Latest news with #SamAbuelsamid
NBC News
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- NBC News
GM unveils new 'groundbreaking' EV battery tech, aims to be first to market
WARREN, Mich. — General Motors expects to pioneer a new 'groundbreaking' EV battery technology that the automaker says will reduce costs and boost profitability of its largest electric SUVs and trucks. GM is targeting the new batteries and chemistry inside them — called lithium manganese-rich (LMR) prismatic battery cells — to be used in full-size electric vehicles such as its Chevrolet Silverado and Escalade IQ beginning in 2028. The new batteries use more-prevalent, less-expensive minerals like manganese instead of larger amounts of cobalt and nickel that are currently used in EV batteries from GM and other automakers. Different EV battery chemistries impact everything from the range and safety of EVs to energy efficiency and charging capabilities, among other needs. 'LMR unlocks the premium range and performance at an affordable cost,' said Kurt Kelty, GM vice president of battery, propulsion and sustainability, during a media event at the automaker's tech and design campus in suburban Detroit. 'It's a game-changing battery for electric trucks.' GM's first-to-market expectations come after crosstown rival Ford Motor earlier this month announced its intention to launch what it similarly called 'game-changing' LMR batteries before 2030. LMR batteries have been around for decades, but they've historically offered a far shorter lifespan, according to Sam Abuelsamid, vice president of market research at auto advisory firm Telemetry. It's a problem GM believes it has solved with its LMR batteries, which are being developed in partnership with LG Energy Solution. Ultium Cells, a GM and LG Energy Solution joint venture, plans to start commercial production of LMR prismatic cells in the U.S. by 2028, with preproduction expected to begin at an LG Energy Solution facility by late 2027. LMR prismatic cells Prismatic cells references the form, or shape, of the square battery cells. They've historically been used in hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius, followed more recently by EVs. GM, for several years, has been using rectangular 'pouch' cells in the U.S., while also also utilizing cylindric cells in China. GM says it first started researching manganese-rich lithium-ion battery cells in 2015, accelerating the technology development in recent years. GM expects the new prismatic LMR batteries and supporting technologies to cut hundreds of pounds from its large EVs. The new battery packs will have 50% fewer parts as well as a significant reduction in the number of modules, or cell cases, inside the vehicles' battery packs, GM said. For EVs, battery cells are typically combined into battery modules, which are then installed in battery packs that get integrated into a vehicle. Kelty said the LMR batteries will be supplemental to GM's current pouch cell batteries, formerly known as Ultium, as well as upcoming LFP — lithium iron phosphate — prismatic battery cells that are expected to be used in smaller, entry-level EVs. 'We're going through a massive growth phase in our EV side of the business,' Kelty said, noting that GM has surpassed Tesla as the top EV battery manufacturer in North America. 'We're really building a electrification powerhouse.' GM expects the LMR prismatic battery cells to have 33% higher energy density, providing addition miles of range, compared with the best-performing LFP cells, but at a comparable cost. Kelty declined to discuss the specific cost of the batteries, commonly measured in dollars per kilowatt-hour, or kWh, but confirmed the company achieved a cost reduction of $60 per kilowatt-hour last year. The average cost of battery packs for EVs dropped 20% to $115 per kilowatt-hour in 2024, according to a BloombergNEF battery price survey released in December. Abuelsamid, a former engineer turned analyst, estimates GM's packs with LMR prismatic batteries are likely around a cost of $80 to $90 per kWh. That compares with at least $125 per kWh for GM's current batteries, he said. GM declined to disclose whether vehicles with LMR batteries will be profitable upon launch. The Detroit automaker said nearly 50% of its current EVs in the first quarter were variable profit positive, meaning they generated enough revenue to cover their production costs. 'Next step' Kelty described LMR as the 'next step' in GM's EV plans. The automaker has sunk billions of dollars into electrification as part of an ongoing, yet scaled back, plan under GM CEO Mary Barra. In 2021, Barra said GM would exclusively offer EVs by 2035, investing $35 billion between 2020 and 2025. The company has since said customer demand — which has been slower than expected — will dictate its EV plans. It also has not disclosed its total EV investment thus far. GM believes the LMR batteries will assist in lowering barriers for consumer adoption of EVs. Most notably, concerns around cost and range. Other hurdles, such as charging infrastructure and consumer education, remain. GM aims to offer more than 400 miles of range in an electric truck while achieving significant battery pack cost savings compared with today's EVs.
