GM plans U.S. battery development as Trump's DOT attacks Ford for China ties
Most battery cells currently rely on raw materials from China. GM is seeking to establish domestic supply chains both for EVs and energy storage.
TL;DR
- General Motors is developing new battery cells to create a domestic supply chain, reducing U.S. reliance on China.
- The company is partnering with Peak Energy to develop sodium-ion battery cells for energy storage systems (ESS), aiming for commercial production around 2029.
- Sodium-ion batteries use more prevalent U.S. materials like sodium from soda ash, potentially lowering costs and complexity compared to lithium-ion batteries.
- GM plans to prioritize domestic battery cell production for its future all-electric vehicles as well.
- Ford Motor is facing criticism from the Trump administration for its ties to Chinese companies, including licensing technology from CATL.
- The International Energy Agency reports China dominates the global EV battery market, producing a large majority of cathode and anode active materials and controlling battery production.
- GM is investing $900 million in new battery lab facilities at its global tech campus in suburban Detroit.