General Motors and LG Energy Solution plan to start making cheaper lithium manganese-rich (LMR) battery cells for future electric vehicles in the US by 2028. These new prismatic cells will cut the number of parts in the battery pack by more than 50% and aim to provide over 400 miles of range in electric trucks.
General Motors and its battery partner, LG Energy Solution, plan to begin making cheaper battery cells for future electric vehicles at a factory in the US starting in 2028, the companies announced on Tuesday.
The new battery cells will use a lithium manganese-rich (LMR) chemistry, which GM says is cheaper than the nickel-rich cells used today. These cells will still provide the driving range for future electric trucks and large SUVs.
Unlike the current pouch design, the new cells will be prismatic. According to GM, this change will reduce the number of parts in the battery pack by over 50%.
GM, which now offers 12 electric vehicles, is working to reduce battery costs to make their electric cars as affordable as gas-powered ones. They are doing this by adding new types of cells and different chemistries to the batteries.
Kurt Kelty, GM’s vice president of battery, propulsion, and sustainability, said their goal is to find the best balance between range, performance, and cost. He added, “Our mission is to get as many EVs on the road as possible. Once we match the price of gas-powered cars, electric vehicles will really take off.”
The LMR cells will be made at one of the two battery plants in Ohio and Tennessee, a joint venture between GM and LG.
With these new prismatic cells, GM expects their electric trucks to offer more than 400 miles on a single charge while also significantly lowering battery costs, according to Kurt Kelty.
GM expects to cut its battery pack costs by $30 per kilowatt-hour in 2025, though they haven’t shared the current price per kilowatt-hour. They also plan to offer vehicles with batteries made from lithium-iron-phosphate, which is cheaper than nickel-based batteries. Kurt Kelty said the GM will share more details soon.
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