GM Defense Powers Up Military Research with Ultium Battery Evaluation

General Motors is providing electric vehicle batteries to the armed forces for testing on potential future vehicles.

GM's defense division is supplying the University of Texas at Arlington's energy research facility with Ultium battery components for a study financed by the Defense Department. The assessment aims to explore potential solutions and strategies for the U.S. military to procure domestically produced energy storage for upcoming military applications, as stated in a GM announcement.

General Motors' Ultium battery technology

The initiative aims to identify necessary modifications to adapt the Ultium technology for the military's power storage requirements. General Motors touts the flexibility of their system, which can support various compositions and battery cell formats for purposes that extend beyond existing electric vehicle uses. This is in line with the 2023 declaration by GM's Chief Executive Officer, Mary Barra, regarding the company's adaptability concerning battery cell formats, including a possible transition to cylindrical cells down the line.

General Motors had been exploring options to adapt its Ultium technology for fixed power storage in non-military sectors. The car manufacturer is promoting a home energy reserve unit powered by Ultium, which falls under the umbrella of the recently unveiled GM Energy division in 2022.

Batteries branded as Ultium

GM Defense had earlier provided a prototype of their Ultium battery system for a different project with the Defense Department. This project also included incorporating a GM battery pack into a smaller military vehicle, as mentioned in the announcement.

In a 2021 discussion, the head of GM Defense, Steve duMont, revealed the company's intentions to construct sample versions of a military electric vehicle. This design would be derived from the commercial GMC Hummer EV, retaining its basic structure, propulsion system, and power storage unit, but with a more bare-bones exterior. This approach mirrors the strategy used for GM Defense's Infantry Squad Vehicle, which is modeled after the earlier version of the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 pickup.

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