Magnetics Business & Technology - May/June 2022 - 8

FEATURE ARTICLE
GM's 180-kW, permanent magnet EV motor will be used for front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive applications
...The company plans to invest nearly $154 million to renovate
the facility and purchase and install new machinery and equipment
used in the production of the stator module. Renovations
are already underway. The plant currently produces radiators,
condensers, heater cores, evaporators, HVAC modules, oil coolers
and other components used in a variety of GM trucks. GM
estimates it will add about 230 positions there between 2023 and
2026 to support the transition.
" This is an excellent example of how we are bringing our
workforce along on the journey to an all-electric future while we
scale our EV production capacity and maintain a flow of parts for
our current vehicles, " said Gerald Johnson, GM executive vice
president of global manufacturing and sustainability. The plant
was founded in 1910 as the Harrison Radiator Company and has
more than 1,500 employees today.
GM and GE Renewable Energy, a major manufacturer of
permanent-magnet wind turbines, recently signed an agreement
to evaluate opportunities to improve supplies of heavy and light
rare earth materials and magnets, copper and electrical steel
used for manufacturing of electric vehicles and renewable energy
equipment.
The initial focus of the collaboration will be on creating a North
America- and Europe-based supply chain of vertically integrated
magnet manufacturing that both companies will use in the future.
Metal alloys and finished magnets produced from rare earth
materials are critical components used in manufacturing electric
motors for automotive and renewable power generation. The
companies will also work together to help establish new supply
chains for additional materials, such as copper and electrical
steel, that are used in automotive traction motors and renewable
power generation.
" A secure, sustainable and resilient local supply chain for electric
vehicle materials is critical to the execution of GM's vision of an
all-electric future, " said GM's Amin. " Motors are one of the most
important components of our Ultium Platform, and the heavy
and light rare earth materials are an essential ingredient in our
motor magnets. The combined scale of GM and GE will enable
us to unlock the potential for securing low-carbon footprint, ESGfriendly,
secure and cost competitive materials. "
" At GE Renewable Energy, we constantly innovate, both through
our products like the Haliade-X, the most powerful offshore wind
turbine built today, as well as by developing strategic collaborations
that can help us accelerate the energy transition, said
Danielle Merfeld, chief technology officer for GE Renewable
Energy. " Working with GM gives us another tool to obtain a reliable,
sustainable, and competitive source of key materials going
forward that will help us lower the cost of renewable energy and
drive more electrification by making EVs a more viable option for
consumers. We are also excited to partner with GM to explore
opportunities to develop critical supply chains in the U.S. and
further reduce CO2 emissions. "
As a part of the agreement, GM and GE Renewable Energy will
also evaluate potential cooperation to support the development
of new technologies and processes for both automotive and
renewable power generation applications. Another aspect is to
collaboratively engage from a public policy perspective, together
with other co-sourcing partners, to seek policies that are supportive
of their shared objectives in the establishment of secure,
North American and European based supply chains for rare
earth, copper and electrical steel materials needed to support
electric vehicle and renewable power generation growth.
For more info, see www.gm.com, www.vacuumschmelze.com,
and www.ge.com/renewableenergy.
8 Magnetics Business & Technology * May/June 2022
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