General Motors is considering a switch from pouch to round cells in its future electric vehicles, according to a report by TheElec. The change in cell format could also be the reason behind the cancelation of the plan for a fourth joint US battery cell plant between GM and LG Energy Solution.
The current electric car platforms of GM utilize LGES pouch cells, but it appears that future models will support the use of round cells, specifically the 4680 format (46mm diameter and 80mm height) that Tesla uses. The fourth US battery cell plant was initially planned to be built in Indiana, but reports suggest it could be constructed with a new partner.
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Neither GM nor LG Energy Solution has confirmed these reports. GM has stated its plans for a fourth US cell factory investment, but declined to comment on speculation. LG Energy Solution stated that discussions about a fourth plant for the Ultium Cells joint venture are ongoing, but no decision has been made yet.
Several car manufacturers are adopting round battery cells for their electric vehicles. BMW has confirmed its “New Class” EVs will feature 46mm round cells with different heights from 2025, while Volvo and Stellantis are also said to be considering similar battery technology.
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Tesla recently announced its new 4680 round cells will be available for around 1,000 vehicles weekly. The 4680 cells will be used in the Model Y, Tesla Semi, and Roadster 2, but scaling production will be crucial for these models’ production. Tesla’s 4680 cells are produced by Panasonic in a pilot line in Japan and will eventually be manufactured in North America, with a plant in Kansas set to begin production in March 2025.
