GM and LG Energy commit $A3.65 billion for third Ultium EV battery plant

Ultium cells, the electric vehicle battery joint venture between LG Energy Solution and General Motors, announced on Tuesday that it will invest $US2.6 billion ($A3.65 billion) in a third US battery cell manufacturing plant.

The new manufacturing plant will be built in Lansing, the capital of Michigan, on land leased from GM. Expected to create 1,700 new jobs when fully operational, construction of the new 2.8 million-square-foot facility will begin during the Northern Summer and will have around 50GWh of battery cell capacity when in full production.

“This significant investment demonstrates our commitment to strengthen our Michigan and US manufacturing presence and grow good-paying jobs,” said Mary Barra, GM chair and CEO.

“We will have the products, the battery cell capacity and the vehicle assembly capacity to be the EV leader by mid-decade.”

This third Ultium Cells manufacturing plant joins two other plants already under construction in Ohio and Tennessee and is expected to be the company’s most advanced and efficient battery cell manufacturing facility.

The Ultium Cells joint venture between LG and GM was announced in late-2019 and began construction of the first manufacturing facility in mid-2020.

Ultium Cells batteries are unique in the EV industry with their large-format, pouch-style cells which can be stacked vertically or horizontally inside the battery pack.

This allows engineers to optimise battery energy storage and layout for each vehicle design, and provide energy options ranging from 50kWh to 200kWh, enabling up to 725-kilometres of range on a full charge with acceleration of 0-100km/h in 3 seconds.

Designed for Level 2 and DC fast charging, Ultium batteries are generally used as 400V battery packs with up to 200kW fast-charging capability. However, GM’s truck platform utilises Ultium batteries in 800V battery packs with 350kW fast-charging capability.

“With a shared vision, GM and LG Energy Solution pioneered the EV sector by seizing new opportunities in the market well before anyone else did,” said Young-Soo Kwon, CEO of LG Energy Solution.

“Our third battery manufacturing plant, fittingly located in America’s automotive heartland, will serve as a gateway to charge thousands and later millions of EVs in the future.”

“This facility will lead us into a new era of manufacturing and sustainability as we push toward a zero-emissions future,” said Kee Eun, Ultium Cells president.