GM's New Battery Tech: Cheaper EVs by 2028

General Motors Introduces New Lithium-Manganese-Rich Battery Chemistry

General Motors announced on Tuesday the development of a novel battery chemistry, designated lithium-manganese-rich (LMR). This innovation is projected to substantially lower production costs while achieving a driving range comparable to the most advanced battery technologies currently available.

Range and Cost Benefits

According to Kurt Kelty, GM’s vice president of battery, propulsion, and sustainability, “With LMR, we can deliver over 400-mile range in our trucks while significantly reducing our battery costs.” This new chemistry aims to bridge the gap between affordability and performance in the electric vehicle market.

Reduced Reliance on Critical Minerals

A key advantage of LMR technology lies in its reduced dependence on nickel and cobalt. These materials are currently sourced from limited domestic supplies within the United States. The shift towards manganese-rich batteries addresses supply chain vulnerabilities.

Comparison to Existing Battery Technologies

The Chevrolet Silverado EV currently utilizes nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cells, enabling a range of 492 miles on a single charge. However, this performance comes at a premium, with the truck priced at over $73,000. GM is also exploring lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cells, which would lower the price by $6,000 but reduce the range to 350 miles.

The new LMR technology is designed to maintain the cost benefits of LFP while minimizing the reduction in driving range.

Chemical Composition and Cost Reduction

The cost-effectiveness of LMR stems from the lower price of manganese compared to cobalt and nickel. The LMR chemistry will incorporate 0-2% cobalt, 30-40% nickel, and 60-70% manganese. This contrasts sharply with current NMC cells, which can contain up to 10% cobalt and 80% nickel.

Addressing Degradation Concerns

Historically, manganese-rich batteries have been prone to rapid degradation. GM believes it has overcome this challenge through extensive experimentation with materials and manufacturing processes, resulting in a more stable and durable battery formulation.

Shift to Prismatic Cell Design

LMR battery packs will utilize prismatic cells, featuring a rigid outer shell, instead of the pouch cells currently used in Ultium batteries. This change is expected to simplify battery pack construction, reducing the number of parts by over 50%.

“It’s a huge, huge cost savings we’ll get,” Kelty stated.

Market Positioning of LMR Technology

GM envisions LMR technology occupying a significant portion of the EV market. Andy Oury, business planning manager at GM, suggests that LMR could “take up a huge chunk in the middle” of the market, positioning LFP for entry-level vehicles and NMC for applications requiring extended range and high energy density.

Manufacturing and Collaboration

The new cells will be manufactured by Ultium Cells, a joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solution. This partnership has already resulted in substantial investments in battery manufacturing facilities within the United States.

Patent Landscape and Potential for Wider Adoption

Both GM and LG Energy Solution have been independently pursuing LMR technology for several years. GM holds over 50 patents related to LMR, while LG is also actively developing the technology. It is possible that LG could develop its own LMR cells that do not infringe on GM’s patents, potentially broadening the availability of this chemistry.

Development Timeline and Testing

GM’s research into LMR batteries spans a decade, with significant progress made in the last two years as engineers successfully produced large-format cells comparable to those used in current EVs. Approximately 300 large format cells have been created, and testing has accumulated the equivalent of 1.5 million miles of typical driving.

Production Scale-Up and Future Outlook

The company aims to modify existing manufacturing plants and scale up production by 2028. Addressing scaling challenges, which previously impacted the initial Ultium cells, is a key priority.

Kelty expressed confidence in meeting the 2028 target, stating, “It meets all our performance metrics, we have a partner that’s going to manufacture it, and we’ve got a manufacturing location.” He also highlighted the benefits of a more localized supply chain for manganese compared to nickel or LFP materials.