GM Accelerates U.S. Battery Supply Chain Construction… Reduces Dependence on China

*This content was translated by AI.

General Motors is moving to reduce its reliance on Chinese raw materials and strengthen its domestic supply chain in the United States. This move aligns with responses to Chinese-made batteries, which have recently drawn attention from the Trump administration.

Kurt Kelty, Vice President of General Motors' Battery and Sustainability Division, stated in an interview with CNBC on the 12th (local time) that the company aims to establish a battery supply chain capable of meeting domestic demand within the next two to three years.

General Motors is accelerating efforts to localize cells for energy storage systems (ESS) used in data centers and business facilities. The company also plans to significantly increase the share of U.S.-made batteries for electric vehicles under the same principle.

According to CNBC, General Motors is collaborating with startup Peak Energy to commercialize sodium-ion battery cells by 2029. Sodium-ion batteries are manufactured by extracting sodium from abundant domestic resources such as soda ash (sodium carbonate), rather than relying on lithium or iron phosphate, which China currently dominates in the market. Consequently, this approach is gaining attention as a viable alternative that could fundamentally reduce dependence on Chinese critical raw materials.

Vice President Kelty emphasized that a "leapfrog" strategy focused not merely on imitating but advancing beyond Chinese technology would be more advantageous for the U.S. market. This strategy includes cooperation with Korean companies LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI.

Meanwhile, General Motors, along with Hyundai Motor and others, submitted a letter to the U.S. Congress earlier this month requesting that legislation restricting the import and sale of Chinese-made vehicles in the United States be processed within the year.

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*This content was translated by AI.