GMC announced the electric SUV type Hummer (HUMMER EV SUV). It is a 5-seater and has an increase in weight enough to put the bed in the cargo compartment than a pickup truck, but it supports a zero-back 3.5 seconds with 830 horsepower. The basic SUV model has a wheelbase that is 23cm shorter than the pickup truck type, and the maximum turning radius is about 0.5m smaller than the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
The key is to have a triple motor. The battery corresponds to an 800V, 300kW output charger. The price is $105,595 and the price of Edition 1 with the optional package (Extreme Off-Road) is $11,595. In addition, a dual-motor version called EV2X will also appear and will cost $89,995. In 2024, EV2, which has reduced battery capacity, will also be introduced.
Hummer first installed the Ultium system, developed by a startup co-founded by MIT spin-off company Solid Energy Systems and GM. The Ultium battery adopts a rectangular inner cell instead of a cylindrical shape, so cells can be stacked without blanks in the battery pack, enabling more energy concentration in a small space. As a result, GM says it is possible to mount a 200 kWh battery in electric vehicles starting at 50 kWh and exceeding Tesla at its maximum capacity. For this, the GM wireless battery management system WBMS is used. WBMS explains that the adoption of RF communication provides 90% fewer wiring and 15% reduction in battery pack volume, while increasing design flexibility and manufacturability without compromising the full range and precision of battery life.
WBMS is capable of distributing the load between individual cells more efficiently according to the change of the module in which the characteristic data is programmed for each cell, identifying deterioration, and replacing the module when batteries using refined materials become available in the future. Through this, it is possible to flexibly expand the electric vehicle platform to meet the growing consumer demand.
GM also jointly developed with LG Chem to significantly reduce cobalt in battery chemistry. In the future, it aims to completely remove cobalt and nickel, and research on the adoption of silicon-based hybrid electrolyte lithium metal anodes is also underway.
This battery can stably use the output balance between WBMS system modules as auxiliary power for homes, etc. even when the vehicle’s lifespan is over.
GM said it is working to realize its strategy of selling 1 million electric vehicles per year by 2025 and electrifying all new cars sold by 2035. Related information can be found here.