Ultium Cells, an electric vehicle energy solutions project formed as a joint venture of General Motors (GM, Financial) and LG Electronics (XKRX:066570, Financial), announced yesterday a $2.6 billion investment to build its third battery cell manufacturing plant in the United States. The facility will be located in Lansing, Michigan.
Ultium Cells will build the new plant on land leased from GM, the company said in a release. The new battery cell plant is expected to create 1,700 new jobs when the facility is fully operational. Site preparation on the approximately 2.8 million-square-foot facility will begin this summer, and the plant is scheduled to open in late 2024. The facility will supply battery cells to Orion Assembly in Michigan and other GM EV assembly plants. Ultium Cells expects the facility will have 50 gigawatt hours of battery cell capacity when running full production.
"This significant investment demonstrates our commitment to strengthen our Michigan and U.S. manufacturing presence and grow good-paying jobs," said Mary Barra, GM's CEO, in the press release. "We will have the products, the battery cell capacity and the vehicle assembly capacity to be the EV leader by mid-decade."
"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, in the joint statement. "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."
âWe are extremely excited to have another home here in Lansing, Michigan," said Kee Eun, Ultium Cells' president. "This facility will lead us into a new era of manufacturing and sustainability as we push toward a zero-emissions future. Our job is to ensure flawless execution through close collaboration with our partners and the State of Michigan. We are very grateful for the Lansing communityâs support.â
The Ultium Cells Lansing site joins Ultium Cells battery cell manufacturing sites being constructed in Ohio and Tennessee, according to the company.
Barra added, âThe support of the State of Michigan, the City of Lansing and Delta Township played an important factor in making this investment in Lansing possible. This type of support will be critical moving forward as we continue to take steps to transition our manufacturing footprint to support EV production.â
"The state-of-the-art Ultium Cells Lansing plant will use the most advanced and efficient battery cell manufacturing processes," the release continued. The plant will be extremely flexible and able to adapt to ongoing advances in technology and materials.
GMâs proprietary Ultium battery technology is at the heart of the companyâs strategy to compete for nearly every EV customer in the marketplace, whether they are looking for affordable transportation, luxury vehicles, work trucks, commercial trucks or high-performance machines.
Ultium batteries are unique in the industry because the large-format, pouch-style cells can be stacked vertically or horizontally inside the battery pack, the company said. This allows engineers to optimize battery energy storage and layout for each vehicle design. Energy options range from 50 to 200 kilowatt hours, which could enable an estimated range of up to 450 miles or more on a full charge with 0-60 mph acceleration in 3 seconds.
GMâs future Ultium-powered EVs are designed for Level 2 and DC fast charging. Most will have 400-volt battery packs and up to 200 kW fast-charging capability while GM's truck platform will have 800-volt battery packs and 350-kW fast-charging capability.
