The new Ultium Cells battery production facility is currently under construction on a 158-acre plot of land in Lordstown, Ohio. When it’s completed, the plant will be roughly equivalent to some 30 football fields in terms of size, with an annual capacity of more than 30 gigawatt-hours, plus room for expansion.
A rendering of the completed facility.
General Motors recently announced that it was hiring 1,100 new workers to mass-produce batteries at the Ultium Cells facility.
Built through a strategic partnership between General Motors and South Korean chemicals company LG Chem, the new Ultium Cells facility will cost about $2.3 billion to construct. GM and LG Chem hold equal ownership of the facility. The 158-acre plot of land on which the facility is being built was purchased last year for $5.1 million. GM originally sold the land following its 2009 bankruptcy. Construction of the new battery plant began in May of this year.
With General Motors committing to “at least” 20 new all-electric vehicles by the 2023 calendar year, the new Ultium Cells facility will mass-produce the batteries used to power GM’s deluge of new EVs. The automaker says that once it is up and running at full capacity, the Ultium Cells facility is expected to dive cell costs below $100 per kWh.
This year, General Motors has made significant strides towards ushering in its stated goal of an all-electric future. Back in March, the automaker introduced the new Ultium battery technology at the EV Day press event in Michigan. Then in August, GM unveiled the Cadillac Lyriq EV show car, a near-production ready concept previewing Caddy’s up-and-coming luxury crossover.
Additionally, GM debuted the GMC Hummer EV pickup truck just last month, reintroducing the Hummer nameplate as an all-new battery-driven utility vehicle.
Both the Cadillac Lyriq and GMC Hummer EV will feature Ultium battery technology.
Finally, General Motors has invested $2.2 billion into its Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant for retooling and upgrades, transforming the facility into GM’s first dedicated electric vehicle plant. The facility has since been renamed “Factory Zero.” Another $2 billion is being invested to build EVs at the GM Spring Hill assembly plant in Tennessee.
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Comments
Way to go! I’m very excited for those who will pilot this segment of the industry. Well done.
bet they are glad that trump did not win reelection
Motorman. Not to get political but this areas voted heavy for Trump as his pressure to bring the plant here was a big help. Along with the positive PR and a good relationship with Ohio.
Like him or not that is part of what happened. GM just as easily could have moved this to Michigan.
I’ve not heard about that particular order of events. To you have link to an article or credible news report? I would like to read about it.
NorthPoint to Redevelop Former General Motors Property in Ohio
There is a picture of this property with new factories from November 11, 2 0 1 4 at the above site. Yes 6 years ago.
GM took the bankruptcy bailout money from the American taxpayers to keep good jobs in the United States. Then they started the new Blazer in Mexico and closed down Lordstown and three other US plants.
General Motors received 60 million in tax breaks from the state of Ohio with a promise they would keep the Lordstown assembly plant open until 2027 and keep 3000 plus Americans employed. They lied
Correct me if I’m wrong but these 1100 new jobs will pay about $16 an hours. They will never replace the 4500 good paying jobs lost when GM closed Lordstown.
General Motors fleecing America.
Give this a thumbs down if you are on Mary Barry’s goon squad but either way, these are the facts.
the unions got too greedy and forced GM ro move out of the states. notice the transplant auto companies which are non union are not having problems and are hiring.
Completely untrue.
You are spewing GMs garbage.
The only one that is greedy is GM and Mary Barry.
If all Lordstown union workers worked for FREE, The Cruze was STILL more expensive than other cars in its class.
It’s time to stop blaming the union for all GMs problems. The union is so weak now, they just follow what GM says. They DO not control anything anymore.
