The first battery cell produced at the Ultium Cells second plant, a joint venture between LG Energy Solution and GM, has been delivered to its client.
This is the first product ‘Made by Ultium Cells Spring Hill.’
LG Energy Solution announced on the 1st (local time) that the second plant located in Spring Hill, Tennessee, has produced its first battery cell and delivered it to its client just two and a half years after the construction began.
The batteries produced at this facility will be used in GM’s new generation electric vehicle models, including the Cadillac Lyriq.
The second Ultium Cells plant aims to gradually increase its production lines to reach a total capacity of 50GWh. This is sufficient to produce approximately 600,000 high-performance all-electric vehicles capable of traveling over 500 km on a single charge.
The second Ultium Cells plant is characterized by the application of state-of-the-art smart factory systems, maximizing production efficiency through automation, information technology, and intelligence.
The introduction of automated manufacturing processes and equipment has dramatically increased production speed, and advanced quality inspection and product error verification methods are applied at each production stage to ensure the highest quality standards.
An LG Energy Solution official stated, “Both the first and second Ultium Cells plants are a culmination of LG Energy Solution’s rich mass production experience, customer value capabilities, and cutting-edge smart factory systems, accumulated over years of overseas operations. We will minimize the trial and error that could occur during initial operations to ensure stable output.”
Previously, Ultium Cells initiated operations at its first plant in Ohio in November 2022, maintaining a high level of yield since the early stages of production. Construction at the upcoming third plant in Michigan, set to commence operations next year, is also progressing smoothly.
Kim Young-deuk, head of the Ultium Cells second plant, remarked, “Based on the strong partnership between LG Energy Solution and GM, the second plant will grow alongside the first and third plants as a key base for the North American electric vehicle market. We will create a differentiated customer experience through overwhelming technological leadership.”
Meanwhile, LG Energy Solution continues to invest in the future despite a slowdown in electric vehicle demand caused by the global economic downturn.
The current crisis is viewed as temporary, and the company believes that entering the North American market ahead of time will provide a competitive advantage once the global electric vehicle market enters a significant growth phase. They are focusing their efforts, believing this to be an opportunity to differentiate their overwhelming technological leadership and customer value capabilities.
In fact, LG Energy Solution is jointly operating and constructing plants with companies like Hyundai Motor Group, Honda, and Stellantis, including the Ultium Cells first, second, and third plants. In Michigan and Arizona, they are also independently operating and preparing new plants.
By Sang-jin, daedusj@autodiary.kr