- The US military is evaluating GM’s EV batteries
- The military is looking to address energy storage needs
- The project could open the way to store energy for domestic supply
General motive providing Electric car battery for a military research project.
From the car manufacturer GM Defense subsidiary Providing Ultium battery hardware to the University of Texas at Arlington’s Energy and Impulse Energy Laboratory for a Department of Defense-funded assessment “that will help inform pathways and options for domestically supplied energy storage for use in future military platforms,” according to GM’s press release.
General Motors Ultium battery
The project will consider any design changes needed to make the Ultium hardware suitable for the military’s energy storage needs. GM claims a high level of modularity that can accommodate different chemistries and cell types for uses beyond current electric vehicle applications. That’s consistent with GM CEO Mary Barra’s 2023 statement that the automaker was flexibility on battery cellsand may change to a cylindrical cell form in the future.
GM has sought to use Ultium for stationary energy storage in the civilian world. The automaker is marketing an Ultium-based model Backup power system at homea part of New GM Energy business announced in 2022.
General Motors Ultium battery
GM Defense previously provided a prototype Ultium-based battery system for another Department of Defense project, which also involved integrating a GM battery pack “into a light tactical vehicle,” the release notes.
In 2021, GM Defense president Steve duMont said in an interview that GM plans to build a prototype of a car. electric military vehicle civilian based GMC Hummer EVuses the frame, engine and battery system of the civilian Hummer, but with a streamlined body. That follows GM Defense’s Infantry Squad Vehicle model, which is based on the previous generation Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 pickup truck.
