- GM is working alongside a Denver firm for energy storage system batteries.
- Low-cost sodium-ion batteries will help GM establish a large local supply chain.
- GM believes it can leapfrog some of the battery technologies in China.
Days after the Trump administration slammed Ford for cozying up to Chinese companies, including battery manufacturer CATL, crosstown rival General Motors says it’s working to ensure its next generation of battery cells are backed by a strong domestic supply chain, rather than one that relies on overseas sources.
A key area of GM’s local battery focus is on cells that’ll be used for energy storage systems, including data centers, other businesses, and homes. According to vice president of battery and sustainability at GM, Kurt Kelty, “We’re developing a supply chain such that, two years from now, three years from now, it will be domestic.”
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A company spokesperson added to CNBC that GM will prioritize local production of battery cells for its forthcoming electric vehicles.
The federal government has criticized Ford for licensing battery technology from CATL, which it will use for energy storage systems. By comparison, GM is working with Denver firm Peak Energy on advanced sodium-ion battery cells for energy storage.
CNBC notes this deal will let GM reduce its reliance on China for materials including lithium and ferrous sulfate, instead sourcing materials more prevalent in the US, including sodium derived from soda ash. These new battery cells created with Peak Energy could be deployed as soon as 2029.
“It’s a really good story, because you’ve got the resources [in the U.S.] that you can keep it totally domestic,” Kelty said. “It’s going to take some time to build this industry up, but the potential for sodium-ion is just much greater than LFP.”
Kelty is so optimistic about the future of sodium-ion battery cells that he believes pursuing them can allow GM to leapfrog some of the most advanced battery technologies coming out of China.
