CPCA reports that GM says its next-generation lithium-rich manganese battery will be mass-produced at a jointly operated Tennessee battery plant with LG Energy Solution. CPCA says the factory conversion is due to start at the end of 2026 and finish in 2028.
This is not yet a range, cost or charging story. CPCA gives no battery specifications, no vehicle list, no European plan and no claim about an existing BYD Han.
When will GM’s LMR battery enter mass production?
CPCA reports that GM said its next-generation lithium-rich manganese battery will enter mass production at the Ultium Cells joint-venture factory in Spring Hill, Tennessee. According to CPCA, GM operates that factory jointly with LG Energy Solution.
CPCA says the factory is scheduled to begin conversion at the end of 2026 and complete it in 2028. GM told CPCA that, once completed, the site will become the world’s first factory to mass-produce lithium-rich manganese prismatic cells.
That is a clear factory timetable. It is not a delivery date for a particular car.
What does CPCA’s report say about the Tennessee factory?
CPCA reports that the Spring Hill Ultium Cells plant is a joint venture operated by GM and LG Energy Solution, and that the site will be converted for lithium-rich manganese battery production. The report gives an end-of-2026 start for that conversion and a 2028 completion date.
The useful detail here is how narrow the announcement is. It is about one battery chemistry, one joint-venture plant and one conversion plan.
| Question | What CPCA reports | What the CPCA report does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Who is involved? | GM and LG Energy Solution operate the Ultium Cells joint-venture plant. | Which other companies will use the cells. |
| Where is the factory? | Spring Hill, Tennessee. | Any European production location. |
| When does conversion start? | At the end of 2026. | A date when a customer can buy a vehicle with these cells. |
| When is conversion due to finish? | In 2028. | Production volume or annual output. |
| What is the planned milestone? | GM says the factory would be the first globally to mass-produce lithium-rich manganese prismatic cells. | Range, charging speed, battery cost or durability figures. |
Does this announcement change EV range, cost or charging expectations?
No specific range, cost or charging expectation follows from CPCA’s report, because CPCA publishes none of those figures. The item reports GM’s factory plan and timetable, but does not give cell capacity, energy density, charging performance, vehicle range or pricing.
That matters because battery announcements can become bigger than the information actually published. A future chemistry may sound like a future driving result, but this particular CPCA item does not provide the numbers needed to make that jump.
For a Han owner deciding what the car can do now, the real motorway range of the BYD Han is still more useful than a factory conversion planned for the end of 2026.
Does GM’s LMR battery announcement affect an existing BYD Han?
No. CPCA’s report concerns GM, LG Energy Solution and a Tennessee joint-venture factory scheduled for conversion from the end of 2026 to 2028. It makes no announcement about BYD, the Han, cars already on the road or battery changes for existing vehicles.
That is the boring answer, but it is the honest one.
A battery entering future mass production somewhere else does not alter the battery pack, charging curve or range of a current Han. It may be worth watching as an industry signal, but it is not an update arriving in the driveway.
Does CPCA mention Europe in the GM battery report?
No. CPCA’s report identifies the factory as being in Spring Hill, Tennessee, and does not mention Europe, European vehicle sales, European production or European battery supply.
European EV owners can watch later announcements for those details. This one is not enough to say whether the planned cells will reach Europe, which models may use them, or when that might happen.
Why should EV owners follow battery factory announcements?
CPCA’s item is worth following because it gives a concrete production plan: a named joint-venture factory, a conversion start at the end of 2026 and a target completion in 2028. That is more specific than a battery concept with no manufacturing location.
But the right level of interest is still limited. Until a manufacturer publishes vehicle fitment and measurable battery specifications, a factory announcement remains a factory announcement.
FAQ
What battery is GM planning to mass-produce?
CPCA reports that GM announced plans for mass production of a next-generation lithium-rich manganese battery.
Where will GM’s LMR battery be produced?
According to CPCA, the battery will be mass-produced at the Ultium Cells joint-venture factory in Spring Hill, Tennessee, which GM operates with LG Energy Solution.
When will the factory conversion begin?
CPCA reports that the Spring Hill plant is scheduled to begin conversion at the end of 2026.
When will the conversion be completed?
CPCA says the conversion is due to be completed in 2028.
Will the factory be the first to mass-produce LMR prismatic cells?
CPCA reports that GM says the completed factory will become the world’s first facility to mass-produce lithium-rich manganese prismatic battery cells.
Does the CPCA report give range or charging figures?
No. CPCA’s report provides no figures for vehicle range, battery capacity, charging speed, cost or energy density.
Source
This post comments on a single primary page published by the Passenger Car Market Information Joint Committee of China Automobile Dealers Association, or CPCA: GM’s lithium-rich manganese battery will enter mass production at a joint-venture factory. CPCA’s page identifies Wangtong as the news source and reports GM’s announcement made on 29 September. The page is in Chinese, and every translation in this post is my own. All statements about the factory, the companies and the timetable are CPCA’s reporting of GM’s announcement, not independent claims by this site.
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