Ultium Cells LLC, the battery cell manufacturing joint venture of LG Energy Solution and General Motors, is investing an additional $275 million in the Ultium Cells Spring Hill plant to expand the facility’s battery cell output by more than 40 percent, from 35 gigawatt-hours to 50 GWh, when the plant is fully operational.
This new investment is in addition to the $2.3 billion investment announced in April 2021. Battery cell production at the 2.8 million-square-foot facility will begin in late 2023.
With the additional investment, the capacity expansion is expected to create 400 additional new jobs, bringing the expected plant total to 1,700 new high-tech jobs when the facility is fully operational. Hiring is already underway as the Ultium Cells Spring Hill team continues to onboard key launch team members for the business.
The facility will supply battery cells to GM’s Spring Hill assembly plant for production of the Cadillac LYRIQ and other GM Ultium Platform-based EVs.
“This investment will allow us to provide our customer GM more battery cells faster and support GM’s aggressive EV launch plan in the coming years,” said Tom Gallagher, Ultium Cells LLC vice president of operations. “Ultium Cells is taking the appropriate steps to support GM’s plan for more than 1 million units of EV capacity in North America by mid-decade.”
“Ultium Cells will play a critical role in making GM’s commitment to an all-electric future a reality,” said Tim Herrick, GM’s vice president of EV Launch Excellence. “By expanding battery cell output at Ultium Cells Spring Hill, this investment will help GM offer customers the broadest EV portfolio of any automaker and further solidifies our path toward U.S. EV leadership.”
“The increased cell production capacity at Ultium Cells will power more EVs in North America, moving toward a greener future,” said Charles Oh Young Hyun, president at LG Energy Solution Michigan. “LG Energy Solution will employ its decades-long experience in battery technology and manufacturing to produce quality products as we demonstrate our reputation as an industry leader delivering unparalleled consumer value.”
The Ultium Cells Spring Hill site joins other Ultium Cells battery cell manufacturing sites being constructed in Ohio and Michigan. The Ultium Cells facility in Warren, Ohio began battery cell production in August and continues to accelerate production volume. Ultium Cells’ Lansing Delta Township facility in Michigan is under construction and will start production in late 2024.
Gallagher added, “We appreciate the support the state of Tennessee, Maury County and Spring Hill has shown Ultium Cells, and that support is playing an important role in making this expansion investment possible in our Spring Hill facility.”
Ultium Cells expects to have more than 130 GWh of battery cell capacity when all three facilities are at full production capacity later this decade — a key enabler to GM’s commitment to lead the industry in EVs. Ultium Cells will provide battery cell capacity to support GM’s North American electric vehicle assembly capacity of more than 1 million units by mid-decade, while supporting GM plans to supply other automotive companies and other industries including rail, aerospace, heavy trucking and marine customers.
With a 30-year history in the battery business, LG Energy Solution has made consistent, large-scale investments to accumulate enough stability, credibility and manufacturing experience to invent its own cutting-edge technologies. The company established its first research facility in the U.S. in the early 2000s. In 2010, the company built its first U.S battery plant in Holland, Michigan.
