General Motors is preparing to take another major step in battery technology as its Ultium Cells joint venture with LG Energy Solution plans to begin producing lithium manganese-rich (LMR) prismatic battery cells in Tennessee.
The new battery technology will be manufactured at the Ultium Cells facility in Spring Hill, just outside Nashville. If the project stays on schedule, the plant is expected to become the first facility in the world to commercially produce LMR prismatic battery cells.
For GM, the move could play an important role in the next generation of electric vehicles by combining improved energy density with the lower cost associated with more affordable battery chemistries.
Lithium manganese-rich batteries are being developed as an alternative to lithium iron phosphate (LFP), which has become one of the industry’s leading low-cost battery chemistries.
According to GM, LMR technology can deliver approximately 33% higher energy density than LFP while maintaining a comparable cost. That combination could make the technology particularly attractive for future electric vehicles where automakers need to balance range, performance and affordability.
The technology would also complement GM’s existing high-nickel battery cells rather than replace them entirely.
High-nickel batteries are expected to remain important for EVs where maximum driving range is the priority. LMR, meanwhile, could provide a middle ground for vehicles that need better performance and energy density than LFP without the higher cost associated with some high-nickel battery configurations.
That flexibility could become increasingly important as GM expands its electric vehicle lineup across different price points and vehicle segments.
The addition of LMR technology will also demonstrate the manufacturing flexibility of the Ultium Cells operation in Spring Hill.
The facility will be capable of producing battery cells using multiple chemistries and form factors. That gives GM and LG Energy Solution more flexibility to match battery technology to the requirements of individual electric vehicles.
Rather than relying on a single battery chemistry across its EV portfolio, GM can potentially use different solutions depending on the vehicle’s required range, price, performance and packaging requirements.
This approach could help the automaker reduce costs while continuing to improve EV performance.
The move also highlights the growing importance of battery manufacturing in the United States as automakers compete to develop and commercialize new EV technologies.
Construction and facility upgrades at Ultium Cells’ Spring Hill plant are scheduled to begin later this year, with completion expected in 2028.
The expansion is projected to create approximately 500 new jobs, adding to the facility’s current workforce of around 1,200 employees.
For GM, the investment represents more than an expansion of battery production capacity. Bringing LMR cells into commercial production could give the company another tool for lowering EV costs while improving energy density and maintaining a flexible domestic battery manufacturing operation.
If the technology performs as expected, LMR batteries could eventually become an important part of GM’s broader electric vehicle strategy, particularly as the automaker looks to make EVs more affordable without sacrificing useful driving range.
The Spring Hill project therefore represents an important development not only for GM and Ultium Cells, but also for the wider U.S. EV battery industry. Commercializing a new battery chemistry at scale could help accelerate the development of lower-cost electric vehicles while strengthening domestic battery manufacturing capabilities.
