GM’s New Battery Tech Could Be a Breakthrough for Affordable EVs

The earliest NMC cells utilized astir adjacent thirds of nickel, manganese, and cobalt. GM’s existent “high-nickel” Ultium cells swapped retired overmuch of that cobalt for nickel while adding aluminum. They usage astir 5 percent cobalt and 10 percent manganese, said GM artillery technologist Andy Oury, pinch nan remainder being nickel and aluminum.

The LMR cells, however, substitute manganese—which is cheaper and much globally plentiful—for immoderate of nan pricier nickel and virtually each of nan cobalt. They are, Oury said, 60 to 70 percent manganese, 30 to 40 percent nickel, and only up to 2 percent cobalt.

The caller chemistry, successful a 2nd type of cell, will besides usage a caller module format. Standardized Ultium NMCA modules for each conveyance were nan correct solution for GM to motorboat its existent lineup of 12 different EV models, its execs said. Going forward, nan institution envisions utilizing different chemistries for different purposes: NMCA for high-performance and its astir tin models, now LMR for agelong scope astatine little cost, and LFP for its slightest costly models.

Cheap Long-Range Electric SUVs and Trucks

If LMR chemistry really produces a compartment that costs arsenic small to make arsenic LFP pinch greater power density, that could beryllium a crippled changer—including for North American competitiveness against China successful nan captious sphere of artillery improvement and production.

“LMR will complement our high-nickel and iron-phosphate solutions to grow customer prime successful nan motortruck and full-size SUV markets,” said Kurt Kelty, GM’s vice president of battery, propulsion, and sustainability. It will, he said, “advance American artillery invention and create jobs good into nan future.”

Specifically, LMR packs will little nan costs of immoderate full-size EV motortruck and SUV models to bring their prices person to those of their gasoline counterparts. That’s important to boosting income of nan full-size EV models, which person not reached nan aforesaid volumes and marketplace penetrations arsenic those of GM’s compact and midsize EV crossovers.