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General Motors is developing next-generation battery cells as part of an effort to reduce U.S. dependence on China and build more domestic battery supply chains, CNBC reports.
The automaker is particularly focused on sodium-ion technology for energy storage systems used by homes, businesses and data centers. GM is partnering with Denver-based startup Peak Energy to develop sodium-ion cells that can reduce reliance on materials dominated by China, such as lithium, while using more prevalent U.S. resources such as sodium from soda ash.
GM expects commercial production of the sodium-ion cells to begin around 2029, while continuing to produce other battery chemistries for electric vehicles and energy storage that currently use undisclosed amounts of materials from China.
The push comes as China maintains a dominant position in the global battery industry, producing about 85% of the world’s EV battery cathode active material and more than 90% of anode active material, according to the International Energy Agency. GM Vice President of Battery and Sustainability Kurt Kelty said the company hopes to “leapfrog” China rather than directly replicate its existing battery supply chains.
GM sees sodium-ion batteries as particularly promising for energy storage because their chemistry and temperature tolerance allow them to operate without active cooling, potentially reducing costs and complexity. The company is investing $900 million in new battery laboratory and prototyping facilities at its global technology campus near Detroit, including a more than 500,000-square-foot facility for cell manufacturing prototypes. GM also plans to prioritize domestic battery cell production for future all-electric vehicles.
