GM BEV2 platform
Battery Electric Vehicle 2, better known in acronym form as BEV2, is the name of an automotive platform made by the automotive conglomerate General Motors (GM) designed specifically for small electric vehicles (EVs). Multiple divisions of the LG Corporation have been instrumental in construction in addition to GM's contributions to the platform. Both the primary brands of GM and its joint brands with SAIC have used the platform.
GM BEV2 platform | |
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Chevrolet Bolt, an example of a vehicle based on the BEV2 platform | |
Overview | |
Manufacturer | |
Parent company | |
Also called |
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Production | 2016 - present |
Assembly | LG, Incheon, South Korea |
Body and chassis | |
Class |
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Layout | Front-motor, front-wheel drive |
Body style(s) | |
Vehicles | |
Related |
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Powertrain | |
Transmission(s) | 1-speed automatic |
Chronology | |
Predecessor | BEV1 |
Successor | BEV3 |
Chronology
1996–2003: EV1
Despite having a "2" in its name, which usually indicates a second generation of a platform in GM nomenclature,[1][2][3] BEV2 had no direct predecessor. The concept of "BEV1" actually refers to the General Motors EV1, the first electric car of the 21st century.[4] However, the EV1 and vehicles on BEV2 differ greatly, in part due to the two-decade gap between them.[5]
2010–2015: Gamma derivatives
In 2011, GM announced that they had finished development of an EV supplier base in China.[6] This coincided with the introduction of the Springo, an EV based on the Gamma platform's Chevrolet Sail.[7] Two years later in 2013, a similar EV variant was released of the Sail's American-market equivalent, the Spark.[8] This Spark EV was sold until 2016, the same year as the introduction of the Bolt,[9] and, though GM openly stated that the Bolt's platform was not derived from Gamma, the Bolt's model codes began with G2, suggesting influence of these vehicles upon it.[10]
2016: Chevrolet Bolt
In 2016, Chevrolet unveiled a production version of the Bolt, the first vehicle on BEV2,[11] and the first dedicated EV from GM in 20 years.[4] LG Chem and other LG divisions reportedly develop and install most of the components that make it an electric vehicle, per an agreement for the model.[12] This vehicle is the first to be underpinned by BEV2[13] and also the strongest-selling, with over 16,000 sold at the end of 2018.[14]
2017–present
On October 2, 2017, GM announced a plan to introduce two new main EV models in the next eighteen months,[15] followed by an additional eighteen electric models by 2023.[16] The next month GM extended their commitment,[17] aiming for a production volume of one million electric vehicles by 2026.[18] None of these promised actions, however, have been enacted in full. In the eighteen-month period, only the Baojun E200 was released, which, being the product of a joint venture, is not at all a main brand model.[19] Since the end of the eighteen-month period, the Chevrolet Menlo is the only main brand EV that GM has produced, and it still is limited to the Chinese market.[20] Much of the exclusivity of EVs to China can be explained by the zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) mandate that country's government has put in place, requiring manufacturers to have 8% percent of their volume be ZEVs in 2012, and 12% in 2020.[21]
On November 15, 2017, further clarification was made by GM CEO Mary Barra as to what the next five years of electric models would be:[22]
- "Expressive luxury low-roof" vehicle (possibly a grand tourer)[23]
- 5-passenger luxury SUV
- 5-passenger compact SUV
- "Shared" autonomous vehicle
- Functional light commercial vehicle
- "Efficient low-roof" car
- Small SUV
- Compact CUV
- 7-passenger large SUV
- 7-passenger luxury SUV
As of April 2020, the only one of these model to come to fruition whatsoever is in the category of "7-passenger large SUV", with the upcoming 2021 GMC Hummer truck and SUV, however this is slated to use its own BT1 platform[24][25] alongside a possible electrified Escalade, still without mention or indication of BEV2.[26] Evidence of this electric truck platform exists as early as April 2019, in which GM entered talks of co-production with Rivian, though these ultimately fell through.[27]
In March 2019, GM announced its intentions to build another model very similar to the Bolt upon BEV2 at Orion Assembly alongside the Bolt,[28][29] which has since been in development in addition to the Hummer.[30] This model is currently in pre-production as the Bolt EUV (electric utility vehicle),[31] and all evidence currently indicates it will also ride on BEV2.[32][33] In addition to being branded as a Chevrolet, a Chinese-market variant was introduced in 2020 as the Buick Velite 7.[34] This crossover appears to have formerly been mentioned then removed from GM's 2017 announcement.[35]
Successor
GM had originally planned to produce a replace for the BEV2 platform by 2021.[36] This platform was to be called BEV3 and be a direct upgrade in all ways to the current platform.[37] Many vehicles were slated to be underpinned by this platform, the first of which being a Cadillac-branded crossover[38][39] based on the Lyriq concept.[40][41] However, by December 2019, the vehicle and platform were both postponed for an unknown duration.[42]
In March 2020, GM unveiled their newest lithium-electric architecture, called Ultium.[43][44] This combination of motors and batteries was announced to underpin future GM EVs.[45] However, there has been no mention of the name BEV3 since the prior announcement of delays.
Applications
Five vehicles have used the BEV2 platform since its creation, four of which are sold exclusively in developing markets.
