General Motors (GM) and battery partner LG Energy Solution are set to begin commercial production of lower-cost cells for future electric vehicles at a US facility starting in 2028, according to AFP.
These cells will feature lithium manganese-rich (LMR) chemistry, which GM claims is more affordable than the nickel-rich cells used today. Despite the cost reduction, GM assured that the new cells will still offer the range customers expect in future electric trucks and full-size SUVs. Additionally, the cells will also be prismatic, reducing the number of parts in the battery pack by over 50%, further driving down the costs according to GM.
The Detroit automaker, which now has 12 electric vehicles in its lineup, aims to achieve low cost parity between its electric vehicles (EVs) and gas-powered vehicles. GM is working on integrating new types of cells and chemistries to help lower battery costs.
“We're adopting flexible chemistries for the best balance of range, performance and affordability,” said Kurt Kelty, GM’s vice president of battery, propulsion and sustainability, during a media briefing on the announcement. “My mission here is to get as many EVs on the road as possible. We need to get price parity with (internal combustion engine vehicles) and then this thing's just going to take off.”
The LMR cells will be manufactured at one of the two LG-GM joint-venture Ultium Cells battery plants the companies have in Ohio and Tennessee. With the LMR prismatic cells, GM expects to offer more than 400 miles of range in a single charge on an electric trucks, while significantly lowering battery costs.
GM plans to reduce its battery pack costs by $30 per kilowatt-hour in 2025.
Battery Technology in India
According to Mint, the push for affordable EV batteries is also accelerating. New alternative battery chemistries, like sodium-ion technology from KPIT Technologies are emerging as promising solutions, offering lower costs, enhanced safety and abundant raw materials.
Global Sales Predicted
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the global electric vehicle sales are expected to account for 25% of all car sales this year. IEA also expects that over 20 million EVs will be sold this year, fuelled by a 35% increase in global first-quarter sales.
