GM Forms Joint Venture With Posco Chemical For North American Production Of Battery Cathode Materials - Forbes

General Motors has already announced plans for $35B of investment in vehicle electrification through 2025 that includes 20 new battery electric vehicles for the North American market and 30 models globally. As part of that effort, GM GM +4.1% is shifting aggressively toward vertical integration of key components including the batteries, motors and other components. The latest announcement from the automaker is a new joint venture with South Korea’s Posco Chemical that will process the cathode active materials (CAM).

Lithium ion cells are composed of four main components, cathodes, anodes, separators and electrolyte. The cathode is made by coating an aluminum foil with the CAM which typically consists of a slurry containing a variety of materials blended with lithium that comprise the chemistry. Most EVs today use a nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) mixture. GM has developed a nickel-manganese-cobalt-aluminum (NMCA) mix for its new Ultium cells which reduces the cobalt content by about 80%. Ultimately GM wants to get to a cobalt-free blend.

According to Doug Parks, executive vice-president for product development at GM, the CAM comprises about 40% of the cost of cells. Posco had already reached deals with GM and its Ultium Cells LLC joint venture LG Energy Solutions to provide both cathode and anode materials. The first Ultium Cells factory in Lordstown, Ohio will begin volume production in 2022, followed by a second plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Two additional plants are...

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