GM to Mass-Produce LMR Battery Cells at Spring Hill Plant — SkimNews

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- Ultium Cells announced its Spring Hill, Tennessee facility will become the first plant worldwide to mass-produce prismatic LMR battery cells, with upgrades beginning later this year and completion expected by 2028.
- GM said LMR cells deliver 33% higher energy density than LFP batteries at comparable cost, and plans to deploy them in upcoming electric trucks and full-size SUVs targeting over 400 miles of range.
- The Spring Hill expansion will add 500 jobs, bringing the facility's workforce to 1,700, and represents the first publicly announced production site for the chemistry GM and LG revealed more than a year ago.
- Kurt Kelty, GM's VP of battery and sustainability, said LMR positions GM to "leapfrog today's more affordable chemistries," while high-nickel batteries will still deliver the highest range.
- GM will produce high-nickel, LFP, and LMR chemistries in both pouch and prismatic formats, with the first LMR-equipped vehicle expected to launch in 2028.
- Chevrolet Silverado EV, GM's current longest-range EV, offers an estimated 478 miles per charge using high-nickel batteries and starts at $55,895.
Why it matters: By claiming a 33% energy-density edge over LFP at the same cost, GM is positioning LMR as the affordable long-range chemistry — directly addressing the cost-versus-range tradeoff that has kept its electric trucks and full-size SUVs priced above $55,000, as the Silverado EV currently demonstrates.
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