CNBC
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- CNBC
GM unveils new 'groundbreaking' EV battery tech, aims to be first to market
WARREN, Mich. — General Motors expects to pioneer a new "groundbreaking" EV battery technology that the automaker says will reduce costs and boost profitability of its largest electric SUVs and trucks. GM is targeting the new batteries and chemistry inside them — called lithium manganese-rich (LMR) prismatic battery cells — to be used in full-size electric vehicles such as its Chevrolet Silverado and Escalade IQ beginning in 2028. The new batteries use more-prevalent, less-expensive minerals like magnesium instead of larger amounts of cobalt and nickel that are currently used in EV batteries from GM and other automakers. Different EV battery chemistries impact everything from the range and safety of EVs to energy efficiency and charging capabilities, among other needs. "LMR unlocks the premium range and performance at an affordable cost," said Kurt Kelty, GM vice president of battery, propulsion and sustainability, during a media event at the automaker's tech and design campus in suburban Detroit. "It's a game-changing battery for electric trucks." GM's first-to-market expectations come after crosstown rival Ford Motor earlier this month announced its intention to launch what it similarly called "game-changing" LMR batteries before 2030. LMR batteries have been around for decades, but they've historically offered a far shorter lifespan, according to Sam Abuelsamid, vice president of market research at auto advisory firm Telemetry. It's a problem GM believes it has solved with its LMR batteries, which are being developed in partnership with LG Energy Solution. Ultium Cells, a GM and LG Energy Solution joint venture, plans to start commercial production of LMR prismatic cells in the U.S. by 2028, with preproduction expected to begin at an LG Energy Solution facility by late 2027. Prismatic cells references the form, or shape, of the square battery cells. They've historically been used in hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius, followed more recently by EVs. GM, for several years, has been using rectangular "pouch" cells in the U.S., while also also utilizing cylindric cells in China. GM says it first started researching manganese-rich lithium-ion battery cells in 2015, accelerating the technology development in recent years. GM expects the new prismatic LMR batteries and supporting technologies to cut hundreds of pounds from its large EVs. The new battery packs will have 50% fewer parts as well as a significant reduction in the number of modules, or cell cases, inside the vehicles' battery packs, GM said. For EVs, battery cells are typically combined into battery modules, which are then installed in battery packs that get integrated into a vehicle. Kelty said the LMR batteries will be supplemental to GM's current pouch cell batteries, formerly known as Ultium, as well as upcoming LFP — lithium iron phosphate — prismatic battery cells that are expected to be used in smaller, entry-level EVs. "We're going through a massive growth phase in our EV side of the business," Kelty said, noting that GM has surpassed Tesla as the top EV battery manufacturer in North America. "We're really building a electrification powerhouse." GM expects the LMR prismatic battery cells to have 33% higher energy density, providing addition miles of range, compared with the best-performing LFP cells, but at a comparable cost. Kelty declined to discuss the specific cost of the batteries, commonly measured in dollars per kilowatt-hour, or kWh, but confirmed the company achieved a cost reduction of $60 per kilowatt-hour last year. The average cost of battery packs for EVs dropped 20% to $115 per kilowatt-hour in 2024, according to a BloombergNEF battery price survey released in December. Abuelsamid, a former engineer turned analyst, estimates GM's packs with LMR prismatic batteries are likely around a cost of $80 to $90 per kWh. That compares with at least $125 per kWh for GM's current batteries, he said. GM declined to disclose whether vehicles with LMR batteries will be profitable upon launch. The Detroit automaker said nearly 50% of its current EVs in the first quarter were variable profit positive, meaning they generated enough revenue to cover their production costs. Kelty described LMR as the "next step" in GM's EV plans. The automaker has sunk billions of dollars into electrification as part of an ongoing, yet scaled back, plan under GM CEO Mary Barra. In 2021, Barra said GM would exclusively offer EVs by 2035, investing $35 billion between 2020 and 2025. The company has since said customer demand — which has been slower than expected — will dictate its EV plans. It also has not disclosed its total EV investment thus far. GM believes the LMR batteries will assist in lowering barriers for consumer adoption of EVs. Most notably, concerns around cost and range. Other hurdles, such as charging infrastructure and consumer education, remain. GM aims to offer more than 400 miles of range in an electric truck while achieving significant battery pack cost savings compared with today's EVs.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Buick Isn't The Brand You Think It Is
