Lordstown Gives Final OK for $2.3B Battery Plant

LORDSTOWN, Ohio – The Lordstown Village Planning Commission has approved the site plan for the Ultium Cells LLC battery plant, the final step in the permitting process for $2.3 billion plant.

The approval was the final permit required for the joint venture between General Motors and LG Chem to begin construction. Site work began in mid-April and is on schedule, a spokesman said. 

“We appreciate the continued support from the Lordstown community leaders,” said Dan Flores in a statement. “This approval is the next step forward in our commitment to invest more than $2 billion to build a world-class battery cell manufacturing plant in Lordstown. The project continues to move full speed ahead.”

The permit allows for concrete to be poured and underground piping to be installed, as well as finalizes the location of the building, parking lots and road connections on the 158-acre site.

Once operational, the plant will produce battery cells for General Motors’ electric vehicles, including the Cruise Origin, GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq. The batteries will also be used in two yet-to-be announced Honda vehicles.

In March, GM announced it was going to invest $20 billion in creative an all-electric vehicle lineup – including 13 electric vehicles by the time the plant begins operations in 2022 – powered by the Ultium battery cell.

A day after that announcement, GM officials held a public input meeting in Lordstown and declared the village its “ground zero” for the electric transition.

Pictured: A rendering of the GM-LG Chem battery plant in Lordstown.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.