General Motors Teams Up With LG To Develop All-Electric Chevrolet Bolt

The South Korean company said its partnership with GM will combine “expertise in infotainment, battery systems and component development” with GM’s electric motor knowledge and ability to integrate computer systems and vehicle bodies. In February, GM said it would actually make the vehicle at its Orion assembly plant in Michigan. LG Electronics provided the vehicle communications module for OnStar, while LG Chem, another LG company, was picked to be the sole supplier of battery cells for the plug-in hybrid, Chevrolet Volt, which was unveiled in 2010.

General Motors has selected LG Electronics as its strategic partner for developing the next generation Chevrolet Bolt EV. LG subsidiaries such as LG Electronics and LG Chem worked closely with GM to develop the prototype systems in the Bolt EV concept.

“Chevrolet needs to be disruptive in order to maintain our leadership position in electrification”, said Mark Reuss, GM executive vice president of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. The Chevy Bolt will have a driving range of 200 miles per charge, and will have a base price of $37,500 before tax credits (the most popular credit will no doubt be the federal one which rings in at $7,500).

GM executives say the Bolt will sell in the high $20,000s after government rebates, a price that will be hard for others to beat.

There now exists a collaboration between Chevrolet and LG Corporation to work on creating a production version of the Chevrolet Bolt.

General Motors gave an official statement that this official partnership will be an unprecedented supplier relationship for both parties.

GM affirmed this week that it plans to begin production of the Bolt – which would be the first-ever, U.S.-made, mass-market EV – in late 2016.

LG supplies 11 systems to the Bolt including inverters, monitors, heating and air-conditioning system, entertainment system, and the power control module. The new auto can travel more than 200 miles on a single electric charge.

This is much from GM’s first rodeo with the electronics business.

With this new deal, LG will also be supplying a few other parts for the Chevrolet Bolt.

LG calls this electrical vehicle a sophisticated ride.