The final steel beam has officially been installed at the Ultium Cells plant in Lansing, Michigan. This event marks the competition of the battery manufacturing facility’s steel structure after construction officially began back in September 2022.
The Ultium Cells Lansing plant is set to mass-produce GM Ultium battery cells following a $2.6 billion investment from GM and LG Energy Solutions.
“We are very pleased by the safety expertise and collaboration that continues to contribute to our rapid construction progress,” said Ultium Cells Lansing Plant Director Grace Griffin. “While construction persists, we are excited to continue advancing our investment within the Lansing community through education, community involvement, workforce development and career training. We are grateful for the continued support and collaboration from our community partners.”
By the time of completion – which is slated sometime in late 2024 – more than 500,000 construction hours will have been dedicated towards the 2.8-million-square-foot facility. The building itself will feature an open floor concept, with a main corridor spanning a length of a half mile. In addition, future employees will benefit from clean room environment workspaces and wall treatments.
When finished, the Lansing plant will be the third Ultium Cells facility in the U.S., joining GM’s plants in Ohio and Tennessee. Positioned close to the GM Lansing Grand River, Lansing Delta Township and GM Factory Zero plants, the Lansing facility will supply battery cells for a variety of future GM electric vehicle models, including the Chevy Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV. It will employ roughly 1,700 people once it’s fully operational in 2024 and will support an annual battery production capacity equivalent to 50 gigawatt-hours.
It’s worth noting that while GM is planning to build a fourth Ultium Cells plant, LG Energy is not willing to commit, thus putting the potential fourth facility in limbo. As GM Authority reported, LG Energy is apparently deterred by the speed and scope of battery production needed to meet GM’s EV timetable. As a result, General Motors will need to find another partner to build its proposed Ultium Cells plant in Indiana.
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