General Motors (GM) and Samsung SDI, the South Korean battery maker, have announced a partnership to construct a battery cell manufacturing plant in the United States. The $3 billion investment will contribute to more than 30 GWh production and bring GM’s total production capacity in the US to about 160 GWh.
GM’s partnership with LG for most of its battery cell supply has brought three battery plants into production and construction in Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan. The two companies had been negotiating a fourth US battery plant, but talks stalled, leading GM to partner with Samsung SDI instead.
Interestingly, the new battery plant will produce “nickel-rich prismatic and cylindrical cells.” This partnership will enable GM to integrate cells directly into battery packs and reduce weight, complexity, and cost. Recently Samsung announced its plans to integrate EV battery tech into future Samsung flagship smartphones.
GM’s Executive Vice President, Doug Parks, stated that this partnership with Samsung SDI would allow the company to scale up production and optimize pouch cell chemistries for performance, range, and cost. He also added that having multiple strong cell partners would enable GM to grow its electric vehicle business faster than it could do alone.
The partnership’s battery production plant’s location is yet to be announced, and operations are set to begin in 2026. GM’s partnership with Samsung SDI to construct a battery cell manufacturing plant for EVs is a significant change for the automaker, which has been heavily investing in battery manufacturing in the US to support the transition to electric vehicles.