General Motors has long portrayed itself as a company of brands. It's one where buyers start with an entry-level Chevrolet and work their way up through Cadillac. And for many longtime consumers, that message still resonates. But the reality is different. While Buick has long marketed its status as residing just below Cadillac in GM's pecking order, that's no longer the case. The average transaction price (or ATP) paid for a Buick is the lowest among GM brands, according to Cox Automotive. In March 2025, buyers paid an average of $74,078 for a Cadillac, $64,946 for a GMC, $47,175 for a Chevrolet, and just $35,745 for a Buick. In fact, among car brands sold in America, Buick's $35,745 ATP is the fourth-lowest in the industry, topping only Subaru at $35,076, Nissan at $32,809, and Mitsubishi at $31,692. Buick's pricing is lower than Mazda ($36,117), Kia ($36,716), Hyundai ($37,209), Honda ($37,537), and Dodge ($49,548). It has a long way to go before reaching such true premium players as Acura ($52,590), but never mind GMC ($64,946), with which it shares showrooms. While Buick is portrayed as a premium brand, its pricing tells a far different story. It's now a little more than the automotive equivalent of Target. Part of this discrepancy is due to the price spread of the products each GM brand sells, as GM's poor product planning has undermined Buick's position in the U.S. market. Buick's lineup begins with the $23,800 Buick Envista and ends with the $59,695 Buick Enclave Avenir. In between reside the $26,000 Encore GX and the $36,500 Envision. In 2024, the Envista and Encore GX accounted for nearly 60% of Buick's sales, according to figures from Automotive News. 'The bulk of their volume are two vehicles that are basically entry-level models,' said Sam Fiorani, Vice President Global Vehicle Forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions. 'It's possible that Buick changed its brand image without telling anyone.' Compare that to Cadillac, which starts at a Buick-like base price of $34,995 for a CT4 sedan, climbing to more than $350,000 for the hand-built Cadillac Celestiq EV. "Cadillac really covers a pretty broad range of premium price points. And so you don't really need Buick being at that level, price-wise, and competing with Cadillac," said Sam Abuelsamid, Vice President Market Research at Telemetry. Buick has other in-house rivals, too. GMC's offerings start at $31,995 with the GMC Terrain and ascend to $107,145 for a GMC Hummer SUV. Chevrolets start at $20,550 for a base Chevrolet Trax, lower than any Buick, but top out at an eye-watering $173,300 on the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. 'Chevrolet has some pretty high transaction prices, and it's because they sell so many vehicles that cost more than $50,000,' Abuelsamid said. So, why would Buick concentrate on lower-priced vehicles, rather than market a true premium vehicle lineup? 'What they seem to be doing is pricing them relatively close to Chevrolet, but with a little bit more upscale look and feel to it,' said Abuelsamid. 'I don't think it feels any less premium than it did 10 years ago, but it is strangely much more affordable than what you could get from Buick 10 years ago. I don't think it's a bad strategy. You know, it has certainly stabilized Buick sales in North America.' Indeed. Buick sales have risen more than 43% since hitting a modern-day low of 103,519 units in 2022. When asked about the price vs image issue, Buick wouldn't supply anyone for an interview or answer any questions. Instead, Buick spokeswoman Angelique Williams issued an emailed statement that, 'Buick's premium yet affordable portfolio is attracting new and younger customers, with Envista leading the way with 40% of buyers between 36 and 55, nearly 25% between 18 and 35 - and more than 60% were new to the brand in 2024.' While Buick could conceivably move upmarket with their products, they run into Cadillacs that start at the same price as a Buick Envision. Cadillac's price range is no different than rival Mercedes-Benz, yet GM has Buick to feed the lower end of the luxury market, something Mercedes-Benz lacks. Now that Cadillac is heading upmarket with its $350,000-plus Celestiq EV, there's little need for Cadillac to go any further down market than the new $52,895 Cadillac Optiq EV. Yet in China, Buick's lineup includes the type of high-end vehicles Buick once sold in America. It's flagship vehicle, the Buick GL8 Century, starts at the equivalent of $96,707. And Buick has been selling a line of electric vehicles (EVs), including the Electra E5, since 2023. But any thoughts of it coming to America seem distant due to slackening stateside EV demand and sky-high tariffs on imported goods from China. While Buick's uptick in U.S. sales is encouraging, it's the Chinese market that has sustained the automaker since re-entering the country in 1997. But that's changing. 