General Motors Co. in Detroit announced today a more than $7 billion investment in four Michigan manufacturing sites, creating 4,000 new jobs, and retaining 1,000.
This investment includes a new $2.6 billion Ultium Cells battery cell plant in Lansing and the conversion of GM’s assembly plant in Orion Township for production of the Chevrolet Silverado EV and the electric GMC Sierra.
Ultium Cells, the joint venture of GM and LG Energy Solutions, will build a new plant on land leased from GM. It is expected to create 1,700 new jobs when the facility is fully operational. The plant — which will be approximately 2.8 million square-feet in size — will start site preparation this summer, with an opening scheduled for late 2024.
“This significant investment demonstrates our commitment to strengthen our Michigan and U.S. manufacturing presence and grow good-paying jobs,” says Mary Barra, chair and CEO of General Motors. “We will have the products, the battery cell capacity, and the vehicle assembly capacity to be the EV leader by mid-decade.”
The Ultium Cells Lansing plant will use advanced and efficient battery cell manufacturing processes. It will be built with flexibility to adapt to ongoing advances in technology and materials. It is expected to have 50 gigawatt hours of battery cell capacity when running at full production.
“With a shared vision, GM and LG Energy Solution pioneered the EV sector by seizing new opportunities in the market well before anyone else did,” says Young-Soo Kwon, CEO of LG Energy Solution. “Our third battery manufacturing plant, fittingly located in America’s automotive heartland, will serve as a gateway to charge thousands and later millions of EVs in the future.”
The company is investing $4 billion to convert the Orion facility to produce electric trucks on the Ultium platform. This investment will create 2,350 new jobs and save approximately 1,000.
Electric truck production, including the Silverado EV and electric Sierra, will begin at Orion in 2024. The Orion investment will drive significant facility and capacity expansion at the site, including new body and paint shops and new general assembly and battery pack assembly areas. Production of the Chevy Bolt EV and EUV will continue during the conversion.
“These important investments would not have been possible without the strong support from the Governor, the Michigan Legislature, Orion Township, the City of Lansing, Delta Township as well as our collaboration with the UAW and LG Energy Solution,” says Barra. “These investments also create opportunities in Michigan for us to bring our employees along on our transition to an all-electric future.”
Along with these two major investments, the company will invest more than $510 million in its two Lansing-area vehicle assembly plants to upgrade their production capabilities for near-term products:
- Lansing Delta Township Assembly — Investment is for production of the next-generation Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave.
- Lansing Grand River Assembly — Investment is for plant upgrades.
GM’s proprietary Ultium battery technology is the foundation of the company’s strategy to compete in every EV marketplace, including affordable transportation, luxury vehicles, work trucks, commercial trucks, or high-performance machines.
Ultium batteries are unique in the industry because the large-format, pouch-style cells can be stacked vertically or horizontally inside the battery pack. This allows engineers to optimize battery energy storage and the layout for each vehicle design. Energy options range from 50 to 200 kilowatt hours, which can enable an estimated range of 450 miles or more on a full charge.
Future Ultium-powered EVs are designed for Level 2 and DC fast charging. Most will have 400-volt battery packs and up to 200 kW fast-charging capability, while GM’s truck platform will have 800-volt battery packs and 350-kW fast-charging capability.
