The future of a General Motors-Samsung SDI battery cell joint venture in the US is uncertain after the partners announced the project had been “paused”.

GM said last year that the $3.5 billion project in Indiana would launch in 2027 and produce NCA-based high-performance nickel-rich prismatic batteries for EV batteries.

However, a GM spokesperson told local media outlet ABC57 on May 14 that construction of the plant in New Carlisle was being paused “to align production capacity with current demand”.

GM said an update on plans for the site would be given at a later date.

Bill Schalliol, economic development director of St Joseph County in Indiana, told ABC57 the county was aware of a ‘pause condition’ activated at the project site and was working with GM, Indiana state and other partners.

When the project was announced in 2024, the partners said they would invest around $3.5 billion to build the plant, which would have an annual production capacity of 27GWh initially, targeting mass production in 2027. The annual capacity was expected to rise to 36GWh.