General Motors (GM) and Samsung SDI have announced a joint battery cell factory investment of more than $3 billion to be built in the US, with operations commencing in 2026. The factory, whose location has yet to be announced, is expected to have an annual capacity of over 30 GWh. GM’s investment in the joint venture, including its existing partnership with LG Energy Solution, is projected to increase its total battery cell capacity in the US to about 160 GWh at full production.
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GM’s Executive Vice President for Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain, Doug Parks, noted that the new venture would create new competitive advantages for GM by leveraging the capital and technology of both companies. The joint venture will produce both prismatic and round cells with high nickel content, enabling GM to use all cell formats commonly used in electric mobility, including pouch cells manufactured by Ultium Cells, GM’s existing joint venture with LG Energy Solution.
Parks added that the introduction of new cell form factors would enable the company to expand into more segments more quickly and integrate cells directly into battery packs to reduce weight, complexity, and costs. The partnership with Samsung SDI is also expected to strengthen GM’s battery supply chain, with CEO Mary Barra stating that “the cells we will build together will help us scale our EV capacity in North America well beyond 1 million units annually.
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Yoon-ho Choi, President and CEO of Samsung SDI, also commented that the company would do its best to provide the products with the highest level of safety and quality, made with its unrivalled technologies, to help GM strengthen its leadership position in the electric vehicle market.
