GM Energy expands beyond the automaker’s EV business with Ultium Home and Commercial services
General Motors has announced a new business unit to expand outside of its current portfolio of EVs and charging network. The new energy management services business is called GM Energy and will consist of Ultium Home and Ultium Commercial, in combination with the previously existing Ultium Charge 360.
As one of the world’s largest automakers, GM has used 2022 to truly lean into the apex of electrification to not only stay competitive, but to eventually become the industry leader. CEO Mary Barra has repeatedly shared GM’s intentions to dethrone longtime EV sales leader Tesla by mid-decade.
As part of its strategy, GM has promised 30 new EVs by 2025, including a commitment of $7 billion to bolster its annual production capacity to 1 million units in the same time frame. Recently, the automaker has breathed new life into its Chevy Bolt EV and EUVs following a tumultuous recall in 2021. GMC Hummer EV deliveries continue to speed up and are joined by the all-electric Cadillac Lyriq. The automaker also has plenty of other EVs in its pipeline like a Chevy Silverado EV and 2024 Chevy Blazer EV.
To support the influx of new all-electric models, GM has also been expanding its Ultium Charge 360 network, which will be joined by a new network of coast-to-coast DC fast chargers across 500 Pilot and Flying J travel stations.
Today, we have learned that the Ultium Charge 360 network will exist under a new business unit called GM Energy, which will also include holistic energy management solutions for both homes and businesses.
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Source: GM -
GM Energy looks to eventually offer vehicle-to-grid capabilities
Details of GM’s new energy management business unit emerged via press release early this morning, outlining some of the technology the American automaker intends to offer both passenger and commercial EV customers.
According to the automaker, GM Energy’s connected product and service offering will eventually offer the following applications for EV owners and their homes or businesses:
- Bi-directional charging
- Vehicle-to-home (V2H) capabilities
- Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities
- Stationary energy storage
- Solar products
- Software applications and cloud management tools
- Microgrid solutions
- Hydrogen fuel cells
Much of the technology mentioned above will become available to consumers through Ultium Home – the residential-focused arm of GM Energy. Similar to competitors like Tesla and Ford, GM will soon offer stationary storage that can connect an EV to a driver’s home, solar technology, and the grid into one holistic system.
In a call with media, GM shared that it has already been piloting V2H applications with PG&E in California, allowing for bi-directional charging and the ability to power a home using energy stored in an EV during blackouts or other outages. Following initial tests, both companies intend to expand to a subset of PG&E residential customers in 2023.
GM is also touting other applications such as vehicle-to-grid capabilities, but explained that more complicated implementation processes like that will come at a later date to be determined.
Other energy companies working with GM Energy include Con Edison, Graniterock, and New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NEHC). GM’s vice president of EV growth operations Travis Hester spoke to the potential of GM Energy going forward and what it means for current and future EV owners:
GM Energy has the opportunity to help deliver sustainable energy products and services that can help mitigate the effect of power outages and provide customers with resilient and cost-effective energy management. GM Energy’s mission is to offer customers access to a full suite of energy products and services, including solutions beyond the vehicle, accelerating the seamless transition to an all-electric future. With the expansion of our enterprise business through GM Energy and one of the most comprehensive portfolios of energy management products and services available, we will help to reduce the barriers of entry for sustainable power and further accelerate the mass adoption of EVs.
Another important company in the expansion of GM Energy’s new lineup of energy management solutions is solar technology specialist SunPower, who has signed an agreement with GM to help develop the home energy systems that can and will combine solar and stationary power into one cohesive unit. SunPower has also signed on as the preferred installer of the home energy systems and will offer solar add-ons to GM Energy customers.
The home energy system is expected to launch alongside the upcoming Chevy Silverado EV, which is currently slotted for production in the fall of 2023. The GM team shared that it expects all of its new Ultium Home and Commercial products to enter production in Q4 of 2023.
Ultium Commercial services is available to businesses now, opening a new window of opportunity for GM Energy to step in as a hardware and software provider, but also as a strategic advisor to businesses to help set up the necessary energy infrastructure necessary for all-electric fleets.
Lastly, the automaker shared that as a part of GM Energy, Ultium Charge 360 will continue to expand its public charging network and offer new products and services of its own over time.
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Environment
Zoox has officially begun offering (free) robotaxi rides to the general public around LasVegas
Bespoke robotaxi developer Zoox officially launched driverless rides around the Las Vegas Strip today. The milestone follows months of testing in the area, and the initial rides are free for the general public.
In the eleven years since its incorporation, Zoox, Inc. has taken a unique and exciting approach to rideshare transportation. Instead of building a robotaxi fleet using existing vehicles retrofitted with autonomous driving technology, Zoox introduced its own novel electric vehicle early.
While most of the company’s initial test fleet consisted of existing vehicles equipped with sensors and cameras, we have closely followed the development, testing, and implementation of Zoox’s purpose-built robotaxis, which is designed without pedals or a steering wheel.
In the past, those unique Zoox EVs could be seen testing around the San Francisco Bay Area and the Las Vegas Strip, where the robotaxi network has been testing for over two years now. That initial route in Sin City consisted of a one-mile loop near Zoox’s Las Vegas headquarters, offering the ability to transport up to four passengers at speeds up to 35 mph.
At the time, initial test rides were conducted by Zoox employees before “expanding over the coming months.” By March 2024, Zoox had upped the robotaxi’s top speed to 45 mph in Las Vegas and expanded operational hours to include nighttime driving and service under light rain and damp road conditions.
Following these expansions, Zoox said it was closer than ever to commercial operations and paid customer rides. Today, the robotaxi provider has reached that milestone in Vegas, offering the general public free rides in its purpose-built vehicles (an industry first).
