GM’s new lithium-manganese-rich battery could make large electric trucks and SUVs less expensive to build while preserving more range than a typical low-cost LFP pack. GM and LG Energy Solution are targeting pre-production by late 2027 and commercial U.S. production in 2028, but no specific consumer vehicle, price reduction or EPA range has been confirmed.
GM is developing a lithium-manganese-rich battery that could bring large electric trucks and full-size SUVs closer to lithium-iron-phosphate pricing without giving up as much range. The company and LG Energy Solution are targeting pre-production by late 2027 and commercial U.S. production through their Ultium Cells joint venture in 2028.
That does not mean a confirmed 2028 Silverado EV, Sierra EV, Hummer EV, or Escalade IQ with a guaranteed lower sticker price. GM has not announced the first production vehicle, final cell specifications, EPA range rating, or retail savings. The most accurate description is that GM is industrializing a new battery chemistry and pack design, with the potential to reduce costs while preserving the high energy density large electric vehicles need.
What is GM’s manganese-rich battery?
LMR stands for lithium-manganese-rich cathode chemistry. The name describes the material at the positive electrode of the battery cell; it does not mean that the battery is made mostly from metallic manganese or that lithium has been replaced.
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GM’s current high-nickel truck and SUV cells use an NMCA-type chemistry: nickel, manganese, cobalt and aluminum oxide. The company’s development description for LMR uses an approximate metal mix of 35% nickel and 65% manganese, with virtually no cobalt. For comparison, GM describes a representative high-nickel formulation as roughly 85% nickel, 10% manganese and 5% cobalt.
Those percentages are best understood as development targets or representative chemistry descriptions, not a final consumer specification. GM has not published the definitive production formulation, cell capacity, energy density, degradation rate, or pack size.
Why GM wants more manganese
The basic economic argument is straightforward: manganese is generally less expensive and more readily available than nickel or cobalt. Increasing manganese content could reduce the battery industry’s exposure to the cost and supply volatility associated with those materials.
LMR is intended to occupy the middle ground between two familiar choices:
- High-nickel cells: Higher energy density makes them useful for heavy, long-range vehicles, but nickel and cobalt can add cost and supply-chain exposure.
- LFP cells: Lithium-iron-phosphate chemistry is generally associated with lower material cost and good durability, but its lower energy density can require a larger or heavier pack to deliver the same range.
- LMR cells: GM’s goal is to approach LFP-level economics while retaining more of the energy density associated with high-nickel batteries.
For a compact city car, adding battery mass may be manageable. For a full-size pickup or three-row SUV, every additional pound affects efficiency, payload, towing performance, suspension requirements and packaging. That is why a chemistry with more energy stored in the same weight and volume could matter particularly to GM electric trucks and large SUVs.
The cost claim is about the battery pack, not automatically the vehicle price
GM has described LMR as a path to significant battery-pack cost savings. Reuters reported that GM’s projected U.S. manufacturing cost for LMR could be approximately comparable to LFP while storing more energy for the same weight and size. That is an important distinction from saying that every GM EV using the chemistry will be cheaper at the dealership.
The price of a finished vehicle also depends on lithium and other commodity prices, labor, tariffs, incentives, production volume, equipment costs, vehicle features and GM’s pricing strategy. Even if LMR reduces the cost of a pack, GM could use the savings to improve range, payload capability, margins or standard equipment rather than reduce the sticker price.
Why the prismatic cell format matters
GM’s LMR program is not only a change in cathode ingredients. The planned cells will also use a prismatic format instead of the pouch cells used in GM’s existing Ultium battery systems.
A prismatic cell has a rigid, rectangular casing. Larger cells can reduce the number of individual cells, interconnections, supports and other components required inside a battery pack. GM says the resulting pack design could contain more than 50% fewer parts than its current approach.
Fewer parts can mean fewer welds and connections, a simpler assembly process, more efficient use of space and potentially lower manufacturing cost. It may also make it easier to package a large amount of energy beneath a truck or SUV floor.
But cell format involves trade-offs. Larger rigid cells place greater demands on casing strength, thermal management, swelling control, crash protection, service procedures and manufacturing consistency. Fewer components do not automatically mean a safer, more durable or easier-to-repair pack. Those outcomes depend on the final engineering and validation work, which GM has not fully disclosed.
How much range could LMR deliver?
