GM’s Ultium has arrived in China — with the Chevrolet FNR-XE Concept EV revealed last week.
The concept, developed in Shanghai, was shown as part of GM Technology Day for China. Simply put, this is China’s first concept that wraps GM’s engine and battery architecture to scale electric vehicles with local SAIC-GM sources.
On a global scale, it is of interest as the first four-door sedan the automaker has unveiled on the Ultium suite—the kind that can be mass-produced, unlike manual production, Cadillac Celestiq worth $300,000 electric hatchback.
Chevrolet FNR-XE Concept – GM China
The FNR-XE Concept has a fastback-like downward sloping roofline at the rear, with a tapered section just behind the rear passenger area. Side sculpting emphasizes the rear flanks, which may suggest that GM intends to emphasize rear-wheel drive in some versions. The nose is quite low, while the height of the passenger compartment may be the first test of how well GM can pack its large-format Ultium cells underneath in a volumetric passenger vehicle.
Several stores have reported, citing GM China sources, that the model will go into production as soon as next year, but Green Car Reports received no response to a request for more information from GM China. Country; GM in the US only noted that it was “a proof of the rapidly expanding Ultium platform.”
In any case, the FNR-XE will not be the first Ultium EV for China. As part of last week’s announcement, Buick said that it will introduce its first Ultium-based electric vehicle to China—a five-seat electric vehicle—later this year, followed by a second Ultium electric vehicle. two next year.
Future silhouette of Buick SUV – GM China
Buick EVs—and we’ll assume Chevy—debut the next-generation Virtual Cockpit System co-developed at GM’s PATAC engineering and design joint venture in Shanghai.
The company has yet to announce dimensions for the concept, although it could be similar in size to Chevrolet Equinox EV intersect at all but height and will therefore land near Tesla Model 3. That could position it against BYD-powered TOYOTA BZ3 sedan, among many other electric vehicles in the Chinese market.
Chevrolet FNR-XE Concept – GM China
GM says it will roll out more than 15 EVs by 2025 to China, so it’s possible the Chevy concept also points to a futuristic form factor GM sees for that market. As the automaker continues to move towards 30 EV models by 2025 globally, we’ll see if an affordable electric vehicle is in the US plans.
