GM, the US automotive company, and Samsung SDI from South Korea have decided to finalise the US battery cell plant the companies jointly announced in 2023. This new, Indiana-based, $3.5 billion plant will have an initial capacity of 27GWh, building prismatic cells.
GM said the new products will be added to its battery technology portfolio. According to Reuters, the operations are to begin in 2026. The South Korean battery maker said the joint plant is aiming for 36GWh mass production in 2027. The new factory is expected to create more than 1,600 jobs.
The new plant will produce NCA-based high-performance nickel-rich prismatic batteries. Samsung SDI said the batteries will not only improve driving range through high energy density, but will also enhance safety with its exterior and venting system.
Kurt Kelty, VP of battery cell and pack at GM, said: “This cooperation is helping us to continue to increase performance and lower costs in the future. The Samsung SDI joint venture paves the way for our next-generation EVs to provide customers with the latest battery technology, improving EV performance and the ownership experience.
“Building on last year’s partnership with GM, the number one automaker in North America, we have established a premium battery production hub to lead the US EV market,” said Samsung SDI CEO Yoon-ho Choi. “We will make best efforts to support GM enhance its leadership in the EV market with the company’s PRiMX battery products featuring ‘Super Gap’ technology.”
GM has previously established cooperation with LG Energy Solution, another South Korean battery cell supplier. The joint venture, Ultium Cells, is operating two battery cell plants in Ohio and Tennessee. These plants will also power GM’s upcoming EVs, including the Cadillac Escalade iQ, GMC Sierra EV and Cadillac OPTIQ.
