General Motors is working on three new battery technologies, solid-state is one of them

In an interview for InsideEVs, General Motors' director of advanced battery cell engineering revealed that the company is working on three next-generation battery technologies of the future. The most notable one is solid-state batteries, but the company is also putting a lot of effort into developing sodium-ion and lithium manganese-rich batteries.

The ultimate goal is to mass-produce considerably more affordable batteries while improving range and charging performance.

General Motors has the capacity to do so since it's the largest cell producer in the US, surpassing even Tesla. GM partnered with LG Energy Solution and can now produce cheaper batteries in higher quantities than any of its rivals.

Thanks to its Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center in Michigan, GM can explore many battery technologies simultaneously. For instance, the automaker is now working on a lithium manganese-rich battery chemistry (LMR). This battery tech will likely be introduced in 2028 when GM plans to reveal a production truck with over 400 miles range and hundreds of pounds saved from the battery. Cost is comparable to LFP batteries.

The sodium-ion cells, on the other hand, are still in the early stages of development, but GM says it has the know-how to produce them, it just needs to optimize production, material sourcing and find the right applications for such battery tech.

Although sodium-ion batteries have lower energy density than lithium-ion ones, they are safer, cheaper to produce, don't require rare earth materials, as sodium is abundant across the globe, and performance doesn't degrade in cold weather.

Sodium-ion batteries are becoming popular in China, mostly for two-wheeled vehicles. The lower cost and sufficient performance for short-distance usage offset the energy density trade-off.

All of this sounds exciting, but all these battery technologies are years away from mass production that's feasible. Except maybe the sodium-ion battery chemistry which seems to be gaining ground lately.

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