WASHINGTON, D.C. — GM Defense, a subsidiary of General Motors, was selected by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to develop a battery pack prototype for testing and analysis on Department of Defense platforms. GM Defense will leverage GM’s most advanced battery technology, the Ultium Platform, as it works to meet DIU’s requirement for a scalable design that can be used for tactical military vehicles. DIU is a Department of Defense organization that accelerates the adoption of commercial technology across the U.S. military, which aligns with GM Defense’s mission of leveraging GM’s advanced technologies for global defense and government customers.
“This award is a critical enabler for non-traditional defense businesses like GM Defense to deliver commercial technologies that support our customers’ transition to a more electric, autonomous and connected future,” said Steve duMont, president of GM Defense. “Commercial battery electric technologies continue to mature. GM Defense offers a unique advantage with our ability to leverage proven commercial capabilities and the billions in GM investments in electric vehicle and autonomous vehicle technologies in order to help provide our customers with the most advanced capabilities the commercial market can offer.”
GM’s Ultium Platform is a combined electric vehicle (EV) battery architecture and propulsion system that can deliver power, range, and scale beyond any previous GM hybrid or extended range EV technology. Modular and scalable, the Ultium Platform uses different chemistries and cell form factors, making it adaptable to changing needs and new technology insertions as they become available.
This award follows a similar announcement GM Defense made in July when the business was selected by the U.S. Army to provide a GMC HUMMER EV Pickup for analysis and demonstration. The award is intended to help meet the military’s requirement for a light- to heavy-duty battery EV that can support reduced reliance on fossil fuels in the operational and garrison environments.
I will let others comment on whether or not this leads to a more lethal and effective military force, but it is hard to see this as anything other than another GM bailout. Their Ultium battery technology is far from proven, it is not industry leading, and at a minimum many years behind other EV/battery manufacturers. Most legacy automotive companies will be bankrupt by the end of the decade although I would argue that GM is bankrupt now. Picking GM and their battery technology is absolutely incomprehensible although steering money to a UAW company right before an election provides a good explanation.