DETROIT – Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution, plans to begin manufacturing technologically advanced battery cells for GM’s electric trucks and SUVs within three years, the automaker announced Tuesday.

In a new breakthrough for battery technology, GM and LG Energy have developed lithium manganese-rich, or LMR, prismatic battery cells that would be used on GM EV trucks and full-size SUVs by 2028, according to a GM news release. The automaker wants to be the first to deploy the technology in EVs.

The final production-design of the LMR battery cells will be validated at GM’s Battery Cell Development Center in Warren, Mich., and pre-production is expected to begin at an LG Energy Solution facility by late 2027. Ultium will begin manufacturing the new cells by 2028, GM said.

Ultium Cells opened its first plant in Lordstown in 2022 and today employs more than 2,000 workers. Last year, Ultium commissioned a second facility in Spring Hill, Tenn. The plants manufacture battery cells for a wide line of GM EV products.

Battery cathodes require materials like cobalt, nickel and manganese, with cobalt being the most expensive. LMR battery cells use a higher proportion of more affordable manganese, while also delivering greater capacity and energy density.

Engineers at GM and LG Energy Solution have developed a new LMR prismatic battery cell that unlocks 33% higher energy density compared with the best-performing lithium iron phosphate-based cells – at a comparable cost.

GM’s electric truck platform has segment-leading range using high-nickel chemistry today. By combining LMR battery technology with the manufacturing and space efficiency benefits of prismatic cells, GM plans to offer more than 400 miles of range in an electric truck while achieving significant battery pack cost savings compared with today’s high-nickel pack.

“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.”

“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 Wonjoon Suh, executive vice president and 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.”