Anyone can now order a Zoox robotaxi in Las Vegas
According to a blog post from Zoox this morning, it is celebrating becoming the first company in history to provide fully autonomous ride-hailing services to the public using a purpose-built robotaxi. Las Vegas is the perfect backdrop for Zoox’s unique ride-hailing experience, as its robotaxis could help transport some of the city’s 40 million annual visitors. Per Zoox CEO Aicha Evans:
The autonomous vehicle industry has made remarkable strides this year, bringing us closer to a future of safer, more accessible mobility. With the launch of our fully driverless ride-hailing service using a purposefully designed robotaxi, we’re thrilled to be part of this groundbreaking journey. Las Vegas is a city famous for unforgettable moments, and it is the ideal location for our debut. Zoox is about transforming the entire ride-hailing experience, making every ride a delightful experience
Starting today, September 10, you can download the Zoox app to your iOS or Android device and hail one of the company’s truly driverless robotaxi operating in Las Vegas. To begin, all rides are free, so early passengers can “become familiar with Zoox, our service, and share their feedback” before the company scales to paid rides, which still requires regulatory approval.
Looking ahead, Zoox said customers can also join the waitlist for robotaxi rides in San Francisco. The company hasn’t announced a launch date for the Bay Area yet, but said more details are coming soon. Here’s a little peek at the Zoox robotaxi in action around Las Vegas:
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Toyota is gearing up to launch two new electric SUVs based on the RAV4 and Land Cruiser. The RAV4 and Land Cruiser EVs are set to replace a luxury Lexus model as Toyota shifts production plans.
When will Toyota launch the RAV4 and Land Cruiser EVs?
We knew Toyota was up to something. Reports have been surfacing for months about its plans to build new electric SUVs in Kentucky.
Toyota confirmed earlier this year that it “plans to produce two all-new, three-row battery electric SUVs in the US.”
Although it initially planned to build them at its manufacturing plant in Princeton, Indiana, the automaker announced last month that both will now be assembled at Toyota Kentucky.
According to a new Nikkei report, the two new EVs will be based on the Toyota RAV4 and Land Cruiser. A person close to the matter claimed that the new electric SUVs will replace the Lexus ES sedan, which is currently built in Kentucky.
The next-gen Lexus ES will be made in Japan and exported to the US, the source said, adding that the shift is not related to the new US auto tariffs.
However, like past reports, Nikkei claimed the move was part of Toyota’s broader plans to consolidate production. Lexus brand vehicles will reportedly be moved to a single location, while Toyota ramps up production of the larger Grand Highlander in Kentucky.
Toyota responded to the report, saying it has not publicly announced the changes, but added that the company is reviewing production plans “to make ever-better cars.”
The RAV4 and Land Cruiser EVs are expected to be among seven new electric models Toyota launches in the US by mid-2027.
Following the updated bZ electric SUV, which will hit US dealerships soon, Toyota will introduce the C-HR and bZ Woodland crossover SUVs in 2026.
Toyota Motor North America vice president, David Christ, boasted that the company is “loading the bases” with new battery electric, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid vehicles on deck.
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Boost, a UK-based company better known for its electric bike conversion kits, has released a new electric bike that is designed to be as compact as possible, despite not being a folding e-bike. Or at least, not a folding frame e-bike.
That’s because while the Boost Bike doesn’t fold in half like many compact e-bikes, it still manages to shrink down significantly thanks to a nifty set of handlebars that can be turned sideways or even removed entirely. Those compacting tricks help it fit easily in car trunks, hallways, or small apartment nooks – making it a great urban companion for riders tight on space.
The swiveling bars take a page out of JackRabbit’s playbook, though on Boost’s version, they appear to only allow the bike to narrow itself down to a 10″ (25 cm) wide. The JackRabbit’s 90-degree swiveling handlebars famously allow a svelter 7″ (17.8 cm) figure.
The frame itself is a rugged mini-bike design built from aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminum, and it’s paired with 20” x 1.75” tires that give it an even tinier look than it probably deserves. Hydraulic disc brakes and an 8-speed Shimano derailleur show that just because the bike is small, it’s not featureless. Though it’s also not a powerhouse, either.
Power comes from a 250W rear hub motor that keeps the bike street legal in the UK and EU, but it offers only a modest amount of torque at 42 Nm. Boost claims a top speed of 25 km/h (15.5 mph), as per e-bike regulations, and the company says its 7Ah battery is rated for up to 35 miles (56 km) under the most ideal of conditions.
There’s an option for a wireless display (to be added for an extra fee), or riders can use a smartphone app to control the bike.
BikeRadar puts the price at £1,250 (approximately US $1,700), though it says there is a non-electric version available for just under half that price. With that kind of sticker shock, the Boost Bike isn’t the cheapest mini e-bike on the market, but it may be one of the most minimalist-looking. If you’re ready to fork over the cash for one now, well then, you’ll have to… wait. It’s not yet for sale, though the company says it is coming soon.
Electrek’s Take
Hey, I’m all for lighter-weight e-bikes. At a time when the best-selling models are pushing 70 lb (32 kg), it’s a welcome relief to see lighter options. I wish I could tell you how light this one is, but the company doesn’t volunteer that interesting little nugget. I’d also love to tell you the battery capacity, but without hearing the voltage, that amp-hour figure is useless. I’ll assume 36V though, which would give us 250Wh of capacity.
The price here is the killer, as there’s nothing special about the bike other than its handlebars. The ‘e’ in the e-bike appears to be a fairly simple, standard conversion kit pre-installed on what is a neat little frame, but not quite worth US $1,700 in my book. But hey, if you want something nice and flat, there just aren’t many options out there, and this gets you there.
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