GM is running the show but still trying to blame the union for every failure
Big Facts. They are just forcing electric down the consumers throat. Thing is, right now, it’s not what the majority of consumers want…. More bailouts inbound for GM and Ford? I thought GMs stock was a bit under valued before Covid plummet, but now I don’t understand why its climbing so quickly with no competitive b/c ice vehicles in the pipeline. GM needs to clarify its partnership with Honda and establish a presence in the B/C ice segment to remain relevant. Colorado sales are way down, and it looks like full-size trucks will be down as well… Maybe it’s time to prioritize a replacement for the Cruze and Sonic. Something better than the Trailblazer, with an engine that wasn’t designed in communist China.
Parts suppliers are not very good jobs anymore especially since bailout days when the government picked them as losers pensions gone or significantly reduced.I have not heard about who is going to make motors/drive assembly’s if it is suppliers or quasi suppliers good paying jobs will be limited. go to collage or push your kids that way or live the low wage life
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-threatens-to-cut-gm-subsidies-1543347460
This is just one of more on things discussed. Even moving the ventilator production there was discussed.
The reality is that no matter who was President no one can force a company to do anything here. It is a free country yet.
The new jobs are $17 to $30 an hour and are not assembly line jobs hence why they are not getting line offers.
Here are the listings of jobs offered https://www.ultiumcell.com/join-our-team
Not many are listed yet.
As it goes this is a new deal and new company While they may be lower to start pay will go up with time. Also it needs to be competitive with other plants in other areas.
The Youngstown area has had a rep for being hard line union and companies left and many more never came back as there were more competitive markets.
It is the cold harsh reality They need to be competitive to get the companies to come.
This is my first time “chiming in” on this site. I appreciate all of the knowledge that is presented here!
My question about GM and its commentary about all of the BEV models coming to market in the next couple of years; how come we have NOT seen any spy/prototype models out being tested?? The C8 Corvette was wildly documented leading up to its release!
Just my 2 kilowatts worth 🙂
Todd there are some factors here in play not like normal development.
#1 none of the new vehicles exist yet. The Hummer we see is just a show piece.
#2 because of the nature of EV vehicles they can be developed in a very short time. Under the body the all will use a series of the same motors and batteries. Only the details will change. They will have less needs like emissions testing, fuel system, exhaust systems etc.
#3 many of these parts have already been tested and used i vehicles that look like a regular truck. GM has used truck bodies to hide much of this.
#4 Corvettes get followed as the spy photos pay much better vs a Silverado with a battery you can’t see.
These EV products are going to come together much different and faster conventional vehicles. They will be built much like computers.
The other issue is like Tesla with long periods of time from intro to production GM has the funds to build these unlike Tesla that has to wait for the funding to come from products bringing it in. Tesla has no ICE trucks paying the bills.
GM most likely feels better that biden won when it come to BEVs. if gas goes back up to $4 + a gallon because they stop fracking GM will have a better chance of selling BEVs. all you people who cannot afford a $30/$40K car are just going to be out of luck and just buy used cars. in the future there will be only 2 classes of cars luxury and used cars.
Well companies are generally atypical to who wins as they donate to both and prepare for both.
But yes if Biden hits fossil fuels hard it will play into the GM investment better.
GM just has to worry about the timing of regulations and their pricing of product and infrastructure to charge.
I do expect timing of regulations to be variable. If you ban gas with a hard date and people unable to afford a new or used EV people will rebel.
It is kind of like the switch to digital TV. Things moved around a bit till digital TV models got affordable.
Yes what we need is a carbon tax and to use the proceeds to extract the carbon put in the air from the air.
I think a lot has to do with the short development time needed to build and so much work can be done within the facilities. We really won’t see any running around until closer to release date.
The typical time it takes GM to bring a product to the market is about 3 years. Hummer allegedly was done with an 18 month window. My guess is that while we are used to seeing ICE vehicles testing for a year and a half before launch, EVs will have about 9 months of testing.
Might also note as time goes on many of the jobs just here will offset the losses of the final years of the plant.
The area lost 20,000 various jobs since 1990 so while much was made of the final 1700 there was much more paint over the last several decade.
C8.R….Thank you for your insight, regarding the new methods of vehicle development. I guess, when I look at how the Mustang Mach-E was “documented” along its development, it hightened my expectations of current day vehicles.