GM says the chemistry could enable more than 400 miles of range in an electric truck while reducing pack cost compared with today’s high-nickel packs. That is an engineering target, not an EPA rating for a named 2028 vehicle.
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Actual range would depend on battery capacity, motor configuration, wheel and tire choice, aerodynamics, payload, towing, temperature and the EPA test result. GM has not announced an LMR vehicle, usable battery capacity or final range number.
The technical problem: battery life and voltage decay
Manganese-rich layered cathodes have historically faced two related challenges: shorter usable life and voltage decay. As a cell ages, voltage decay can reduce the practical energy and performance available from the battery, weakening the very range advantage that makes the chemistry attractive.
GM says it and LG Energy Solution have developed material and manufacturing methods intended to address those failure modes. By the end of 2024, GM reported that it had:
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- Coated approximately one ton of LMR cathode material at its Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center.
- Tested hundreds of large-format prismatic cells.
- Evaluated 18 prototype varieties across three cell dimensions.
- Completed testing equivalent to approximately 1.4 million miles of EV driving.
Those are substantial development activities, but they are company-reported results, not independent road testing or a published durability certification. The mileage-equivalent figure describes laboratory testing translated into an estimated driving distance; it does not mean a production LMR vehicle has been driven 1.4 million real-world miles.
GM has not yet released final production figures for cycle life, calendar life, capacity retention, fast-charging performance, thermal behavior, safety testing or warranty coverage. Buyers should wait for those specifications before treating the chemistry as proven in a consumer vehicle.
What is the announced timeline?
| Stage | What GM and LG have said | What it does not confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Development and validation | Production design validation is planned at GM’s Battery Cell Development Center in Warren, Michigan, and at an LG Energy Solution facility. | A final production cell specification or vehicle application. |
| Pre-production | Pre-production was expected to begin at an LG Energy Solution facility by late 2027. | That a retail vehicle will be available in 2027. |
| Commercial production | Ultium Cells plans to begin commercial U.S. production of LMR prismatic cells in 2028. | A named model, trim, launch month or showroom delivery date. |
LG Energy Solution’s 2026 materials continued to describe LMR prismatic production and line conversions for the GM program, supporting the view that development remains active. However, a battery-production target and a vehicle-launch date are separate milestones.
Will LMR replace LFP at GM?
GM has been pursuing a multi-chemistry strategy. Its existing EVs have primarily used high-nickel NCMA-type lithium-ion cells, while GM and LG Energy Solution had also announced plans for LFP production at Spring Hill, Tennessee, beginning in 2027.
In June 2026, Reuters reported that GM’s battery leadership was considering moving away from, or placing less emphasis on, some earlier LFP plans in favor of LMR. The reason is logical for large vehicles: LMR may offer energy density closer to high-nickel cells while approaching LFP economics.
That report should not be interpreted as proof that LFP has disappeared from every GM application. GM may still use different chemistries for different vehicle sizes, price points, duty cycles or markets. The public information establishes that LMR has become a central priority for future large EVs, not that every planned LFP program has been formally canceled.
GM’s sodium-ion battery work with Peak Energy is separate again. That program concerns grid-scale energy storage and should not be confused with the LMR vehicle-cell program.
Which GM vehicle will get LMR first?
GM has identified future electric trucks and full-size SUVs as the intended applications, but it has not tied the announcement to a specific production vehicle or trim. That leaves several possibilities across Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac, but naming a Silverado EV, Sierra EV, Hummer EV or Escalade IQ as the confirmed first user would go beyond the available evidence.
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- The 2S battery capacity indicator module can be used to display lithium battery, lead acid battery, and Ni-MH battery.
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- Widely applications: Can be widely applied to portable mobile equipment, electro mobile, balance car, cleaning machine, measuring equipment etc. battery capacity indicator.
- Note: The electricity quantity parameter is a reference value, there will be about 2% error range; This model is not waterproof, the electronic components should be used in a dry environment; The number of corresponding battery strings and use them within the corresponding voltage range. Do not exceed a voltage of 4.3*N at most.(for example, if the t-i-n on the pad of S3 is selected, the maximum voltage detected by the module should not exceed 4.3*3=12.9 V).
Some next-generation full-size GM electric truck and SUV programs previously associated with 2028 have reportedly been delayed or reworked. Those program changes create additional uncertainty around when an LMR-powered vehicle will reach customers. The 2028 date currently has the strongest support as a commercial cell-production target, not as a guaranteed consumer launch date.
