The 2025 Chevy Silverado EV already gives as much as 492 miles of vary, however GM guarantees to unlock much more at a decrease value. GM and LG Vitality Resolution unveiled the “first-ever” lithium manganese-rich (LMR) prismatic EV battery cells. The brand new battery cells might be utilized in upcoming GM EV fashions, particularly vans and SUVs.
GM will use LMR EV battery cells to energy new EVs
In what it calls a battery tech “breakthrough,” GM goals to be the primary automaker to make use of LMR batteries in electrical automobiles.
GM and LG unveiled their new LMR prismatic battery cell, which claims to unlock 33% greater power density than “one of the best performing” lithium iron phosphate (LFP) primarily based cells at a comparable value.
At the moment, there aren’t any EVs on the highway with LMR batteries. GM believes it’s “for a very good motive” resulting from technical boundaries like brief battery life and voltage decay. The automaker believes it has lastly discovered an answer.
The brand new battery cells clear the best way for “a leap ahead that may provide customers EVs with a pretty mixture of lengthy vary and low value,” GM stated in an announcement. It already has the longest-range electrical truck, the 2025 Chevy Silverado EV WT, with an EPA-estimated vary of as much as 492 miles.
GM will use the brand new battery cells in future electrical vans and full-size SUVs. By integrating the brand new battery cells, the corporate goals to supply over 400 miles of vary, however with “vital battery value financial savings” in comparison with its present high-nickel pack.
“We’re pioneering manganese-rich battery know-how to unlock premium vary and efficiency at an inexpensive value, particularly in electrical vans,” stated Kurt Kelty, GM’s VP of battery, propulsion, and sustainability.
As a consequence of its extra environment friendly design, the brand new tech is good for larger EV vans and SUVs. With an oblong form, prismatic cells are “considerably extra environment friendly to bundle in full-scale vans and SUVs” than the present pouch cells.
GM has been researching battery cells with manganese-rich cathodes since 2015. By the tip of 2024, it had examined a whole lot of large-format prismatic cells, or the equal of 1.4 million miles of EV driving.
The corporate stated the underside line is that “LMR goes to make it attainable for GM to supply EVs with premium vary at significantly decrease value.”
Ultium Cells, GM’s three way partnership with LG, plans to start business manufacturing of LMR prismatic cells within the US in 2028
The announcement comes simply two weeks after crosstown rival Ford introduced it’s engaged on “breakthrough” LMR batteries to offer inexpensive electrical automobiles for everybody.
