Ultium Cells to Bring LMR Prismatic Battery Cell Production to Tennessee for Future GM EVs

LMR stands for lithium manganese rich, while prismatic describes the cell’s rectangular form factor. Together, they identify a battery technology GM says is designed to improve on today’s low-cost LFP cells. The central goal is more stored energy without a similar increase in cost.

The article compares LMR with LFP and high-nickel batteries. LMR is designed to provide 33% greater energy density than LFP at a comparable cost. High-nickel batteries will still offer the highest range in GM’s portfolio, while LMR is intended to combine better performance with lower costs.

Ultium Cells plans to manufacture LMR prismatic cells commercially at Spring Hill, Tennessee. The company expects to become the first global manufacturer to produce this technology commercially. The new capability will also let the plant make multiple chemistries and form factors for different vehicles and uses.

Ultium Cells is planning to add commercial production of lithium manganese rich, or LMR, prismatic battery cells at its Spring Hill plant. The facility sits just outside Nashville and is operated by Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution.

The expansion includes construction and facility upgrades rather than merely introducing a different product on the existing line. The new capability is intended to broaden the plant’s portfolio. Ultium Cells will be able to produce battery cells in multiple chemistries and form factors.

Work is expected to begin later this year, according to the article, and the expansion is expected to be completed in 2028. The project is also projected to create 500 new jobs, adding to the facility’s current workforce of 1,200 employees. It would make Ultium Cells the first global commercial producer of LMR prismatic cells.

The article gives LMR batteries an energy-density advantage of 33% over LFP batteries. Energy density describes how much energy a battery can store relative to its size or weight. LFP is described as today’s leading low-cost battery chemistry, so the comparison highlights LMR’s effort to improve performance without abandoning affordability.

The expansion at Ultium Cells’ Spring Hill plant is projected to create 500 new jobs. Those positions would be added to the facility’s current workforce of 1,200 employees. The project therefore concerns both battery technology and manufacturing capacity in Tennessee.

The figures are planned or projected, not reported results from completed production. Construction and facility upgrades are expected to begin later this year and finish in 2028. If the plans proceed, Spring Hill would commercially produce LMR prismatic cells and expand domestic battery manufacturing.

LMR could change the balance between range, cost, and performance in future GM electric vehicles. GM says the chemistry is designed to deliver 33% greater energy density than LFP while maintaining a comparable cost. That combination could make more capable batteries available without relying only on premium-priced options.

A practical example is GM’s planned battery portfolio. High-nickel cells will continue giving customers the highest range, while LMR is intended to offer lower costs with better performance than current affordable chemistries. The article does not state a specific driving-range increase for LMR vehicles.

The technology could also help GM reach more customers and scale production efficiently. Its effect will depend on how GM assigns each chemistry to different vehicles and applications. Production is not yet complete: Spring Hill upgrades are expected to finish in 2028, when commercial LMR manufacturing is planned.

GM is not choosing one universal battery because its vehicles and customers have different needs. The company says it wants to match the right battery technology to customer requirements. That means balancing range, price, performance, and likely vehicle use rather than maximizing one measure everywhere.

High-nickel batteries will continue to provide the highest range in GM’s portfolio. LMR is being added to pursue lower costs and better performance, while LFP remains a leading low-cost chemistry. The article presents these technologies as complementary options, not interchangeable products.

Ultium Cells’ manufacturing flexibility supports this strategy. The Spring Hill plant will be able to produce multiple chemistries and form factors, allowing battery technology to be tailored to different vehicles and applications. GM says this flexibility can help it scale efficiently, reach more customers, and support its long-term EV strategy and profitability.

Ultium Cells LLC is a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution. Together, the companies plan to add LMR prismatic cell production at the Spring Hill, Tennessee facility. The project connects GM’s future EV plans with LG Energy Solution’s battery partnership.

Domestic production matters because the expansion would add another advanced battery capability inside the United States. The article describes it as strengthening domestic battery manufacturing and innovation. It also calls commercial production of this technology a milestone for keeping America competitive globally in EV and battery leadership.

The project is still in the development stage. Construction and facility upgrades are expected to begin later this year and finish in 2028. The expansion is projected to add 500 jobs to a facility that currently employs 1,200 people. It would also make Ultium Cells the first global commercial producer of LMR prismatic cells.

A rechargeable battery stores energy in chemical form. During use, chemical reactions move charged particles inside the cells and drive electrons through an external circuit, creating electricity for the vehicle. Recharging reverses those reactions, putting energy back into the battery.

Energy density measures how much energy a battery stores for a given weight or volume. If two batteries provide the same usable energy, the higher-density battery can be lighter or smaller. If they weigh or occupy similar space, the higher-density battery can store more energy instead.

That flexibility matters in an electric vehicle. Less battery weight can improve efficiency, while more stored energy can support longer driving range. The article says LMR is designed for 33% greater energy density than LFP at comparable cost. The article does not detail the electrochemical mechanism; this explanation uses established battery science.