General Motors, GE Sign MOU to Develop Joint EV and Renewable Energy Supply Chains

October 6, 2021 by Dan McCue
General Motors, GE Sign MOU to Develop Joint EV and Renewable Energy Supply Chains
General Motors headquarters in Detroit. (Photo by Steve Fecht for General Motors)

DETROIT – General Motors and GE Renewable Energy, a subsidiary of the General Electric Co., have signed an agreement to develop supply chains supporting the manufacturing of electric vehicles and renewable energy equipment.

What both companies are calling a “non-binding memorandum of understanding” in a statement released Wednesday also calls for them to jointly evaluate opportunities to improve supplies of heavy and light rare earth materials.

According to a press release issued by GM, 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 and their respective suppliers and co-sourcing partners 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 said they will also work together to help establish new supply chains for additional materials, such as copper and eSteel, 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 Shilpan Amin, GM vice president for Global Purchasing and Supply Chain in a statement included in the release. 

“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, ESG-friendly, secure and cost competitive materials,” Amin said.


Danielle Merfeld, GE Renewable Energy’s chief technology officer, said, “Working with GM gives us another tool to obtain a reliable, sustainable, and competitive source of key materials going forward.”

Merfeld predicted the agreement will help lower the cost of renewable energy and help make electric vehicles 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,” her statement concluded.

Both GM and GE Renewable Energy suggest the current MoU could well lead to other cross-company collaborations supporting the development of new technologies and processes for both automotive and renewable power generation applications.

A+
a-
  • GE Renewable Energy
  • General Motors
  • rare earth minerals
  • supply chain
  • In The News

    Health

    Voting

    Manufacturing

    May 23, 2023
    by Dan McCue
    MOUs Expand Right-to-Repair to 70% of Ag Machinery Sold in US

    WASHINGTON — Two new agreements reached between the American Farm Bureau Federation and agricultural equipment manufacturers represent a dramatic expansion... Read More

    WASHINGTON — Two new agreements reached between the American Farm Bureau Federation and agricultural equipment manufacturers represent a dramatic expansion of farmers’ and ranchers’ right to repair their own farm equipment. The memoranda of understanding with manufacturers AGCO and Kubota, announced Monday, follow earlier agreements the... Read More

    May 3, 2023
    by Dan McCue
    FDA Approves First Vaccine for Highly Contagious Lung Infection

    WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday licensed the first-ever vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, a... Read More

    WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday licensed the first-ever vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, a highly contagious virus that is a common cause of lower respiratory tract disease in older adults. The vaccine, Arexvy, was developed by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals and has... Read More

    March 14, 2023
    by Dan McCue
    Administration Lauds Boeing Jet Sale to Saudis

    WASHINGTON — Saudi Arabia’s nearly $37 billion purchase of new Boeing passenger jets is yet another sign of the United... Read More

    WASHINGTON — Saudi Arabia’s nearly $37 billion purchase of new Boeing passenger jets is yet another sign of the United States' rebirth as a global manufacturing leader, Biden administration officials declared Tuesday. Their enthusiastic assessment came just moments after Boeing announced that Saudi Arabia’s sovereign-wealth fund,... Read More

    March 3, 2023
    by Dan McCue
    Electric Drivetrain Manufacturer Investing $155M in Indiana

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Stellantis North America plans to invest $155 million in three Kokomo, Indiana, manufacturing plants that will... Read More

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Stellantis North America plans to invest $155 million in three Kokomo, Indiana, manufacturing plants that will be dedicated to the production of new drive modules for electric vehicles. Stellantis, whose parent company is headquartered in Amsterdam, Holland, is perhaps best known to... Read More

    US Economy Grew 3.2% in Q3, an Upgrade From Earlier Estimate

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Shrugging off rampant inflation and rising interest rates, the U.S. economy grew at an unexpectedly strong 3.2%... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Shrugging off rampant inflation and rising interest rates, the U.S. economy grew at an unexpectedly strong 3.2% annual pace from July through September, the government reported Thursday in a healthy upgrade from its earlier estimate of third-quarter growth. The rise in gross domestic... Read More

    December 14, 2022
    by Dan McCue
    Japanese Pharma Firm to Pay $4B for Single Drug

    TOKYO — Japanese Pharma firm Takeda has agreed to pay $4 billion in cash for a single drug invented by... Read More

    TOKYO — Japanese Pharma firm Takeda has agreed to pay $4 billion in cash for a single drug invented by Nimbus Therapeutics, a Boston, Massachusetts-based biotechnology company. The drug Takeda is buying (NDI-034858) blocks selective allosteric tyrosine kinase 2 (also known as TYK2), a signaling protein... Read More

    News From The Well
    scroll top