Photo: GM
The ties between General Motors and Honda are growing deeper in the field of electrification.
The two have already joined hands for the development of an advanced hydrogen fuel cell system by 2020, and on Thursday have announced they would be sharing battery technology for electric vehicles as well.
The two companies signed a multi-year agreement that would give Honda access to GM’s next-generation battery system.
“This new, multiyear agreement with Honda further demonstrates General Motors’ capability to innovate toward a profitable electric portfolio,” said GM’s head of product development.
“GM’s decades of electrification experience and strategic EV investments, alongside Honda’s commitment to advancing mobility, will result in better solutions for our customers and progress on our zero emissions vision.”
Neither GM nor Honda are very experienced when it comes to full electric vehicles. On his part, GM does have the credit of producing the first purpose-designed electric vehicle coming of any major carmaker, the EV1, and is the group responsible for the Volt plug-in hybrid or the all-electric Bolt.
GM does plan a more comprehensive lineup of electric cars, targeting with them at first China, the world’s largest auto market. Over the next year and a half alone GM plans to launch no less than ten electric vehicles there, according to Matt Tsien, head of operations for GM China.
Honda, on the other hand, has somewhat steered clear of this segment. The Japanese are among the few carmakers to take hydrogen seriously when it comes to it being a very reliable source of fuel. Still, the Clarity model has not proven to be a very big hit in the markets it is sold in. Few other models are however planned for the following years.
As per the new agreement, each of the two carmakers would be developing their own vehicles, sharing only the battery.
The two have already joined hands for the development of an advanced hydrogen fuel cell system by 2020, and on Thursday have announced they would be sharing battery technology for electric vehicles as well.
The two companies signed a multi-year agreement that would give Honda access to GM’s next-generation battery system.
“This new, multiyear agreement with Honda further demonstrates General Motors’ capability to innovate toward a profitable electric portfolio,” said GM’s head of product development.
“GM’s decades of electrification experience and strategic EV investments, alongside Honda’s commitment to advancing mobility, will result in better solutions for our customers and progress on our zero emissions vision.”
Neither GM nor Honda are very experienced when it comes to full electric vehicles. On his part, GM does have the credit of producing the first purpose-designed electric vehicle coming of any major carmaker, the EV1, and is the group responsible for the Volt plug-in hybrid or the all-electric Bolt.
GM does plan a more comprehensive lineup of electric cars, targeting with them at first China, the world’s largest auto market. Over the next year and a half alone GM plans to launch no less than ten electric vehicles there, according to Matt Tsien, head of operations for GM China.
Honda, on the other hand, has somewhat steered clear of this segment. The Japanese are among the few carmakers to take hydrogen seriously when it comes to it being a very reliable source of fuel. Still, the Clarity model has not proven to be a very big hit in the markets it is sold in. Few other models are however planned for the following years.
As per the new agreement, each of the two carmakers would be developing their own vehicles, sharing only the battery.
Google News