Production has officially begun at the new Ultium Cells plant in Warren, Ohio, GM announced this week, with the automaker inviting Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to tour the facility and demonstrate its innovative cell manufacturing processes.
Roughly 800 employees are currently working at the Ultium Cells plant. This is the first cell production facility in America operated by the company, which is a joint venture partnership between GM and Korean supplier LG Energy Solution. GM inaugurated its first global Ultium Cells plant in Shanghai, China last year.
Governor DeWine toured the Warren Ultium plant on Wednesday, with Ultium Cells President Kee Eun and Vice President of Operations Tom Gallagher providing an interactive demonstration of its training simulators, as well as a walking tour of the cell manufacturing process where team members showcased the production of battery cells.
“During the visit, Ultium Cells highlighted its innovative cell manufacturing process driven by a growing team of more than 800,” Ultium said in a prepared statement. “The company has started cell production and continues to remain focused on training as it prepares to ramp up. At full production, the facility will create 1,300 new high-tech jobs.”
With Ultium cell production now underway at the Ohio plant, GM will be able to ramp up production of the GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq. This will also help it scale production of the BrightDrop Zevo 600 and Zevo 400 vans once production of those nameplates begins at the automaker’s CAMI plant in Canada later this year.
In addition to the Ohio plant, Ultium is also constructing new cell production sites in Michigan and Tennesee, while a fourth U.S. facility may be constructed in Indiana, as well. These plants will produce proprietary Ultium pouch cells, which offer superior packaging solutions to the cylindrical battery cells used by Tesla and many other manufacturers. GM has also said it will offer battery packs in vehicles ranging in capacity from 50 kWh to 200 kWh.
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This is big. It's one thing to dangle in front of our eyes some really attractive EVs like the Lyriq, the Blazer, etc., but it's about time to get the assembly lines rolling and get the cars on the road.
This was very important to put in an area of Ohio that has been in great need.
If they can expands and grow this plant it will easily replace what they had at Lordstown.
Most companies have been reluctant to put plants in this part of Ohio due to tough unions that have run off most jobs to the south.
I have been watching to see if Tim Ryan tried to claim any of this but so far no. He had nothing to do with anything in his 20 years of office but the loss of jobs.
It will never come close to replacing what they had. 1,300 jobs the other plant had 4000 this new plant pays 16$hr not even close to what the 4000 people were paid.
High tech jobs pay $16? That is Mickey Ds wages or is fries with that considered high tech now? I hope Ohio taxpayers didn't fork out too much cash to get a low wage factory. I hope the cost of living is cheap.
Most of the jobs will start closer to $22.50.
Also keep in mind the cost of living is cheaper there than the rest of the country. That wage goes much farther than in most other areas.
It also is a union wage so they appear fine with it.
A union wage just means you are paying taxes to the union and the government . This is from a union worker
Those days are never coming back that was a post-war blip, likely never return but it made a great life for many Boomers, hopefully they took full advantage and invested in their family’s future like mine did.
My dad was a 40-year GM factory rat. That job, beginning in the early 50’s allowed him to move us from the city to the country, my mom stayed home, he put all three of us kids through college, and still retired nicely at age 59. I did the same for my family and my mom still lives on that GM pension today.
Very exciting! Saw this last night. With Hummer and Silverado EV reservations I'll take which ever the boys and girls at GM/Ultium can get to me first.
Great to see. Cannot wait for GM to finally Ramp up BEV's
Lets see what GM is made of.
Also, great to see for the great state of Ohio
Glad to see a new US factory, but still not looking for an EV. You can’t charge the tiny number of them in CA now due to grid restrictions, how will they ever charge millions more? A good future business might be importing late model ICE vehicles to the Peoples Republic of California!
Except if you lived in CA, you’d under as tans that most individuals with an EV also had solar and charged their EV for nothing, without an impact to the grid.
That’s interesting, why would the governor tell people to not charge their EV’s? Fortunately, I’m smart enough not to live in CA. Power must be super expensive out there, solar panels don’t payout here.
Carl:
I live in an area with electricity cost just slightly less than the average US residential rate..... Had my Solar for almost 9 seasons, and it basically paid for itself (considering the present value of money) after 8 seasons... So it has been kinda worth it - since the stuff is still making juice with not too much maintenance in the earlier years.
If California had half a brain they'd incentivize people to charge during the morning when they have TOO MUCH electricity and curtail the existing solar output.... Since the SUN doesn't offer rebates for lack-of-use, and the solar panels do not wear out any faster when being used, it is just DUMB not to offer free electricity during those few hours a day.
All of California is time-of-day metering so there aren't any barriers to doing what I strongly suggest, other than political idiocy.
Obviously more usage during free times reduces usage at other times when spare electricity is scarce.
Maybe it’s just the Midwest, but the local proposals I’ve seen for the whole setup of panels, batteries, converter, and etc has about a 20 year payback. At about the time to replace most of it, so it’s a wash and not worth the inconvenience and pain of having all that nasty stuff on the roof. But power is still cheap here, for now. Glad it works for you, maybe too much weather here. How do they make power when they are covered with snow and ice?
Ohio with it's skilled workforce and industrial suppliers is probably the best location in the nation for automotive parts and assembly operations. Rich heritage of automaking and metalworking.
Folks: The reality check is now in. EV's will be mandatory in time just like seat belt useage. We may not like this, but it is real. GM would not take this plunge without getting the go ahead from a closed door meeting in DC.
The Department of Energy will provide needed electricity with mini nuclear plants. The sun and wind are only half measures. I think coal will be back through improvements in fluidized bed and emission capture technology.
Haha David !
I don't think people in general are going to worry about Excessive Plant Food for much longer..
People in Poland are lining up for COAL - and a Cord of Wood goes for 3 times the price here..
So this is the GREAT BRAINS technology progression over the past 200 years:
Wood, Coal, Oil, Natural Gas, a bit of Nuclear (with any waste issues awaiting future fast breeder usage), Wind, Solar and now the FUTURE (namely WINTER 2023) is COAL and then WOOD !!!! hahaha....
Be sure to enjoy all your new WEEDS AND ROACH menu items also. The BEEF you formerly ate will be reserved for those who are MORE EQUAL THAN THE REST OF US.... (since everyone is equal ***** (see footnote))
Just know that LG was the same company that provided the driveline for the Chevy Bolt (read 🔥)
There won’t be affordable recycling . If the new chemistries Re created , no need for the old material . Currently there are different chemistry mixtures for batteries from different manufacturers . How do you separate the base elements .
Consider this , the recycling industry still has trouble sorting different types of glass and plastics . Most ends up in landfill .
Hope the new technology doesn't require purchasing Cobalt from Communist China to build these current batteries. It's what I've heard and the media doesn't want us to know. If someone knows about Cobalt, please advise because I just learned of this horrible deal with China.
elpoki:
Congo has the most Cobalt on the planet at 3.5+ million metric tons. Mined in open pit with P&H electric shovels. This is the primary source. Dangerous element. Be sure to wear adequate face mask when working around. Big bucks in Cobalt production now that it is in demand big time like copper for electric cars.
Tesla trying to develop a Cobalt free car battery in collaboration with Panasonic at Giga factory lab in Reno. Tesla currently uses 5% Cobalt in their batteries. As we all know the battery thing is the huge part item and weak link in electric vehicles. Various outfits are setting up vehicle battery recycling operations in Nevada. In Nevada there is an area the size of Rhode Island that has been condemned forever, aka Nevada Test Site, for toxic materials and atomic radiation. The Russians dump their toxic radioactive materials on arctic sea bottoms. So much for the Green movement.