GM working on EV to rival Tesla
There are some reports saying that General Motors is working on developing an electric vehicle meant to challenge the Tesla Model S, a vehicle capable of a 300km plus range and make it more affordable.
According to US media reports, the GM EV will have a single-charge range of over 320km and is expected to be priced around US$30,000.
When we look at the already existing Model S, the luxury vehicle starts at US$71,070 – before federal tax credits in the U.S – capable of offering a 335km range from its base 60kWh battery which is capable of generating 225kW and 430Nm. When it comes to the range of the top-spec 310kW/600Nm Model S with its 85kWh battery goes up to 426km which commands a US$12,500 price premium.
Doug Parks – GM vice president of global product programs – is the one who broke the news of their planned EV but did not reveal when the car was going to be launched.
He continued to say that while the technology for electric vehicles is currently available, the real problem – as far as costs are concerned – is the batteries. The cost of batteries is too high for the company to be able to build the car today, at GM’s targeted price point.
The problem of expensive and inefficient batteries is a major problem even for Nissan, which is the current global leader in EV sales. On the other hand, Nissan as well as Tesla, GM and Volkswagen are actively working on advancing fuel-cell technology in order to improve the costs of EVs and increase their range.
Even though some industry players are yet to be convinced by the technology, there are enough big players on the field to ensure that this will become a competitive market in the near to medium future, with those slow on the uptake, having to struggle or pay a huge premium for the technologies that the companies are currently researching.
