On December 13^th , 42 MAMA members logged onto Zoom to learn about new EV batteries and technology from Andy Oury, the “Engineering Technical Leader for High Voltage Battery Packs” at General Motors. Andy explained the fundamentals of battery design and how it works, including the ins and outs of GM’s own Ultium EV battery and how GM uses this battery in their current product line up.

Next, Andy discussed the different ways in which individual batteries are placed into large EV battery packs, detailing the advantages and disadvantages of each. Then came some EV battery myth-busting: Andy addressed the common misconceptions that the general public has concerning EV batteries, including materials used in manufacturing, expected life-span, refurbishing and recycling, After the presentation, the spotlight was then turned to MAMA members for a Q&A session and final wrap-up.

From parallel versus series circuits and AC versus DC charging, to the differences between batteries used in electric vehicles and those used in consumer electronics, Andy was an encyclopedia of knowledge and kept everyone engaged throughout his presentation. MAMA would like to thank Andy Oury and General Motors for sharing valuable information about their Ultium battery technology and for educating our members on, not only how EV batteries are made, but how they really work as well.