GM aims to fully electrify its light-duty vehicle fleet by 2035, and to make that happen, The General is making huge investments to expand its EV production capacity. Critically, GM has now pulled ahead in one of the most important areas of the EV transition, namely battery cell production.
In fact, according to a recent report by Bloomberg, GM is now producing more battery cells in the United States than Tesla, its primary rival in the U.S. electric vehicle market.
This leap forward was driven primarily by a dramatic production ramp-up at two Ultium Cells battery plants, including one in Warren, Ohio, and another in Spring Hills, Tennessee. The two facilities were built as part of a joint venture between GM and South Korean battery producer LG Energy Solution, and although the facilities have yet to hit full capacity, they’re already producing enough cells to power one new electric vehicle every minute.
Only 250 workers currently staff the Ultium Cells facility in Tennessee, overseeing a highly automated system that executes complex production tasks spanning chemical mixing, coating, curing, and cell stacking. Once finished, the cells are shipped to various vehicle assembly lines to power GM models like the Cadillac Lyriq, Chevy Blazer EV, Chevy Equinox EV, and Cadillac Vistiq, as well as jointly produced models like the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX.
GM’s EV battery ramp-up strategy leans heavily on automation and artificial intelligence, with AI-powered cameras handling real-time quality checks, and robotics assisting in installation and handling. This provides impressive operational efficiency, giving GM a significant edge in scaling up production.
General Motors has committed $35 billion to its EV transition, with plans to cut battery costs through scale and design innovation. The automaker has already achieved a $60 per kWh reduction in battery pack costs and is targeting a further $30 cut by the end of the year. New lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry is expected to play a role in these cost-reduction efforts, while new prismatic cells offer higher energy density and more compact packaging.
GM’s momentum in domestic cell production puts it in a strong position, with Tesla, which has historically led the domestic EV race, now facing rising pressure. However, political headwinds, such as potential changes to EV tax incentives and tariff pressures, still pose significant challenges.
Comments
I wish this article would have explained why gm is making more battery cells than Tesla in the US, when it is selling significantly fewer EV’s – less than half Tesla’s US volume. Is it that gm EVs require far more smaller cells?
No, the GM EVs uses significantly fewer cells, as theirs are much larger. Tesla has thousands of what a basically flashlight batteries wired together.
GM has been, until recently, battery supply constrained resulting in fewer EVs being built. With the recent new production capacity coming online, GM now has the ability to rapidly scale EV production. Although the timing is bad, since Trump’s idiocy is throwing the auto industry in turmoil.
Trump’s idiocy? You mean putting tariffs on imported junk produced by slaves in China?
You still haven’t answered why it is ok for foreign countries to levy tariffs but it is bad when the U.S. does it.
Trump is also putting Tariffs on our closest allies that impact production as well not just China.
He is throwing the auto industry into chaos by putting tariffs on Canada and Mexico where a huge percentage of parts for American make cars come from. He is also lying to you about how much tariffs are put in American goods. And he is breaking the USNCA, a trade deal he signed. He called it a terrible deal, when he claimed it was the best trade deal ever signed when he made it. He even tariffed an island with no human inhabitants, just penguins. The guy is senile and has no clue what is going in around him.
Exactly the first question came to my mind too when I read the title. How is that even possible when you consider Tesla sells much more EVs than GM and also GM battery form, they called pouch cells, looks like much bigger than Tesla’s cylindrical cells. For example Model Y long range’s 75 kWh battery has 4680 cells. How many cells GM’s Silverado EV and Hummer EV’s gargantuan 200 kwh battery require? Like billion?
Larry, Tesla uses batteries that are 46mm wide and 80mm tall, i.e. 4680 cells. There are 830 of them in a Model Y.
They continue making cars nobody wants and boost of that accomplishment, but I order a 2025 Traverse five (5) months ago and it is still not in line for production…… I think I will just order a Toyota……
ROFL
Sorry to break the news pal. But my 2016 Rav4 needed a $6k transmission replacement at only 90k miles and that was with it getting a fluid change at $80k miles as well as meticulously maintained all around. They are ALL GARBAGE these days even the supposed king of reliability.
Needless to say, this will be my last Toyota because for me to buy an unreliable pile of crap, it may as well be an appealing unreliable pile of crap like an Alfa Romeo.
I agree GM has let down their customer base with all the stupid EV endeavor and quality is in the toilet. I have been a GM customer my whole life and my last purchases was 6 Escalades in the last 10 years.
With that being said I’m turning to Lexus and Mercedes for my new ICE vehicle.
I’m praying for GM to get their head out of their rear ends and fix their quality and put the customers first.
ROFL!!
I am sure GM is crying over your threat.
Go GM and keep it up. Thats 525k cars that can have batteries if my math is right. Meanwhile simply #boycottTESLA
And I do wonder if the EV haters are just older people? Nevermind dont answer that.
not true i own a Cadillac lyric and love it! lot of cry baby’s on this site always complaining about Trump but never a word about Sleepy! everyone should choose the car they buy and stop complaining!