GM Enters Energy Storage Market with Sodium-Ion Battery Plans
General Motors has announced plans to enter the energy storage market with a new partnership on sodium-ion batteries and expanded relationships with Redwood Materials and LG Energy Solution. The company aims to develop a new sodium-ion battery chemistry tailored for grid-scale deployments, with trial production expected by 2028.
Key points
- General Motors (GM) has announced plans to enter the energy storage market with a new partnership on sodium-ion batteries.
- GM aims to develop a new sodium-ion battery chemistry tailored for grid-scale deployments, with trial production expected by 2028.
- GM has partnered with Peak Energy to develop sodium-ion battery cells, which use sodium, iron, and manganese instead of lithium, cobalt, and nickel.
- GM has committed $900 million to commercialize new battery chemistries, with the goal of making sodium-ion batteries cheaper and less dependent on supply chains concentrated in China.
- GM's energy storage plans are a significant development for the industry, with implications for the broader market and potential applications in data centers and the electrical grid.
GM Enters Energy Storage Market with Sodium-Ion Battery Plans
General Motors has announced plans to enter the energy storage market with a new partnership on sodium-ion batteries and expanded relationships with Redwood Materials and LG Energy Solution. The company aims to develop a new sodium-ion battery chemistry tailored for grid-scale deployments, with trial production expected by 2028.
GM's investment in energy storage is part of its broader effort to commercialize new battery chemistries, with a $900 million commitment to the cause. The company has partnered with Peak Energy to develop sodium-ion battery cells, which use sodium, iron, and manganese instead of lithium, cobalt, and nickel. This makes them cheaper to produce and less dependent on supply chains concentrated in China.
The partnership with Peak Energy is the most technically ambitious piece of GM's energy storage plans. The company will co-develop sodium-ion battery cells at its Battery Cell Development Center in Warren, Michigan, with the goal of reaching trial production by 2028. This marks a significant milestone for GM, as it becomes the first Western car company to move beyond research papers and into manufacturing trials.
The energy storage market is a growing area of interest for automakers, as data centers and the electrical grid require increasingly large amounts of power. GM's entry into this market is a significant development, and could have implications for the broader industry.
Key Takeaways
- GM is partnering with Peak Energy to develop sodium-ion battery cells
- The partnership will focus on grid-scale deployments, with trial production expected by 2028
- GM has committed $900 million to commercialize new battery chemistries
Sources
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