General Motors is arguably the most charged of the legacy automakers—the company plans to launch 30 new battery-electric vehicles by 2025 across a wide range of segments, all using its next-generation Ultium platform.

Charged is pleased to announce that GM’s Engineering Technical Leader for High-Voltage Battery Packs will deliver a keynote address at our upcoming Virtual Conference, on Apr 7, 2022 at 2:15 pm EDT.

In the presentation, titled “Engineering GM’s Ultium Platform: Battery Pack Flexibility to Power EVs Across Wide-Ranging Segments,” Mr. Oury, who has 22 years of experience in automotive product development, will discuss the engineering of the Ultium platform, and explain how it was designed with the flexibility to accommodate everything from performance cars to SUVs to pickups to commercial vehicles.

In a recent video from the Autoline Network, John McElroy explains how the legacy automakers made what he calls “a strategic error.” When they first developed EVs, they shoehorned electric powertrains into existing gas models to make what came to be derisively called “compliance cars.” Now the companies are finally getting serious about selling EVs, but most are repeating the same mistake—adapting ICE platforms to EVs in order to save on development costs and avoid ending up with stranded assets. Ford, VW, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes, Renault, Peugeot—all have modified oil-age platforms and rebranded them as EV platforms.

The exception is GM, which decided a few years ago that it wouldn’t “pussyfoot around,” as John puts it—Ultium is a clean-sheet platform specifically designed for BEVs, and all GM’s new EVs are based on it, from the Hummer to the BrightDrop delivery van.

Don’t miss this chance to hear Andy Oury explain the technical details of one of the most advanced EV platforms in the industry. Register here—it’s free!

Other confirmed keynote presentations include at the Charged Virtual Conference:

Tesla’s Engineering Surprises: Model S Plaid Technology Deep Dive

In this session, Munro & Associates CEO Sandy Munro will discuss the latest findings of his company’s teardown of the Tesla Model S Plaid, including deep dives into the motors, batteries and electronics, as well as a comparison to other EVs recently analyzed, such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E. Sandy is a highly engaging speaker, and his teardown talks are packed with insights about automotive manufacturing.

Register here.

Volvo Penta’s Transformation From Diesel Engine Supplier to Complete ZEV Solution Provider

In this session, Volvo Penta’s Zeyd Okutan will discuss the company’s electric driveline solutions and the strategic approach it has chosen to electrify the non-highway segment, informed by its long experience with diesel engines.

Register here.