In its Ultium Cells joint venture with LG Energy Solution in Spring Hill, Tennessee, General Motors plans to start manufacturing lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells. Accordingly, GM wants to start conveting existing production lines in 2025 and expects to achieve commercial production by the end of 2027.
NCMA production to continue
LFP cells are attracting increasing interest from automakers in the United States, including Ford, as a more cost-effective alternative to previous cell types. Ultium currently produces nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum (NCMA) cells at its Spring Hill site. These batteries are used in the neighboring assembly plant for models such as the Cadillac Lyriq. The company intends to continue producing NCMA cells at its Ohio plant. In addition to LFP cells, GM is also pursuing plans to manufacture lithium-manganese-rich cells. The company claims it aims to be the first manufacturer to implement this technology on a large scale.
