GM Introduces Their New Ultium Drive Electric Motors, Offer Up To 342 HP

General Motors is shunning Pontiac once again as the company has introduced their new Ultium Drive electric motors at the 2021 Mackinac Policy Conference, instead of Motor Bella which is being held on the site of a former GM plant in the city.

Putting aside that interesting anecdote, the automaker introduced three different electric motors including a front motor that develops 241 hp (180 kW / 245 PS). It was joined by a more powerful 342 hp (255 kW / 347 PS) motor, which can be used both front and rear. The company also introduced a third “all-wheel drive assist motor,” which has an output of 83 hp (62 kW / 84 PS).

GM noted up to three electric motors can be used in one vehicle and that has already been demonstrated by tri-motor versions of the GMC Hummer EV. The truck is slated to be launched this fall with an estimated output of 1,000 hp (735 kW / 1014 PS).

Also Read: Hummer Returns As A 1,000 HP Electric Pickup From GMC

The company says the motors are part of a scalable family that has shared design principles as well as similar tooling and manufacturing strategies. This should help to reduce costs and the automaker noted all of the motors were calibrated in-house to “ensure the highest level of performance in Ultium-based EVs.”

Besides showcasing the electric motors, GM revealed a few details about their Ultium Drive motor controllers which help “determine the most efficient ways to distribute torque in three-motor systems.” This was done using artificial intelligence and machine learning, and the company says the software can be “reused in many applications, providing fast go-to-market times as well as the foundation for future EV expansion.”

GM went on to note the inverter and other power electronics, such as the accessory power module and onboard charging module, are integrated directly into Ultium Drive units and this helps to reduce manufacturing complexity as well as cost. Furthermore, some components have shrunk up to 50% in terms of size and weight.