South Korea’s LG Energy Solution (LGES) has begun production at its new battery plant in Lansing, Michigan, US, adding capacity for electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage system (ESS) batteries. <\/p>\n
The company is targeting annual battery-making capacity of more than 35GWh at full scale. <\/p>\n
The Lansing plant is LGES’ second manufacturing facility in Michigan, alongside an existing plant in Holland. <\/p>\n
The 226-acre facility will produce lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) cells for ESS applications and nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cells for EVs. <\/p>\n
The NMC cells will be supplied to Toyota for EVs including the 2027 Toyota Highlander EV, which will be assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky in Georgetown, Kentucky. <\/p>\n
The ESS cells will be integrated by LGES Vertech, the company’s US energy storage division, into systems for utility and grid-scale storage as well as commercial and industrial applications. <\/p>\n
DTE Energy, the Detroit-based energy company, will be among the utilities using batteries from the plant for future ESS projects. <\/p>\n
LGES has invested more than $2bn in the Lansing facility since 2022. <\/p>\n
The plant currently employs about 900 people, with headcount expected to rise to 1,700 at full-scale production. <\/p>\n
The company also operates a North American regional group and research and development facility in Troy, Michigan. <\/p>\n
Total investment in the state since 2010 exceeds $5bn, and the company’s Michigan workforce is expected to surpass 3,300 by the end of 2026. <\/p>\n
Across North America, LGES is targeting more than 50GWh of total LFP cell-making capacity by the end of 2026. <\/p>\n
This will be spread across three wholly owned plants \u2013 Michigan-Holland, Michigan-Lansing, and NextStar Energy in Windsor, Ontario \u2013 and two joint-venture facilities, L-H Battery Company in Jeffersonville, Ohio<\/a>, and Ultium Cells 2 in Spring Hill, Tennessee. <\/p>\n By the end of the year, 80% of the company’s global ESS capacity is expected to be based in North America. <\/p>\n LGES CEO David Kim said: “Today marks a defining milestone for LG Energy Solution. Lansing will produce advanced batteries that support not only the future of mobility, but also America’s growing energy infrastructure and digital economy.” <\/p>\n Earlier this month, Ultium Cells, the US-based EV battery joint venture between LGES and US automaker General Motors, confirmed plans<\/a> to restart production at its plant in Warren, Ohio, following a seven-month shutdown. <\/p>\n The company suspended production at the plant in January, laying off some 1,400 workers, including 850 temporarily. <\/p>\n