General Motors Aims to Develop Domestic Battery Cells Amid Trump Administration's Criticism of Ford
General Motors is working on next-generation sodium-ion battery cells in an effort to reduce U.S. reliance on China for critical materials used in energy storage systems and electric vehicles (EVs). The company has partnered with Denver-based startup Peak Energy, aiming to commercialize these batteries by around 2029 using more domestically available resources like soda ash instead of lithium or ferrous sulfate. This move comes as the Trump administration criticizes Ford Motor for its ties to Chinese battery technology firm Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL). While GM currently produces lithium iron phosphate cells with LG Energy Solution in the U.S., it is shifting focus toward sodium-ion chemistry, which offers broader temperature performance and cycle life. The initiative aligns with a growing push by policymakers to strengthen domestic battery supply chains amid China's dominance of global EV battery production. However, transitioning away from Chinese materials will take time as new infrastructure develops.
Topics: battery technology domestic supply chain energy storage systems (ESS) U.S.-China relations