April 17, 2025: General Motors is to expand beyond cell production in the US by securing access to a clutch of material sources and boosting investment in domestic manufacturing.

Kurt Kelty, VP for battery, propulsion and sustainability at GM, said on April 8 that the company is securing unspecified North American sources for lithium, manganese, and nickel, and investing in localizing production of cathodes, anodes, electrolytes, and separators.

“By 2028, we’ll increase North American content in our battery supply chain eightfold,” Kelty said.

His comments came as US president Donald Trump ordered a review of critical material imports ahead of potential tariffs in a bid to encourage greater domestic production of batteries and other products and systems seen as key to national and energy security. (See elsewhere in BI News).

Meanwhile, Kelty said GM’s new joint venture with Samsung SDI, launching in Indiana in 2027, will allow the firm to produce prismatic cells. He said this was an additional form factor that gives the firm flexibility to deliver the right battery technology to further optimize foreach vehicle and customer need.

GM spends about $7 billion in the US on research and development each year, Kelty said.

“The US has the talent, technology, and investment to lead in electrification. We also have the local demand. By scaling battery innovation, localizing production and supply chain, and delivering more affordable EVs, GM is positioning itself and the US to compete and win on the global stage.”