Hidden among Detroit's architectural landmarks is GM’s new $900 million Battery Cell Development Center, a cornerstone of its electric vehicle (EV) strategy. Kurt Kelty, GM’s vice president of battery and sustainability, relies on LMR chemistry to slash costs by nearly 10%.
The BCDC acts as a pilot line, producing about half a gigawatt-hour per year before transitioning to full-scale manufacturing. GM hopes this will help it meet its EV production targets by 2028.
Scaling up from small coin cells to large format batteries is no trivial task, and Kelty emphasizes the importance of hitting an 85% yield within 18 months for commercial viability.
To streamline the process, GM employs AI models to simulate production processes. This might just power humanity’s transition, or at least make it a bit cheaper.