'The reason Buick even exists now is because during the during GM's bankruptcy, they were selling 1.2 million units in China, and that's how they convinced the Ratner team to let Buick continue,' Abuelsamid said. 'Buick sales in China are down to about 300,000 last year, and like most other non-Chinese OEMs, they're continuing to fall.' Even worse, of Buick's current American models, only the Enclave is built in America. The rest are built in Asia. 'If Buick continues to decline in China, and tariffs put the kibosh on three of the four models that Buick sells here, then at least in North America, the Buick brand could go away. So it could become a non-issue," Abuelsamid said.
Miami Herald
11-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Buick Isn't The Brand You Think It Is
General Motors has long portrayed itself as a company of brands. It's one where buyers start with an entry-level Chevrolet and work their way up through Cadillac. And for many longtime consumers, that message still resonates. But the reality is different. While Buick has long marketed its status as residing just below Cadillac in GM's pecking order, that's no longer the case. The average transaction price (or ATP) paid for a Buick is the lowest among GM brands, according to Cox Automotive. In March 2025, buyers paid an average of $74,078 for a Cadillac, $64,946 for a GMC, $47,175 for a Chevrolet, and just $35,745 for a Buick. In fact, among car brands sold in America, Buick's $35,745 ATP is the fourth-lowest in the industry, topping only Subaru at $35,076, Nissan at $32,809, and Mitsubishi at $31,692. Buick's pricing is lower than Mazda ($36,117), Kia ($36,716), Hyundai ($37,209), Honda ($37,537), and Dodge ($49,548). It has a long way to go before reaching such true premium players as Acura ($52,590), but never mind GMC ($64,946), with which it shares showrooms. While Buick is portrayed as a premium brand, its pricing tells a far different story. It's now a little more than the automotive equivalent of Target. Part of this discrepancy is due to the price spread of the products each GM brand sells, as GM's poor product planning has undermined Buick's position in the U.S. market. Buick's lineup begins with the $23,800 Buick Envista and ends with the $59,695 Buick Enclave Avenir. In between reside the $26,000 Encore GX and the $36,500 Envision. In 2024, the Envista and Encore GX accounted for nearly 60% of Buick's sales, according to figures from Automotive News. "The bulk of their volume are two vehicles that are basically entry-level models," said Sam Fiorani, Vice President Global Vehicle Forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions. "It's possible that Buick changed its brand image without telling anyone." Compare that to Cadillac, which starts at a Buick-like base price of $34,995 for a CT4 sedan, climbing to more than $350,000 for the hand-built Cadillac Celestiq EV. "Cadillac really covers a pretty broad range of premium price points. And so you don't really need Buick being at that level, price-wise, and competing with Cadillac," said Sam Abuelsamid, Vice President Market Research at Telemetry. Buick has other in-house rivals, too. GMC's offerings start at $31,995 with the GMC Terrain and ascend to $107,145 for a GMC Hummer SUV. Chevrolets start at $20,550 for a base Chevrolet Trax, lower than any Buick, but top out at an eye-watering $173,300 on the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. "Chevrolet has some pretty high transaction prices, and it's because they sell so many vehicles that cost more than $50,000," Abuelsamid said. So, why would Buick concentrate on lower-priced vehicles, rather than market a true premium vehicle lineup? "What they seem to be doing is pricing them relatively close to Chevrolet, but with a little bit more upscale look and feel to it," said Abuelsamid. "I don't think it feels any less premium than it did 10 years ago, but it is strangely much more affordable than what you could get from Buick 10 years ago. I don't think it's a bad strategy. You