GM and LG Retool Tennessee Battery Plant for Cheaper LMR Cells

General Motors and LG Energy Solution are preparing their joint battery facility in Spring Hill, Tennessee, to shift toward a new cell chemistry. Under the Ultium Cells venture, the site is slated to build prismatic lithium-manganese-rich (LMR) cells for GM’s electric vehicles, with construction work expected to start in 2026 and wrap up by 2028.

The move lines up with GM’s earlier commitment to manufacture LMR cells commercially at a U.S. plant beginning in 2028. Ultium Cells expects the Tennessee expansion to add roughly 500 jobs, lifting the site’s current workforce of about 1,200 people.

LMR is positioned as a lower-cost answer to nickel-rich chemistries. According to Ultium Cells, the planned cells could deliver up to 33 percent more energy density than lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells while keeping costs at a comparable level. GM has previously signaled it may scale back its original LFP plans for EVs in favor of LMR.

Spring Hill already builds LFP cells for stationary energy storage, a line that has been running since June 2026. Going forward, the plant is meant to handle multiple chemistries and formats, spanning LFP, nickel-rich batteries and LMR, in both pouch and prismatic designs. Ultium Cells puts combined investment in the two programs and other plant upgrades through 2030 at roughly one billion U.S. dollars, and says Spring Hill could become the first site worldwide to mass-produce prismatic LMR cells.