General Motors and Samsung SDI have picked a site in Indiana for a new battery making JV plant. A site in Michigan was also said to have been in contention.
The new battery cell plant, a joint venture between General Motors and Samsung SDI, is scheduled to begin operations in 2026.
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Governor Eric J. Holcomb, board chairman for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, said GM has long been one of America’s most iconic brands and deeply rooted in Indiana. “I couldn’t be more excited to again see GM alongside one of Indiana’s newest world class companies, Samsung SDI, take this giant leap and make this $3 billion commitment that will transform the automotive industry aided by our proud Hoosier workforce,” he said.
GM and Samsung SDI, which announced their joint venture in April, will build the plant to supply GM’s growing EV production needs. GM plans to install more than one million units of annual EV capacity in North America in 2025.
The new facility will house production lines to build nickel-rich prismatic and cylindrical cells and is expected to help significantly increase the accessibility and affordability of EVs. Once complete, the plant will have more than 30 GWh of capacity.
“This joint venture and the 1,700 people there will help supply cells for millions of all-electric vehicles for customers across North America,” said Mary Barra, GM Chair and CEO. “The strong support of local and state leaders in Indiana and the combined resources and expertise of GM and Samsung SDI will help us move faster than we could on our own.”
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By GlobalData“Through establishment of a battery joint venture with GM, we are grateful that Samsung SDI can contribute to boosting the economy of Indiana and creating new jobs here,” said Yoonho Choi, President and CEO of Samsung SDI. “Securing Indiana as a strong foothold together with GM, Samsung SDI will supply products featuring the highest level of safety and quality in a bid to help the U.S. move forward to an era of electric vehicles.”
GM has a considerable presence in Indiana with five facilities across the state that employ more than 5,700 people. The company recently announced plans to invest $632 million in its Fort Wayne Assembly to expand operations and upgrade equipment to support its growing full-size truck business. GM also announced plans to invest $491 million to expand and upgrade its Marion, Indiana, facility to support its growing EV production.
“GM and Samsung SDI doubling down on their commitment to growing in Indiana further solidifies our state’s pole position in the growing EV space,” said Indiana Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers. “Indiana has long been a global business destination, and our momentum continues as we further build Indiana’s future-focused economy and usher in incredible opportunities for Hoosiers. Transformational projects like these not only help bolster Indiana’s economy but enrich the surrounding communities and will directly benefit Indiana residents for decades to come.”
Construction is planned to begin within the next year and support more than 1,000 jobs during the build. The companies plan to start production in New Carlisle in 2026.
“St. Joseph County is deeply appreciative that General Motors and Samsung SDI have selected our community for its EV battery plant,” said Carl Baxmeyer, President of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. “This project represents the largest single investment and job commitment in St. Joseph County in the last 75 years and will impact our region for decades. Our region has a long history of innovation in the automotive industry, and for generations have built vehicles or parts that have been included in vehicles around the world. As the industry evolves, we’re thrilled to once again be at the center of this transformational time for the industry, and we look forward to a long partnership with GM and Samsung SDI as they move forward on their first battery plant as partners.”
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation is working with GM and Samsung SDI to finalize a performance-based incentive offer to support the joint venture’s investment and job creation plans. St. Joseph County, Indiana Michigan Power, and Northern Indiana Public Service Company offered additional incentives.
According to Doug Parks, GM executive vice president, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain, the new joint venture with Samsung SDI will leverage the capital and technology of both companies to create new competitive advantages for GM.
“We will continue to scale production and optimize the chemistry of our pouch cells for performance, range and cost using new approaches pioneered at GM’s Wallace Battery Center and by our technology partners,” he said. “The introduction of new cell form factors will allow us to expand into even more segments more quickly and integrate cells directly into battery packs to reduce weight, complexity and costs. With multiple strong cell partners, we can scale our EV business faster than we could going it alone.”
The Ultium Platform was strategically designed to accept multiple cell form factors and chemistries. For example, in China, the Cadillac LYRIQ is powered by prismatic cells applied to the same battery packs used in the U.S.
