelled Cruise Origin self-driving automotive.

GM is now rethinking its EV plans within the face of slower-than-hoped-for demand. In current months the automaker has backed away from a earlier objective of getting manufacturing capability for a million EVs by 2025, blaming an underdeveloped EV market, and mentioned reintroducing hybrids. CEO Mary Barra mentioned final month that she was shocked by how political EVs had turn into, however added that the automaker was nonetheless making ready to get rid of tailpipes from its light-duty autos by 2035 (as introduced in 2021), so long as clients have been prepared.