know, it has certainly stabilized Buick sales in North America." Indeed. Buick sales have risen more than 43% since hitting a modern-day low of 103,519 units in 2022. When asked about the price vs image issue, Buick wouldn't supply anyone for an interview or answer any questions. Instead, Buick spokeswoman Angelique Williams issued an emailed statement that, "Buick's premium yet affordable portfolio is attracting new and younger customers, with Envista leading the way with 40% of buyers between 36 and 55, nearly 25% between 18 and 35 - and more than 60% were new to the brand in 2024." While Buick could conceivably move upmarket with their products, they run into Cadillacs that start at the same price as a Buick Envision. Cadillac's price range is no different than rival Mercedes-Benz, yet GM has Buick to feed the lower end of the luxury market, something Mercedes-Benz lacks. Now that Cadillac is heading upmarket with its $350,000-plus Celestiq EV, there's little need for Cadillac to go any further down market than the new $52,895 Cadillac Optiq EV. Yet in China, Buick's lineup includes the type of high-end vehicles Buick once sold in America. It's flagship vehicle, the Buick GL8 Century, starts at the equivalent of $96,707. And Buick has been selling a line of electric vehicles (EVs), including the Electra E5, since 2023. But any thoughts of it coming to America seem distant due to slackening stateside EV demand and sky-high tariffs on imported goods from China. While Buick's uptick in U.S. sales is encouraging, it's the Chinese market that has sustained the automaker since re-entering the country in 1997. But that's changing. "The reason Buick even exists now is because during the during GM's bankruptcy, they were selling 1.2 million units in China, and that's how they convinced the Ratner team to let Buick continue," Abuelsamid said. "Buick sales in China are down to about 300,000 last year, and like most other non-Chinese OEMs, they're continuing to fall." Even worse, of Buick's current American models, only the Enclave is built in America. The rest are built in Asia. "If Buick continues to decline in China, and tariffs put the kibosh on three of the four models that Buick sells here, then at least in North America, the Buick brand could go away. So it could become a non-issue," Abuelsamid said. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Little Trucks Are Quietly Taking Over the U.S. Car Market
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." The compact pickup has returned to America and is poised to become the next big (little-ish) thing in a competitive and fragmenting category. Since their reintroduction in 2021—via the unibody, crossover-based Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick—these vehicles have sold nearly 450,000 units, with their best sales year occurring in 2024, with over 130,000 Mavericks and over 32,000 Santa Cruzes rolling off dealer lots. These trucks are succeeding because they tap into a long-ignored need. 'People like the idea of having a pickup, and these vehicles can actually do the truck stuff that most people want—hauling mulch or topsoil, or making a run to Ikea for new patio furniture, or to Home Depot for DIY projects—without the negatives of a big truck,' says Sam Abuelsamid, director of market research for automotive consulting firm Telemetry Insight. These negatives are myriad. Full-size trucks have undergone radical enlargement, and are currently colossal, making them difficult to drive and park, challenging to clamber in and out of, guzzly of fuel, spewy of tire particles, crushy of roadways, and—as my reporting for R&T has shown—deathly cudgels, for occupants and other road users. All of these drawbacks are compounded by the fact that many owners rarely use them for truck-like behaviors. They're also expensive, with the Kelley Blue Book data posted in January showing that the average transaction price for one is nearly $65,000. Midsize trucks, revived in the first decades of the 21st century to combat these liabilities, have followed the path of their larger brothers. 'People started to want more features, more room in the cab, larger payload, more capability,' says Abuelsamid. 'So you ended up with feature creep.' To give you a sense of this enhancement, a base 2025 Toyota Tacoma is now a half-foot longer than a base 2010 Chevrolet Silverado. The realization of an unmet consumer need was evident. 'Hyundai looked at the market and said, 'Maybe now's the time to try a new compact truck,'' says John Sohn, the insurgent Korean brand's senior group manager of product planning. The Santa Cruz concept was shown in 2014 and began production at Hyundai's Georgia plant several years later. 