Inside GM’s new battery lab — and its plans to challenge Asian rivals

GM is putting $900 million into a battery research campus in Warren, Michigan, aiming to build batteries in the U.S. instead of relying on Asian manufacturers like LG, Panasonic, CATL, and BYD. The company is developing two new battery types: LMR (lithium-manganese-rich), which could enable cheaper EV batteries with 400 miles of range, and sodium-ion, which holds promise for home and grid energy storage. GM expects to have LMR batteries ready by 2028, with a similar timeline for sodium-ion.

Sodium-ion batteries matter for homeowners because they hold up well in both extreme heat and cold without needing extra cooling equipment, and they're less prone to fires since they burn at a lower temperature. Sodium is abundant and doesn't depend on the minerals China controls, which GM says could eventually make sodium-ion storage systems about 20% cheaper to own and run over their lifetime compared to standard lithium-ion. GM is also partnering with a company called Peak Energy to bring sodium-ion technology into storage systems.

None of this changes what's available to buy today. GM hasn't picked a factory site for sodium-ion production yet, and the technology is still in early prototype stages. But if it succeeds, it could mean cheaper, more durable battery storage options down the road for homes pairing solar panels or backup power with the electrical grid, along with more EV choices built with U.S.-sourced batteries that qualify for federal tax credits.