SAIC-GM starts building third Ultium super factory

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- SAIC General Motors ("SAIC-GM") on July 5 announced the commencement of construction for the third Ultium Super Factory - the Dongyue Ultium Super Factory. Nestled within the confines of the automaker's Dongyue Base in Yantai city, Shandong province, the factory is projected to launch into mass production in the first half of 2025.

Photo credit: SAIC-GM

To date, the SAIC-GM's Dongyue Base has been a powerhouse of production. It has manufactured over six million complete vehicles, and 18.2 million engines and transmissions, generating a staggering output value of 680 billion yuan. Furthermore, it has exported over 83 vehicles and 310,000 powertrain units.

A significant growth in new energy vehicle deliveries was reported by SAIC-GM on July 1. In June, the automaker achieved a new high, with 7,503 new energy vehicles delivered. This figure represented an impressive year-on-year increase of 105%, and a monthly increase of 217%.

Notably, the Buick ELECTRA E5, built on the Ultium battery electric vehicle (BEV)-dedicated platform, was a substantial contributor to this figure, with deliveries reaching 3,587 units in June alone.

SAIC-GM expressed optimism over these numbers. It highlighted that the rapid and robust growth in new energy vehicle deliveries in the first half of 2023 underscored the initial success of the automaker's electrification transformation.

The company has already rolled out three BEV models based on the Ultium platform, namely the Cadillac LYRIQ, the Buick ELECTRA E5, and the Buick ELECTRA E4. The year also expects to see the debut of Cadillac's second BEV model based on the Ultium platform. SAIC-GM plans to launch more than ten China-made Ultium-based models by 2025, reflecting the brand's commitment to the new energy frontier.