Lithium manganese-rich prismatic battery cells to be loaded onto GM’s future electric trucks and SUVs
LG Energy Solution and General Motors will roll out lithium manganese-rich, or LMR, prismatic battery cells for the latter’s electric trucks and sport utility vehicles by 2028, the companies announced Wednesday.
According to the announcement, Ultium Cells, a US joint venture between LG Energy Solution and GM, plans to begin preproduction of LMR prismatic battery cells at an LG Energy Solution’s manufacturing facility by late 2027. Commercial production is expected in the following year as GM looks to become the first automaker to equip its EVs with such battery cells.
As LMR battery cells include a higher proportion of manganese, which is more affordable than other battery cell materials such as cobalt and nickel, the two partners pointed out the latest battery development’s cost-competitiveness.
Noting that LMR battery cells can offer greater capacity and energy density, the companies said their engineers developed a new LMR prismatic battery cell that boasts 33 percent higher energy density compared to the best-performing lithium iron phosphate, or LFP, battery cells at a comparable cost.
“We’re excited to introduce the first-ever LMR prismatic cells for EVs, the culmination of our decades-long research and investment in the technology,” said Suh Won-joon Suh, head of the advanced automotive battery division at LG Energy Solution.
“GM’s future trucks powered by this new chemistry are a strong example of our shared commitment to offering diverse EV options to consumers.”
GM underlined that it aims to provide more than 634 kilometers of range per charge in an electric truck while offering cost savings for battery prices to present more affordable options to customers compared to the American automaker’s current electric trucks equipped with high-nickel-based battery cells.
“We’re pioneering manganese-rich battery technology to unlock premium range and performance at an affordable cost, especially in electric trucks,” said Kurt Kelty, vice president of battery, propulsion and sustainability at GM.
“As we look to engineer the ideal battery for each vehicle in our diverse EV portfolio, LMR will complement our high-nickel and iron-phosphate solutions to expand customer choice in the truck and full-size SUV markets, advance American battery innovation, and create jobs well into the future.”
According to LG Energy Solution, the Korean battery-maker held the largest intellectual property portfolio of LMR technology in five countries — Korea, China, Europe, Japan and the US — at the end of last year, as it had secured over 200 patents.
The companies said the LMR battery technology reinforces investments in US battery production and the responsible sourcing of critical materials like lithium, graphite and manganese from North America.
hwkan@heraldcorp.com
