Ultium Cells completes construction milestone at Ohio factory

Ultium Cells factory under construction as GM nears 2022 launch date for next generation EV products

Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture between General Motors and LG Chem, aims to mass-produce Ultium battery cells at a new Lordstown Ohio facility for General Motors’ next generation electric vehicles. General Motors and LG Chem are investing $2.3 billion in the facility to support EV manufacturing in the U.S., and in turn, local jobs, education, career training and infrastructure.

Working with LG Chem and General Motors, Ultium’s cells are of the large-format pouch design, and contain either vertically- or horizontally-stacked cells to integrate into GM’s upcoming modular EV platform – vertically for trucks, SUVs and crossovers, or horizontally for cars and performance vehicles.

Cadillac’s Lyriq is expected to debut GM’s new modular EV platform.

GM claims the batteries are able to be programmed digitally, as new chemistry is developed and becomes available, the battery management system could be upgraded digitally, similar to what Tesla already does with its over-the-air updates.

These high-capacity battery cells will also be switching to a Nickel Cobalt Manganese Aluminium chemistry, which reportedly uses 70% less cobalt than current technology.

The drive unit placement is also flexible, enabling front-, rear- and all-wheel drive variations. The motors were designed in-house at GM, and the modular platform is the first of its kind to support both front- and rear-wheel drive variants.

Ironworkers at Ultium Cells LLC’s battery cell manufacturing facility marked a construction milestone today with the final beam installation at what will soon be a 2.8-million-square-foot (260,000 square metre) operation in Lordstown, Ohio.

The team hoisted and installed the final beam as part of a traditional “topping out” ceremony, where leadership and trade partner employees had the opportunity to sign the beam and participate in a photograph.

Ultium Cells’ Ohio factory has topped out. Image: GM

Over 500,000 hours have been devoted to development of the facility, which is set to be completed in 2022. The framework of the building allows for an open floor plan, and the plant will equal the size of 30 football fields with an annual capacity of over 30 gigawatt hours of battery production, with room to expand.

“We are pleased construction at Ultium continues to progress safely and on schedule,” said Kee Eun, president of Ultium Cells LLC. “While we faced unprecedented challenges from the very beginning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been able to execute successfully according to plan thanks to the collaborative efforts between General Motors and LG Chem, as well as the support and commitment from our contract partners and the local community.”

Ultium Cells is planning to create more than 1,100 new jobs in Northeast Ohio and is hiring to fill those positions currently.

Cadillac’s flagship Lyriq will likely be the first GM model to hit the market utilising Ultium Cells and GM’s new modular platform in the first quarter of 2022.

GM’s modular EV platform: Image: General Motors