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General Motors To Continue Relationship With LG Energy Solution

General Motors CEO Mary Barra has indicated that The General will continue its relationship LG Energy Solution following a massive recall of LG-battery-equipped Chevy Bolt EV and Chevy Bolt EUV vehicles.

As GM Authority covered previously, General Motors extended a product recall last week to include all units of the Chevy Bolt EV and Chevy Bolt EUV, bringing the grand total to more than 73,000 units. The recall includes models sold in the U.S. and Canada, and stems from a defective anode tab and folded separator, which is believed to have caused 10 vehicle fires. The recall is estimated to cost $1.8 billion.

However, in a recent interview with Bloomberg, GM CEO Mary Barra indicated that the automaker won’t walk away from its partnership with LG Energy Solution in the wake of the Bolt recall. Barra also indicated that the automaker has “multiple pathways” laid out to achieve GM’s goal of becoming a leader in the electric vehicle segment, including via GM’s new Ultium battery platform set to provide the juice in the new GMC Hummer EV pickup and SUV, as well as the Cadillac Lyriq luxury crossover.

“With our joint venture with LG, who is a valued partner, we’re going to be able to combine their expertise with our expertise, so I have a lot of confidence in our Ultium platform,” Barra told Bloomberg.

Barra added that General Motors is not necessarily tied to one battery technology or design with regard to future GM EV models.

“We have multiple pathways with battery technology to make sure we’re going to have a leadership position,” Barra said. “The flexibility that’s been designed into the Ultium platform is many different chemistries can be introduced.”

One possible way forward for General Motors is through its partnership with SolidEnergy Systems (SES). Back in March, GM announced a new development agreement with SES intended to advance the automaker’s lithium metal battery tech, as well as plans to build a manufacturing prototyping line in Massachusetts, and plans to release a new high-capacity, pre-production battery in 2023.

For now, though, General Motors will need to contend with the existing Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV recall, as well as forge ahead with plans to construct four new battery plants in the U.S.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. More fire updates on the way!

    Reply
  2. When you’re in a hole, stop digging.

    Reply
  3. At this point, LG is just means to an end for GM: getting EVs on the road while learning the battery development and manufacturing process. Then, eventually going it alone once they develop their own unique battery OR buying an up-and-coming battery company. If the latter, SolidEnergy Systems seems like a potential future acquisition of GM if their solid state battery tech pans out.

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    1. lg is probabaly thinking along the same lines. i’m sure they have their own plans with or without gm.

      Reply
  4. I hope LG helps offset some of the costs for the recalls.

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  5. Panasonic is the battery vendor for Tesla. Interesting that Asian players are currently. the leaders in batteries for electric motor vehicles. Surprised that large US electric players are not in the game like GE, Emerson, etc.

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    1. There is a reason: Asian companies still do research and development.

      Reply
  6. The problem may be with the manufacturing of pouch type lithium-ion batteries. We will probably see a shift to solid state batteries once the technology is perfected and manufacturing costs fall. Still pretty early in the BEV game, but the technology is really moving.

    Reply

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