Ultium Cells will upgrade its Spring Hill plant in Tennessee, US, to make prismatic lithium manganese rich (LMR) cells for future General Motors (GM) electric vehicles (EVs).
The joint venture between GM and South Korea’s LG Energy Solution (LGES) expects the facility to be the “first” in the world to mass produce prismatic LMR cells.
Ultium Cells will produce cells in multiple chemistries, including high-nickel, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and LMR, in both pouch and prismatic formats.
It provides battery cell capacity for GM's North American EV assembly and other mobile and stationary energy storage opportunities.
Modifications are set to begin later this year and be completed in 2028, while the expansion is projected to create 500 jobs on top of the plant's current workforce of 1,200.
Ultium Cells said the technology could deliver 33% “higher” energy density than LFP, which it described as “today's leading affordable battery chemistry”, at a comparable cost.
Combined investment for the LMR programme and its LFP energy storage system (ESS) production, together with facility improvements, will reach $1bn by 2030.
The plant began producing LFP cells for ESS for LGES Vertech customers in June 2026, and Ultium Cells announced in July that it had started making LGES' JF2 LFP batteries for ESS there.
The move follows a 2021 commitment by the joint venture to create 1,300 jobs through more than $2.3bn of investment, and a 2022 expansion that covered 400 more jobs and a further $275m.
GM said adding LMR is part of its strategy of matching battery technology to customer needs, with high-nickel batteries still offering the “highest range” in its portfolio.
Ultium Cells president Injae Pahk said: “This marks Ultium Cells’ second major investment in Spring Hill and reflects the company’s continued growth as a diversified battery cell manufacturer.
“By evolving production to meet changing market demands, Ultium Cells is reinforcing its long-term position as a key employer and technology leader in the US battery cell sector.”
Last month, Ultium Cells has also confirmed plans to restart production at its Warren, Ohio, plant after a seven-month shutdown.