Going back to my teenage years of the 80’s, reading the latest copies of: Motortrend, Car and Driver and Automotive News, would have the grainy shots of prototype and development mules being captured.
I always enjoy your writings and commentary, that you provide on this site. It is always apparent when commentators have practical knowledge and experience!
The Mach E is Fords attempt to show they can and are doing an EV.
Ford is tight on money as the stock prices are down and the F150 has not been as profitable as the price of aluminum has cut into the profits.
Ford put all their focus no pun intended into the Mach E. It is just one vehicle vs where GM is doing a all out program on a flexible platform that will bring many models not just a couple.
Ford has an agreement yo gain some of the tech from VW and bought into Rivian.
Also we still have the mystery of the Mach E at the GM proving grounds https://gmauthority.com/blog/2019/10/what-was-a-ford-mach-e-prototype-doing-at-gm-milford-proving-grounds/
The old days of spy photos are not what they used to be. Security is tight and generally they do much to keep things unseen. If it is seen it often is something they want leaked.
They will work with photographers at times to show what they want. Or like at 5he Warren Proving grounds they know were they can be seen from the outside and they will make a few runs to get the shots.
It used to be GM people would say I should not show you this but look. Today they really speak little of what is going on. People hove lost jobs and a few have gone to jail. It just is not the game it once was.
at $100 per kWh, EVs are supposed to reach cost parity with ICE vehicles. so if gm is able to do that, it would be quite an achievement.
This is supposed to allow GM to hit a cell cost below $85/KWh by 2024.
This is very important! This is where much of the cost are.
$40K EVs are $20K cars with a $20K fuel tank
What you forget is less the battery the rest of the car is very cheap to build. Bodies and interiors are cheap.
Building engines, transmissions, then passing emissions testing then adding a rear dif and exhaust this all is added cost in not only materials but labor.
Just passing the emissions for a vehicle is very costly just as mog testing.
C8.R:
Just wanted to say thanks for your posts. Very informative. I appreciate it and I’m sure others do too.
No, that is not true. An EV has more technology in it and have more value than an ICEV, and saves on maintenance cost later. But why complain about the price, unless YOU cannot afford it?
Technology once the return on investment arrives will become so very much cheaper.
Just look at my MacBook Pro 16” and how much power and even with just 1 TB is so very cheap vs computers just a few years ago.
Save for cell phones, TVs and other electronics the price falls fast.
The key to make this work is to get the price down to where people see it as a viable option for the average buyer.
For EV to be a viable option it needs to be affordable.
Yes I can afford one but this is about more than me!
As for this saved maintenance. In the first 10 years it is rare to do more than oil and filter changes. Brakes depending on the driver or vehicle. Even then changes are nearly 7 to 10 thousand miles.
Now here is the evil side some will not talk about. Electric technology gets old fast. Batteries also are not always the same on life. There is a strong possibility that as EV cars age and tech advances many may not be worth much or in demand.
Like an IPhone 5 it is old news and few people want one especially with an old original battery.
EV may really change how we look at used cars.
that iphone5 probably does at least 75% of what the latest one does. and the remaining 25% is mostly fluff anyway.
apple is full of tricks to get you to upgrade like making it as difficult as possible to repair their devices.
I can see going back to a 10 year life cycle of vehicles.Crashes will take out used motors/drive assembly’s. Batteries unless the cost or cost of rebuilding drops significantly will make old cars worthless.
It’s GREAT that GM, FOMOCO etc. are seriously into the devopment of “electrified vehicles”.
Way less moving parts and life expectancy of “engines” are far longer & more trouble free.
Great minds! Can’t wait to see and utilize the electric vehicles …. including trucks of course.
any news from GM regarding new vehicles going to the Ingersoll plant in ONTARIO. Despite the great news that GM is investing and reopening the Oshawa plant and also investing in the ST.catherines GM plant.