GM and LG Energy are expanding their partnership to commercialize lithium manganese-rich (LMR) prismatic batteries for EVs, offering lower cost and longer range.

The current generation of nickel manganese cobalt aluminum oxide (NMCA) batteries have a “high nickel NMCA chemistry. These batteries have become the standard because of the range they offer, but GM and LG says that integrating LMR battery tech will improve the range even more, while simultaneously lowering the cost. When combined with the use of prismatic cells, the companies hope to increase space efficiency as well.

GM says its partnership with LG has resulted in overcoming the traditional barriers to widespread LMR use.

For a decade now, General Motors has been quietly working on a battery technology known as LMR, an acronym for “lithium manganese rich” cathodes. Researchers have been studying LMR technology since the 1990s, attracted by the potential for a new class of electric vehicle batteries offering impressive range and affordable pricing.

However, there are no EVs with LMR batteries on the road, and for good reason. Historically, LMR has been hampered by technical barriers, in particular short battery life and voltage decay, which made them a tantalizing but impractical option.

But GM and our collaborator LG Energy Solution have engineered solutions clearing the way for a leap forward that will offer consumers EVs with an attractive combination of long range and low cost. Today we have the longest-range truck, the Chevrolet Silverado EV Work Truck with Max Range, EPA-rated at 492 miles with a full charge1; the Silverado also happens to be the fastest-charging truck on the market, with a charging capacity of 350 kW. And with LMR we can make EVs more affordable.

Thanks to the partnership with LG, GM hopes to become the first automaker to use LMR batteries in its EVs.

GM aims to become the first automaker to deploy LMR batteries in EVs. Ultium Cells, a GM and LG Energy Solution joint venture, plans to start commercial production of LMR prismatic cells in the United States by 2028, with pre-production expected to begin at an LG Energy Solution facility by late 2027. The final production-design of these LMR battery cells will be validated at GM’s Battery Cell Development Center in Warren, MI, which is expected to open earlier that year, as well as LG Energy Solution’s facility.

“We’re pioneering manganese-rich battery technology to unlock premium range and performance at an affordable cost, especially in electric trucks,” said Kurt Kelty, VP of battery, propulsion, and sustainability at GM. “As we look to engineer the ideal battery for each vehicle in our diverse EV portfolio, LMR will complement our high-nickel and iron-phosphate solutions to expand customer choice in the truck and full-size SUV markets, advance American battery innovation, and create jobs well into the future.”

“We’re excited to introduce the first-ever LMR prismatic cells for EVs, the culmination of our decades-long research and investment in the technology,” said Wonjoon Suh, executive VP and head of the Advanced Automotive Battery division at LG Energy Solution. “GM’s future trucks powered by this new chemistry are a strong example of our shared commitment to offering diverse EV options to consumers.”

GM has enjoyed significant success with its EV division, with plans for it to turn a profit in 2025. The company’s partnership with LG should pave the way for even further success.