HB Ad Slot
HB Mobile Ad Slot
It's Not a Powertrain, It's a Propulsion System
Monday, February 22, 2016

What’s in a name? To General Motors, a lot. So much so that GM will no longer deal in powertrains. Instead…wait for it…Global Propulsion Systems. Whoa. We all just got very Buck Rodgers-y.

But, really, this is not much of a surprise. Powertrains have always been engines and transmissions. In the next few years, the percentage of GM vehicles (or any vehicles) powered by powertrains will shrink. As GM notes, in quoting itself in the form of Mark Reuss, executive vice president, Global Product Development, “Global Propulsion Systems better conveys what we are developing and offering to our customers: an incredibly broad, diverse lineup – ranging from high-tech 3-cylinder gasoline engines to fuel cells, V8 diesel engines to battery electric systems, and 6-, 7-, 8-, 9- and 10-speed to continuously variable transmissions.” With 50% of its Global Propulsion Systems engineering workforce geared toward non-powertrain propulsion, this move makes sense.

The simple reality is that powertrains are unlikely to be the future of the automotive industry. They won’t go away completely (at least, not for a while), but they certainly should see their share of the market reduced on an annual and continuous basis.

HB Ad Slot
HB Ad Slot
HB Mobile Ad Slot
HB Ad Slot
HB Mobile Ad Slot
HB Ad Slot
HB Mobile Ad Slot
 

NLR Logo

We collaborate with the world's leading lawyers to deliver news tailored for you. Sign Up to receive our free e-Newsbulletins

 

Sign Up for e-NewsBulletins