The “zero emissions” portion of General Motors triple-zero vision seems to have an asterisk next to it. Following a speech from Mike Anderson, GM executive director of global transmission and electrification hardware engineering, the automaker painted a rather uncertain future for its powertrain strategy.
Years ago, GM Powertrain renamed itself GM Propulsion to encompass future alternative powertrains. But, the reality is the automaker is unsure what the future will bring, WardsAuto reported Tuesday.
“The farther out we go, the more uncertain the future is, which makes the challenge for high-capital business much more daunting,” Anderson said.
Not only does the market for electric cars and plug-in hybrids remain a sliver of sales figures, but varying government regulations and policy uncertainty has created headaches inside the powertrain and propulsion departments. Anderson admitted the figures GM used four years ago were incorrect and consumers don’t show a desire to pay for minimal fuel economy improvements or innovative propulsion technology.
“I can tell you four years ago, the numbers we were using at General Motors were wrong, in terms of where we are today, where CO2 credits are trading. This is a huge driver of uncertainty and the propulsion systems we choose going forward,” he said.
To work around the uncertainty, GM is cross-training engineers to work on electric powertrains and internal-combustion engine projects. In the future, Anderson sees GM’s as an automaker to fill a number of roles with three avenues, despite a vision for zero emissions. Future powertrains will include traditional engines with mild electrification, hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and battery-electric cars.
Most importantly, GM will develop engine families to fit a number of products to reduce the need for all-new designs. For example, the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine suits the Chevrolet Equinox, but also the Malibu Hybrid and the Volt plug-in hybrid.
Comments
I am surprised GM is Surprised.
Many in the industry have stated for a good while ICE will remain around and that there will be a varied choice of power depending on advancements into the future.
Lets face it EV is still not where it needs to be yet. It still has to cut charge times and cost.
You shouldn’t be! GM management lives in a bubble. They go home and they watch propaganda on TV they go to work and the bubble is present. They get promoted and they bring with them the propaganda they’ve heard and they assume the position…..aka they receive the arrogance of title. They micromanage every aspect of the Design and Engineering process till they gut the moral and the creativity that built GM’s success. Everyone of them is more concerned with their publicity opps and their legacy to worry about what the long term implications of their actions are doing not only to the company, but the companies employees as well as to the consumers and the country. Have we forgotten how GMNA moved into Australia for the 5th Gen Camaro and Holden designer and engineers wanted out of contracts? GM management is too busy to worry about the job at hand!
As Hybrid offerings expand and boost combined horsepower, engine size will shrink.
The solution is simple: make them all electric! EVs can out accelerate every Corvette that GM can produce, and pull heavier loads than any Silverado, yet get better efficiency (and lowest cost per mile) than any ICEV. If people are skeptical about range, then they should use buses and trains to travel father than their daily drives, or move closer to their destinations, drive less, save money and enjoy more of their lives.
Until the mass transporter arrives in the 22nd century, EVs are and will always be the best power train for all types of road vehicles, either on Earth, the Moon (GM has three electric rovers there) or on any other planet.