- 2017–present Chevrolet Bolt, B-segment hatchback
- 2017–present Baojun E100, A-segment microcar
- 2018–present Baojun E200, A-segment microcar
- 2019–present Chevrolet Menlo, C-segment liftback
- 2019–present Buick Velite 6, C-segment liftback
- 2020–present Baojun E300, A-segment microcar
Badge engineering
The E100 and E200 have both been rebadged under the Wuling marque with the same for the Indonesian market. Additionally, from SAIC-GM, a joint venture with SAIC Motor, the E200 has also been rebadged under SAIC's MG marque with the same name for sale in India.
From its inception until 2020 (shortly after its GM's sale of Opel/Vauxhall to Groupe PSA), the Chevrolet Bolt was sold in Europe as the Opel Ampera-e.[46]
See also
- General Motors, the automotive conglomerate that manufactures this platform
- Chevrolet, Buick Wuling, and Baojun, the three GM marques that use this platform
- Electric vehicle, the type of car that this platform supports
- Car platform, the type of car component that this article is focused on
References
- "GM Epsilon II – SAABSUNITED". Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "gamma ii Archives". GM Inside News. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "gmdelta.com - Chevrolet Cruze, Cobalt, HHR / Pontiac G5 / Saturn Ion, Saturn-Opel Astra Enthusiast Group". www.gmdelta.com. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "Modern electric cars at 20: from EV1 to Bolt EV, where are we now?". Green Car Reports. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- Bartlett, Jeff (June 1, 1996). "General Motors EV1 - Driving Impression". MotorTrend. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
- "GM develops EV supplier base in China". Automotive News. 2011-12-12. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "GM launches EV production in China". Automotive News. 2010-11-08. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "2014 Chevrolet Spark EV". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "Chevrolet Spark EV Review, Pricing and Specs". Car and Driver. 2019-05-14. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "Chevrolet Bolt EV Platform". GM Authority. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Drivetrain First Look (w/Video)". MotorTrend. 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "Bolt EV Powertrain: How Did GM And LG Collaborate On Design, Production?". Green Car Reports. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "General Motors BEV2 Vehicle Platform". GM Authority. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- Volt, Chevrolet Bolt EV Chevrolet. "Chevrolet Bolt U.S. Sales Decreased In 2019 To 16,418". InsideEVs. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- Lambert, Fred (2017-10-02). "GM announces serious electric car plan: 2 new EVs within 18 months, 20 within 5 years". Electrek. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "Future GM Electric Vehicles". GM Authority. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- Lambert, Fred (2017-11-15). "GM elaborates on electric vehicle plans: 5 crossovers, 2 minivans, 7 SUVs, and more". Electrek. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "GM thinks its gonna sell 1 million EVs annually by 2026". repokar.com. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "Tiny 2020 Baojun E300 Debuts In China As GM's Latest Electric Vehicle". Carscoops. 2020-01-17. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "GM Builds Attractive EV Crossover And Then Only Sells It In China [Update]". Jalopnik. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- Lambert, Fred (2017-09-19). "GM is all-in on electric cars, but only in China for now". Electrek. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- Lassa, Todd (November 16, 2017). "Did GM Just Confirm the Corvette E-Ray, or a Cadillac Sports Car?". Automobile Magazine.
- "Screw The Chevy Bolt Crossover, GM Is Working On An Electric Sports Car". Jalopnik. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "GM's 'BT1' Program Might Include Electric Hummers, Trucks, Cadillac SUVs: Report". Jalopnik. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "GM executive: Electric pickup will be built on EV-specific platform". Green Car Reports. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "Next-Gen Cadillac Escalade to Get V Performance Model and Go Electric: Report". Jalopnik. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "AutoNews Now: GM, EV startup Rivian end talks - report". Automotive News. 2019-04-12. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "GM will invest $300M in Orion plant, announces second EV to join Bolt". Hagerty Media. 2019-03-22. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "GM to Invest $300 Million to Ramp Up Electric Car Production in Michigan". Jalopnik. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "GM to invest $2.2B in first all-electric vehicle plant, create 2,200 jobs". NBC News. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- Ryan (2020-01-16). "Spied 2021 Chevy Bolt EUV – Chevrolet's Newest All-Electric Crossover". 2021 SUVs. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "Chevrolet Bolt EUV Undercarriage Reveals Bolt EV Roots". GM Authority. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "General Motors' Electric Vehicle Plans". Charged Future. 2020-01-27. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "All-New Buick Velite 7 EV And Velite 6 PHEV Launch In China". GM Authority. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- "Oops: Now you see a new GM EV, now you don't". Automotive News. 2017-11-27. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "What Happened to GM Electric Vehicles?". Car Blog Writers. 2019-06-01. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "Cadillac's First Electric Car Will Be This Crossover". Jalopnik. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "GM shows off images of Tesla rivalling all-electric SUV from Cadillac". Moneycontrol. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- Karkafiris, Michael (January 11, 2019). "Cadillac To Lead GM's EV Strategy, Will Launch First BEV3-Based Electric Car". www.carscoops.com. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- Eisenstein, Paul A. "GM "On Track" to Meet 20 EV Target by 2023 | TheDetroitBureau.com". Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "Cadillac Has a Lot of Convincing to Do". Jalopnik. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- "GM Backs Out Of CES And Delays New EV Reveal". Jalopnik. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- Abuelsamid, Sam. "GM Develops Lower Cost Ultium Lithium-Ion Batteries To Power New Electric Vehicle Line". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- LaReau, Jamie L. "GM unveils 11 future EVs, new batteries and its plan to beat Tesla". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
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- "Registreringer av nye elbiler i Norge". elbilstatistikk.no. Retrieved 2020-04-22.