Innovation

We bring together research, technology and advocacy for our vision

Not just because we want to be ‘the first’ or ‘the only’, but because we recognize that technology and innovation can change the world

Innovation in action

“Innovation at General Motors is all-encompassing. I like to say that we don't have a box to think within - we kind of create it. And then we're asked to push outside and think outside of that box.”

Sarah G. Engineering Group Leader

Accelerating an all-electric future

Units

GM will scale EV production to more than 1 million units of annual capacity in North America by 2025.

Tailpipe emissions

GM plans to eliminate tailpipe emissions from our new US light duty vehicles by 2035.

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Investing

GM is investing $35 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles through 2025 – up from the $20 billion planned before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our key innovations

Have the opportunity to reimagine possibilities by working on projects with the latest technologies while creating the new generation of mobility. Explore a few of our proud innovations our team members developed.

Ultium

Ultium is GM’s foundational electric vehicle platform built on a flexible EV architecture and propulsion system. It enables the production of EVs across vehicle types with outstanding power, range and performance. Ultium offers flexibility to build EVs for every customer and segment, provides energy for every type of vehicle, reduces complexity in vehicle and propulsion systems, and allows more interior room compared to an ICE vehicle. Ultium can use multiple chemistries and battery cell form factors without changing the packs or vehicles.

Super Cruise

Super Cruise, is the first true hands-free driving-assistance technology for compatible roads. When Super Cruise is engaged, the vehicle’s precision LiDAR map data, real-time cameras, radars and GPS keep the vehicle traveling along the lane path for a hands-free driving experience. These systems work together through “sensor fusion” to create a sensory field around the vehicle that assists in keeping it centered in the lane while elevating the driver’s comfort and convenience. Super Cruise accelerates or brakes the vehicle to maintain a selected following gap from a vehicle ahead, steers to maintain lane position, and on select models when offered, can perform both driver and system-initiated lane changes to pass slower traffic and to move from a lane that may be ending, while monitoring the driver’s head position and/or eyes in relation to the road to help ensure driver attention.

Hydrotec

GM has been innovating hydrogen fuel cells for over 50 years and sees fuel cells as a complement to the Ultium Battery. GM HYDROTEC’s fuel cell power cube, which incorporates more than 300 fuel cells, is at the heart of GM’s fuel cell strategy. With the HYDROTEC power cube, we are working to electrify heavy-duty applications, such as freight trains, long haul trucks, aircrafts and power generators. Fuel cells are ideal in settings that require high energy storage capability, range and payloads. We are currently collaborating with outside companies such as Navistar, Wabtec, Liebherr and Renewable Innovations demonstrate the use of fuel cells in a variety of applications.

Ultium Drive

General Motors’ next-generation EVs are powered by a family of five interchangeable drive units and three motors, known collectively as “Ultium Drive.” Ultium Drive will help the company transition its current portfolio to a fully electric lineup, providing significant advantages over GM’s previous EVs in performance, scale, speed to market and manufacturing efficiencies. Ultium Drive combines electric motors and single-speed transmissions to apply power – generated by Ultium battery cells – to the wheels of GM’s upcoming electric vehicles.

Wireless Battery Management System

General Motors is the first automaker to use an almost completely wireless battery management system, or wBMS, for production electric vehicles. This wireless system enables GM to ultimately power many different types of electric vehicles from a common set of battery components. The wBMS helps to ensure the scalability of Ultium batteries across GM’s future lineup, encompassing different brands and vehicle segments, from heavy-duty trucks to performance vehicles.

GM employee working on Fuel Cell Navistar

Ultium Energy Recovery System

The Ultium Platform's energy recovery system can recover and store waste heat from the vehicle and increase range by up to 10 percent, reduce battery energy needed for heating, increase charging speed and even enable sportier driving. Ultium energy recovery is a standard feature in all Ultium-based EVs. The technology can also capture and use humidity from both inside and outside the vehicle, including body heat from passengers, to deploy the energy to heat the cabin quickly in cold weather.

Who we are

Our Culture

Working at GM

Driven by innovation and creating an environment to inspire, we embrace the responsibility to make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

GM Employees collaborate in a meeting space

Diversity

Inclusion in action

At GM we aspire to be the most inclusive company in the world. Empowering leaders to have flexibility in how their employees accomplish their work is essential to our collective success.