'We wanted to create a unibody vehicle that could deliver an SUV-like driving experience, and offer quality interior materials, ride, and NVH, but with the added functionality of an open bed,' Sohn says. 'Ford did the same with the Maverick.' This isn't a new idea. Asian automakers Nissan (née Datsun) and Toyota were the first to introduce small pickups here in the 1950s. 'Toyota compact trucks helped define low-priced, convenient-sized, highly capable trucks that had excellent reliability and longevity,' says Marcus Umlauff, general manager of Toyota's truck strategy. This spurred the domestic manufacturers to lean on their Asian manufacturing partners to badge-engineer small, Japanese-built pickups for the U.S. market. GM brought out the Chevy Luv which was made by Isuzu, the Ford Courier of the 1980s was a rebadge of a Mazda, and Chrysler had a variety of pickups built by Mitsubishi, according to Abuelsamid. Some of these vehicles were subject to the so-called 'Chicken Tax,' an 25-percent tariff added to the price of imported light trucks in 1964, initially to combat the popularity of the VW T2 pickup—and as part of President Johnson's inside deal with UAW leader Walter P Reuther to quell labor unrest, and cement support for his Civil Rights legislation, in the runup to his election. To avoid the duty, some were imported in bed-less chassis cab configurations, and then 'assembled' domestically. Some 'import' truck production was eventually moved to the U.S. to avoid the tax, but mainly, this tariff helped destroy the market, allowing the Big Three to breed ever-larger trucks in an evolutionarily closed environment mainly devoid of predators, like the Komodo Dragon of the U.S. car market. Hyundai's entry into compact trucks avoids this history. 'We don't really have any heritage in terms open-bed vehicles in the U.S. market,' says Sohn. 'But Hyundai is known for trying something different.' As a bonus, in addition to helping the brand further establish its position as a market innovator, Santa Cruz has created unique sales opportunities. According to Sohn, 75 percent of its buyers are new to the Hyundai brand, and almost 25 percent of them are trading in a (non-Hyundai) full-size or mid-size pickup. Some Ford data shows that nearly 60 percent of Maverick buyers are new to the brand as well. These vehicles have become so popular that other manufacturers are taking notice. 'Compact pickups have a role within the broad U.S. truck market and will likely solidify as a distinct segment, differentiated from midsize pickup trucks,' says Toyota's Umlauff. This growing interest is confirmed by Sohn. 'Our competitive intelligence shows that Toyota is looking to enter into the space with their TNGA-C unibody platform, sub-Tacoma,' and that Chevy is 'supposed to be entering the space with a new vehicle in the low to mid $30,000 MSRP range.' Abuelsamid concurs, noting that the coming years could see iterations of compact Central or South American market trucklets like the Ram Rampage and Chevy Montana find their way to the U.S., alongside domestic production from Mazda or VW's Scout brand. 'I don't know about Honda,' Abuelsamid says. 'And Nissan probably has bigger fish to fry right now,' referring to the company's swirling financial disarray. Our global shift toward electrification could work well in this category, as proven by the Maverick, which offers a popular hybrid option. Additionally, on Thursday night, a new compact electric truck contender officially entered the space. The Jeff Bezos-backed Slate Truck was revealed as a small, modular, single-motor EV that the company says will get to customers in 2026 and start under $20,000 after federal incentives. It's a truck-SUV combo that's supposed to be as barebones and financially accessible as possible. That means crank windows and no infotainment screen. 'Electrification, even full EV, makes more sense for compact trucks because customers buying those are not expecting to be able to tow big trailers for long distances like they would in a full-size truck. It's more putting stuff in the bed, driving it around town,' says Abuelsamid. Yet Hyundai's Sohn isn't convinced compact EV pickups will flood the market in the near future due to possible cost-associated roadblocks. But while he sees the category likely to grow, he offers one caveat. 'The question for OEMs that have an existing pickup in the mid-size space is what it would do to their total volume and profitability,' he says. 'Would it cannibalize sales, which is something Ford has seen with people buying Maverick instead of Ranger.' Personally, I'm ready to witness some cannibal action if it means more small trucks populating our roads again. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
