Samsung SDI and General Motors Finalize Agreement for Joint EV Battery Plant in Indiana
Samsung SDI and General Motors have solidified their partnership to bolster the electric vehicle (EV) market by finalizing an agreement to establish a joint battery manufacturing facility in the United States. The deal was formalized during a signing ceremony at Samsung SDI's Seoul office on Tuesday, with key representatives from both companies in attendance.
This agreement follows an initial pact reached in April last year, as the two companies have been working on finalizing the specifics of their joint venture since then. The new EV battery plant will be located in New Carlisle, Indiana, covering a 2.77 million square-meter site and is expected to create over 1,600 jobs.
The facility is slated to begin mass production in 2027, with an initial annual production capacity of 27 gigawatt-hours (GWh), which is sufficient to power approximately 350,000 electric vehicles. Plans are already in place to eventually increase the plant's annual production capacity to 36 GWh.
"Building on last year's partnership with GM, the No. 1 automaker in North America, we have established a premium battery production hub to lead the US EV market," said Choi Yoon-ho, CEO of Samsung SDI. He added that Samsung SDI will focus on supporting GM and enhancing its leadership in the EV market with the company’s PRiMX battery products, which feature 'Super Gap' technology.
The plant will produce high-performance nickel-rich prismatic batteries based on lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxides (NCA). These batteries are designed to improve an EV’s driving range with high energy density and enhance safety with their metallic exterior and venting system.
GM CEO Mary Barra emphasized the significance of this joint venture, stating, "The Samsung SDI joint venture is the latest example of GM’s commitment to driving innovation in America." She expressed confidence in the continued growth of the EV market and GM’s sales as more customers experience their EVs and as charging infrastructure expands.
As Samsung SDI continues to strengthen its foothold in the North American EV market, the company is also eyeing further expansion opportunities. Samsung SDI has previously partnered with Stellantis to establish a joint venture in the US, with two battery manufacturing plants under construction in Kokomo, Indiana. These plants are set to have a combined annual production capacity of 67 GWh, with significant investments totaling over $6.3 billion.
Earlier this year, Choi hinted at the possibility of Samsung SDI building its own EV battery plant in the US to further increase production capacity, though specific details have yet to be disclosed.
