Ultium Cells investing $2.6 Billion on its third battery cell manufacturing facility in US

Ultium Cells, a joint venture of LG Energy Solution and General Motors, has announced a $2.6 billion investment to build its third battery cell manufacturing plant at Lansing, Michigan in the United States.

The facility, scheduled to open in late 2024, will supply battery cells to GM's Orion Assembly plant in Michigan and its other EV assembly plants in the country. Maximum production capacity of the plant is pegged at 50 gigawatt hours.

"This significant investment demonstrates our commitment to strengthen our Michigan and U.S. 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."

"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."

The Lansing facility joins two other Ultium Cells battery cell manufacturing sites, being constructed in Ohio and Tennessee. The state-of-the-art Lansing plant will use the most advanced and efficient battery cell manufacturing processes, the company says. The plant will be extremely flexible and able to adapt to ongoing advances in technology and materials, it adds.

Ultium batteries are unique in the industry because the large-format, pouch-style cells can be stacked vertically or horizontally inside the battery pack. 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 a GM-estimated range of up to 450 miles or more on a full charge with 0-60 mph acceleration in 3 seconds1.

Further, GM's 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.

With a 30-year history in the battery business, LG Energy Solution has also made consistent, large-scale investments to accumulate enough stability, credibility and manufacturing experience to invent its own cutting-edge technologies.

Through Ultium Cells, LG Energy Solution and GM will merge their advanced technologies and capabilities to help accelerate automotive electrification.