July 17, 2025: The Ultium Cells battery joint venture in the US is to upgrade its facility in Tennessee for the production of LFP cells.

The General Motors and LG Energy Solution (LGES) joint venture said on July 14 that conversion of existing battery cell lines at the Spring Hill site will start later this year, with commercial production expected by late 2027.

The partners did not disclose additional investment costs. However, GM’s VP of batteries, propulsion and sustainability, Kurt Kelty, said the move was to take advantage of lower-cost LFP cell technologies.
He said this would complement the firm’s “high-nickel and future lithium manganese rich solutions” to support development of GM’s portfolio of EVs.

The upgrade builds on a $2.3 billion investment announced at Spring Hill in 2021.

Meanwhile, the Ultium Cells plant in Ohio will continue producing cells with nickel cobalt manganese aluminium chemistry.

Ultium cells use a proprietary chemistry featuring LGES’ NCMA cathode, which requires 70% less cobalt than existing NCM cells. The joint venture has said previously that its batteries are “unique in the industry” because the large-format, pouch-style cells can be stacked vertically or horizontally inside the battery pack.
LGES executive VP and head of the group’s advanced automotive battery division, said: “We will bring our extensive experience and expertise in US manufacturing to the joint venture facility, further accelerating our efforts to deliver new chemistries and form factors that effectively capture the unmet needs in the EV market.”
Last year, battery recycler Redwood Materials partnered with Ultium to recycle production scrap from its US facilities.

Redwood said it would process the majority of the cathode and anode material scrap from the Ohio and Tennessee facilities.