Ultium Cells is converting a facility in Tennessee for LMR cells.
Ultium Cells will convert its battery cell plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee, to produce prismatic LMR cells. This new cell chemistry is set to be used in future General Motors electric vehicles starting in 2028, offering about 33 percent higher energy density than LFP at similar costs.
Spring Hill will begin manufacturing prismatic LMR cells for GM starting in 2028.
Image: General Motors
The joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution plans to begin the conversion work this year, with completion targeted for 2028. According to Ultium Cells, Spring Hill could become the world’s first factory to mass-produce prismatic lithium-manganese-rich cells.
LMR stands for Lithium Manganese Rich and relies on a high manganese content in the cathode. GM and LG Energy Solution see this as a middle ground between cost-effective LFP cells and energy-dense high-nickel chemistries. Ultium Cells claims it offers about 33 percent higher energy density than LFP at comparable costs, though the company does not provide specific numerical values for energy density.
The new cells are intended for use in future GM electric vehicles. As early as 2025, GM and LG Energy Solution announced their plan to bring prismatic LMR cells to market by 2028. These cells were initially planned for use in electric pickups and large SUVs.
Ultium Cells focuses Spring Hill more on LMR
The transformation of Spring Hill aligns with GM’s broader reorganization of its battery strategy. The company’s battery chief, Kurt Kelty, stated in June that LMR could play a central role in the future portfolio, with LFP possibly having no place left in electric vehicles.
The LFP cells manufactured in Spring Hill since June 2026 are intended for stationary energy storage systems by LG Energy Solution Vertech, not for electric vehicles. For vehicles, GM is now placing greater emphasis on LMR cells as well as high-nickel cells for models requiring particularly long ranges.
However, LMR technology is not yet fully mature. Current challenges include durability, capacity loss, and limited fast-charging capability. GM and LG Energy Solution have been working on manganese-rich cell chemistries for years.
Spring Hill is set to bring together multiple cell chemistries and formats under one roof in the future. In addition to LMR and LFP, Ultium Cells will also produce high-nickel cells there; pouch and prismatic cell formats are planned to be manufactured as well. Investments in these programs and other site improvements are expected to total around one billion US dollars by 2030. The upgrades are also intended to create 500 new jobs. The facility currently employs around 1,200 people.
