General Motors may drop plans to use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in future electric vehicles (EVs), chief Kurt Kelty said in San Francisco on June 10.

The company is instead considering lithium manganese-rich (LMR) cells.

GM said the technology would cost about the same as LFP while offering higher energy density.

Kelty said GM’s Tennessee plant will start making LFP cells this month for energy storage systems, not EVs.

GM said last year it aimed to start commercial production of LMR cells at a US facility in 2028. Kelty did not confirm that timeline, but said LMR development is on schedule.

GM also agreed in 2023 to source up to 32,500 metric tons of battery-grade manganese sulfate a year from a planned Louisiana plant.

Broader US supply remains limited. S&P Global said last year LMR still faces degradation concerns over time.

🔗 Source: Reuters

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