General Motors and LG Energy Solution announced plans to bring to market a new class of lithium manganese rich (LMR) battery cells by 2028, marking a breakthrough in EV technology that combines long-range performance with significantly reduced cost.
After nearly a decade of development, GM says its proprietary LMR chemistry has overcome long-standing challenges like voltage decay and short lifespan. The batteries will be produced in a prismatic form factor and are expected to power GM’s next generation of electric trucks and full-size SUVs, delivering more than 400 miles of range with lower manufacturing costs compared to today’s high-nickel batteries.
“LMR is going to make it possible for GM to offer EVs with premium range at considerably lower cost,” the company said in a news release.
Compared to today’s NMCA (nickel manganese cobalt aluminum) batteries, GM’s LMR technology slashes the reliance on costly and scarce nickel and cobalt materials. The LMR formulation is approximately 35% nickel and 65% manganese, with virtually no cobalt, offering a simpler, more affordable path to scaling EV production.
GM also claims its new LMR cells provide 33% more energy density than lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells at a comparable cost. The prismatic structure further enables packaging efficiency by reducing battery module components by 75% and total pack components by 50%, according to GM.
To date, GM has tested hundreds of LMR prototypes across 18 formulations and three prismatic cell formats, equivalent to 1.4 million miles of simulated EV driving. These tests have validated the batteries’ performance and lifespan parity with high-nickel cells, GM said.
The company also emphasized its intellectual property leadership, with GM and LG holding more than 200 LMR-related patents globally.
“With our Battery Cell Development Center under construction next to the Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center in Warren, MI, we’ll accelerate the path from lab to gigascale production,” the release noted.
By commercializing LMR prismatic batteries, GM aims to be the first automaker to do so in the U.S., positioning itself to offer high-performance EVs with reduced dependency on expensive raw materials and helping close the affordability gap for consumers while supporting its long-term electrification strategy.