Does more manganese solve GM’s supply-chain problems?
It could reduce dependence on nickel and cobalt, but it does not make the battery supply chain independent of mineral risks.
GM has said it wants to increase North American content in its battery supply chain eightfold by 2028. Its localization priorities include lithium, manganese, nickel, cathode material, anode material, electrolyte and separator production. Producing LMR cells in the United States through Ultium Cells would fit that broader effort.
However, LMR still requires lithium, battery-grade manganese, processed cathode material, graphite or another anode material, electrolyte, separators and specialized manufacturing equipment. Manganese supply and processing are also geographically concentrated. Moving away from cobalt and reducing nickel exposure is not the same as eliminating mineral, processing or geopolitical risk.
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| Confirmed or directly announced | Not yet confirmed |
|---|---|
| GM and LG Energy Solution are developing LMR prismatic cells. | The final production chemistry and cell capacity. |
| The intended uses are future GM electric trucks and full-size SUVs. | The first production vehicle or trim. |
| Pre-production was expected by late 2027. | A final EPA range rating. |
| U.S. commercial production is targeted for 2028 through Ultium Cells. | An exact battery-pack cost reduction or retail-price cut. |
| GM says the chemistry will use substantially more manganese and very little cobalt than high-nickel cells. | Final charging speed, degradation, safety and warranty specifications. |
| GM has reported extensive internal prototype testing. | Whether every previously discussed next-generation full-size EV will launch on its earlier schedule. |
What GM must still prove
The chemistry will become meaningful to buyers only after GM and LG answer several product-level questions:
- Energy density: How much usable energy will the production cell store by weight and volume?
- Durability: How much capacity will remain after repeated charging, towing and high-temperature operation?
- Charging: What peak charging rate and charging curve will the production pack support, and how much will cold weather affect it?
- Safety: How will the larger prismatic format perform in thermal, crash and abuse testing?
- Manufacturing: Can the cell be produced consistently and economically at automotive scale?
- Vehicle integration: Which truck or SUV will use it, with what pack size, payload rating and towing capability?
- Ownership: What warranty, service process and replacement strategy will apply?
These are not minor details. A chemistry can look attractive in a laboratory and still fail to deliver its intended cost or performance when scaled to millions of cells and integrated into a heavy vehicle.
Bottom line
GM’s LMR battery is a credible attempt to combine the cost advantages of manganese-rich materials with the range and packaging benefits needed by large electric vehicles. The program also pairs the new cathode with larger prismatic cells and a simpler pack architecture, which could be as important to cost as the chemistry itself.
The strongest claim supported today is that GM and LG are targeting U.S. LMR cell production in 2028 for future electric trucks and full-size SUVs. The weaker claims—that a specific 2028 GM truck will be cheaper, exceed a particular range or replace all LFP applications—remain unconfirmed until GM publishes production-cell and vehicle details.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does LMR mean in GM’s new battery?
LMR means lithium-manganese-rich cathode chemistry. GM’s development description uses substantially more manganese and very little cobalt than its current high-nickel NMCA-type cells. The exact production formulation has not been finalized publicly.
Will the 2028 Silverado EV use GM’s LMR battery?
No specific vehicle has been confirmed. GM says the cells are intended for future electric trucks and full-size SUVs, but it has not announced the first model, trim or delivery date.
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When will GM’s manganese-rich batteries be produced?
GM and LG Energy Solution are targeting commercial U.S. production through Ultium Cells in 2028. Pre-production was expected to begin at an LG facility by late 2027, but those dates do not guarantee a showroom vehicle launch.
Will LMR make GM electric vehicles cheaper?
LMR could lower cell and pack costs because it uses more manganese, less nickel and cobalt, and may require fewer pack components. That does not guarantee a lower vehicle price because sticker pricing also depends on commodities, tariffs, incentives, equipment and GM’s strategy.
Is GM’s LMR battery more durable than LFP or high-nickel batteries?
GM has not published final production figures for cycle life, capacity retention, fast charging, thermal performance, safety testing or warranty coverage. Its reported prototype testing is encouraging but is not an independent durability certification.
The Bottom Line
GM’s manganese-rich LMR battery could deliver near-LFP battery costs with more range-friendly energy density, helped by a simpler prismatic pack. But 2028 is currently a U.S. cell-production target, not a guaranteed launch date for a named vehicle, lower sticker price or specific EPA range.
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