General Motors and Honda are planning to co-develop affordable electric vehicles that will use GM’s next-generation Ultium battery technology. These vehicles, which will include a compact crossover, are expect to begin going on sale in North America in 2027.
Doug Parks, GM executive vice president of global product development, said in a statement that the plan is to have an electric vehicle that is price lower than the upcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV.
GM plans to roll out an electric Equinox small SUV next year with a starting price of around $30,000 (approx. Rs. 22.6 lakh).
The automakers will work together on battery chemistry, vehicle engineering and manufacturing in order to drive down costs as they prepare to build what the companies expect will be millions of EVs for sale worldwide starting in 2027.
An EV price below $30,000 (approx. Rs. 22.6 lakh) with a range above 300 miles per charge would be appealing to buyers globally, said Ivan Drury, a senior manager at Edmunds.com.
Ivan Drury Said :
“That is where so many consider both internal combustion engine and electric vehicles,”.
“Right now, when you look at what’s for sale, there’s nothing transacting in that area that checks the box of EVs that go the distance.”
Ivan Drury said Honda has building vehicles in the US for many years, so it shouldn’t be a big adjustment to work with GM.
Honda currently needs GM’s battery technology, so this deal allows it to keep working with the Detroit automaker to learn, and also to share development costs.
Last year the companies announce that GM would build one Honda SUV and one Acura SUV using its Ultium-branded electric vehicle architecture and battery system.
These companies said at the time that the Honda SUV would be name the Prologue, and that both SUVs would have bodies, interiors and driving characteristics designed by Honda.
The Prologue will go on sale in early 2024, with the Acura following soon.
Honda also said in June that it plans to make its own electric vehicles later this decade.
GM and Honda have successfully partner over the years.
In 2013 the companies start working together on the co-development of a next-generation fuel cell system and hydrogen storage technologies.
In 2018 Honda and GM announce that they’d team up to develop batteries for electric vehicles, mostly for the North American market.
