Ultium PowerJet

A project for General Motors that expands the company's product line into accessible watercrafts.

Introduction

Early this year, I heard about a masterclass program hosted by Pensole for CMF design. The first class available was the General Motors sponsored class: "Cars and Kicks" . I hesitated to apply because I feared the unknown, but my intuition told me I had to do it.
I applied, got accepted, and spent all of March in Detroit studying CMF and working on a footwear project for GM. In April, my work in that class (see project titled "Chevrolet Lynx") led me to a CMF internship at GM. The work you're about to see is a result of the following months at GM.

Credit to Simon Wells (Product Designer), Anastasia Charnesky (3D Sculptor)

Carbon (1st CMF Theme)

vRED Pro Animation

Moodboard + Materials

Carbon is a theme that captures timelessness. It is primarily inspire by brutalist architecture and midcentury furniture. The colors are sophisticated neutrals with a pop of rusty orange. The goal was to create a color story that is unique but can appeal to wide range of consumers.

Carbon Material Tray

• Luna Woven (Polyester, acrylic blend) - easy to clean and heavyweight textile
• Chenille (Viscose, cotton, polyester blend) - soft touch, resistant to abrasion
• Brushed Nickel - Accent metal, easy to keep clean and doesn't easily oxidize
• Resin (Terrazzo texture) - Versatile and forgiving, unlike real terrazzo
• Bio-plastic (Plant sugar) - Used for interior accents, bio-based and durable
• FG Leather, lofted - Common material for interiors due to its balance of strength and soft touch.
• Amplitex (Flax-fiber, bio-resin) - bio-based fiberglass alternative used as the structure for the exterior

Pattern and Material Development

1.0 mm + 0.8 mm perf pattern

Embroidered pattern for quilting, scaled up pattern

0.8 mm + 1.0 mm sample

0.8 mm sample

1.0 mm sample

Ultium logo

1. Wanted to use utilize Ultium brand identity in subtle way by using geometric shapes

2. Went for an asymmetrical repeat pattern

3. Fixed spacing/size issues and filled in the gap with more geometry

Final Presentation

Painted RP Model (3D Printed)

Color matching the digital renders to physical paint swatches is much harder than I expected. Scaling up color from a small swatch to a 3 foot model had its difficulties. I communicated with the paint shop using this cartoon and labeled each part with the color codes. The finished paint had hues that were slightly more warm than I originally intended. Since all colors were affected, it still looked cohesive, just not an identical color match to the render.

3D Visualization

Application of colors and materials to model

Lighting development

Foreground/background development

Blank 3D Model

I managed to learn vRED Pro within 6-8 weeks. I am grateful to have had a supportive and caring team that would answer any questions I had and drop what they were doing to help. Because of my initiative and drive for learning, I was able to watch tutorials and learn from colleagues to deliver high quality renders.

Revitalize (2nd CMF Theme)

Moodboard + Materials

Revitalize is an expressive theme that highlights the contrast of patterns in the materials and sophisticated color palette.
It's fun, light-hearted, and a unique approach for the boating industry which could open up opportunities for new,
more diverse consumers.

Revitalize Material Tray

• Carnegie Xorel Mesh (Sugarcane) - highly durable, bio-based innovation
• Vinyl (Tile effect) - more durable, flexible, and cost effective alternative to tile
• Velvet, lofted (WP coating) - plush seating material that can also withstand the elements with the WP coating
• Amplitex (Flax-fiber, bio-resin) - bio-based fiberglass alternative used as the structure for the exterior
• Mycelium leather - bio-based leather alternative made with mycelium (roots of mushrooms)
• Stainless steel - strong and versatile metal for interior accents
• Acrylic - durable, flexible, can be tinted

Fortune (3rd CMF Theme)

Moodboard + Materials

Fortune is a theme of richness and warmth. I visited the Detroit Institute of Art during my internship and was inspired by not just the art, but the building itself -- including the benches, flooring, and other small details that aren't the focus of the building. The dark wood stain, emerald green walls and cushions, etc. are all quintessential aspects of what it felt like to be in the museum. By translating this into my design, the hope was that the boat felt like a museum, and that the scenery surrounding the boat is the art to be viewed.

Material Tray

• Microfiber, lofted - textile with soft touch and water repellent
• Reclaimed teak - moisture, light, and heat resistant
• Resin (Marbled effect) - Versatile and forgiving, unlike real marble
• Amplitex (Flax-fiber, bio-resin) - bio-based fiberglass alternative used as the structure for the exterior
• Brass - antique look, antimicrobial, and strong
• Kvadrat Woven (Wool, nylon blend) - Tough and environmentally conscious
• Acrylic - durable, flexible, can be tinted